Their sound is roughly based on the sounds of 90s Britpop mixed in with 60s psychedelic rock, with heavy influences of Indian pop music as well as classic hard rock throughout. Their first album, 'K' was released in the United Kingdom in 1996, and it became the fastest selling debut album since 'Definitely Maybe' by Oasis. Selling 850,000 copies in the U.K. and a further 250,000 in the U.S., the band achieved success with their singles "Hey Dude" and "Tattva" climbing into the top 40. Their second album released in 1999, 'Peasants, Pigs and Astronauts', however, did not have the success of the first, selling only a fraction of 'K' despite a slightly higher marketing budget. Later that year, Mills announced the band would be breaking up due to unwanted pressure loaded upon them by their label and the urge to move on.
On 11th July 2006, Kula Shaker announced that they would be reforming, and the group set about creating an iTunes-exclusive E.P. They started by touring smaller venues in the U.K. Their third album, 'Strange Folk', was released on 20th August 2007, and their fourth, 'Pilgrim's Progress', was released on 28th June 2010. While touring since then, they have also released a Christmas single. Frontman Crispian Mills is also known for his solo work and his role in the band The Jeevas
Troubadour
Kula Shaker Lyrics
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Your skin that's softer than snow
Keeps my darkness company
I swear that I'll never let go
Girl be kind; Be mine,
Let me be your troubadour
I don't deny, I can't sing and I'm poor
You make a prince out the poet in me
I see two wild horses by a stream
Heading for the old country
A voice says "boy it's all in your head"
It's seems pretty real to me
Girl be kind; Be mine,
Let me be your troubadour
I don't deny, I can't sing and I'm poor
You make a liar, you make a cheat
You make a prince out the poet in me
A Troubadour
My love, my muse
Come with me
Cast out from the world we know
Eastward bound
Out to the sea
Our fortune awaits us there
Our fortune awaits us there
Doll, be kind, be fine,
Let me be your troubadour
I don't deny, I can't sing and I'm poor
I was a liar, I was a freak
You made a king out of the poet in me
A Troubadour
Kula Shaker's song "Troubadour" is all about a man who is in love and dreaming of his lover's arms. He describes her skin as being softer than snow, and it keeps his darkness at bay. He vows never to let her go. The man pleads with the girl to be kind and let him be her troubadour, even though he admits to being poor and unable to sing. He then goes on to say that she has turned him into a prince from a poet, thereby validating his love for her.
The man also sees two wild horses by a stream who are heading towards the old country. He hears a voice that tells him that it is all in his head, but he doesn't care because it feels real to him. He then asks the girl to be his troubadour and describes his love and muse as cast out from the world they know and eastward bound towards the sea, where their fortune awaits them.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm dreaming of your brazen arms again
I am daydreaming of having your strong, bold embrace once again.
Your skin that's softer than snow
Your skin is gentle and delicate, akin to the softness of freshly fallen snow.
Keeps my darkness company
You keep me company in my darkest moments.
I swear that I'll never let go
I promise to never let you go; I will always hold onto you.
Girl be kind; Be mine,
I implore you to be kind to me and be mine.
Let me be your troubadour
Let me be the one who sings and composes poetry for you, like a troubadour.
I don't deny, I can't sing and I'm poor
I admit that I cannot sing and I am not wealthy.
You make a liar, you make a cheat
You make me lie and deceive to win your love and affection.
You make a prince out the poet in me
Through your inspiration, I become a better version of myself and feel like a prince.
I see two wild horses by a stream
I envision two untamed horses near a body of water.
Heading for the old country
They seem to be journeying towards a familiar land.
A voice says "boy it's all in your head"
Someone speaks to me, telling me that the vision I see is not real, but imagined.
It's seems pretty real to me
Despite being told that it is not real, the vision remains very real to me.
My love, my muse
You are my beloved and my source of creative inspiration.
Come with me
I want you to join me on a journey.
Cast out from the world we know
Together, we will leave behind the known world and step into the unknown.
Eastward bound
We will travel towards the East.
Out to the sea
We will venture out onto the open water.
Our fortune awaits us there
We will find prosperity and good luck in that place.
Doll, be kind, be fine,
I affectionately call you 'doll' as I once again plead for your kindness to me.
I was a liar, I was a freak
In the past, I was dishonest with you and felt like an outsider.
You made a king out of the poet in me
You brought out the best in me and made me feel empowered to create and express myself.
A Troubadour
I aspire to be a troubadour, singing and writing poetry in your honor.
Contributed by Mason F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.