Strongly interested and outspoken about green anarchism issues the band have built up a strong and devoted fanbase, despite being nearly universally ignored by mainstream critics. The band have been spokespeople for a number of issues including campaigning against the Criminal Justice Act (and its measures against rave parties) and various anti-capitalist and environmental issues. They continue to tour extensively around Britain and Europe but maintain a mutual dislike with the music press which stems from their early days.
Julie
Levellers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She said she was born that way
She always felt that way
She left home at age sixteen
Got a job what you're supposed to do
That's what you've got to do
She fell in love and settled down
She'd feel alone in a crowded room
Cry when she heard a happy tune
It would be nice to holiday
Till they took her job away
They just took her life away
Doing nothing isn't fun
When you've nothing from which to run
You've nowhere left to run
She'd visit the social every day
Every time be turned away
Every time be turned away
She'd feel alone in a crowded room
Cry when she heard a happy tune
Julie waits, her world is her window
And Julie hates, she hates the world below
A hundred stairs to her new room
Over glass and blackened spoons
Children grow old so soon
Past the kids who gather there
Pain masked by narcotic stares
But no one really cares
Her dreams were cut up and bled dry
A million voices in her cry
Julie waits, her world is her window
And Julie hates, she hates the world below
And Julie hates, just what she doesn't know
But Julie loves,
She loves too much to know
The song Julie by Levellers tells the story of a lonely girl who leaves home at 16, gets a job, falls in love, and settles down. Despite all of this, she still feels alone in a crowded room and cries when she hears a happy tune. Julie has a hard time making ends meet and eventually loses her job, leaving her with nothing to run from and nowhere left to go. She visits the social every day and is turned away every time. The song paints a bleak picture of Julie's life with only her dreams and window to keep her company.
The lyrics of Julie reflect the reality of many people's lives that are filled with poverty and disappointment. Julie is a symbol of the countless people who struggle to make ends meet, who have dreams that are cut short, and who feel all alone in the world. The song portrays the cycle of poverty and hopelessness that is often hard to escape from.
Overall, the song is a reminder of the importance of empathy, connecting with others, and taking action to address social inequality. We should all do our best to support one another and work towards building a more just and compassionate society.
Line by Line Meaning
Julie was a lonely girl
The song starts by introducing Julie as a lonely girl.
She said she was born that way
Julie believed that she was born lonely and that she would feel alone regardless of her surroundings.
She always felt that way
Julie had a persistent feeling of loneliness, which never went away.
She left home at age sixteen
Julie left her home when she was sixteen, likely to explore the world and find a place where she could belong.
Got a job what you're supposed to do
Julie found a job, which is what society expects young people to do when they reach adulthood.
That's what you've got to do
Julie did what she was supposed to do by finding a job, which was the norm in her society.
She fell in love and settled down
Julie found love and settled down in a council place near the edge of town.
In a council place there on the edge of town
Julie lived in a council house located near the boundary of her town.
She'd feel alone in a crowded room
Julie experienced loneliness even in places with many people around her.
Cry when she heard a happy tune
Julie was so lonely that even hearing a happy tune would make her cry.
It would be nice to holiday
Julie longed for a pleasant vacation, perhaps as a way to escape her loneliness for a while.
Till they took her job away
Julie lost her job, which had been an essential part of her life, to the point that not having it left her distressed.
They just took her life away
Losing her job felt like losing her life because it had become such a significant part of her existence.
Doing nothing isn't fun
Julie found it hard to enjoy not working and keeping herself busy. Being idle wasn't satisfactory to her.
When you've nothing from which to run
When there's nothing to escape from or nothing keeping you busy, the feeling of being alone becomes more acute.
You've nowhere left to run
When all avenues to escape or find refuge close, the feeling of loneliness becomes even more intense.
She'd visit the social every day
Julie sought solace from her loneliness at the social welfare office, which she visited regularly.
Every time be turned away
Despite seeking help from the social welfare office, Julie never got the support she needed and was turned away each time.
Julie waits, her world is her window
Julie's world has shrunk so much that she spends most of her time by the window, where she can observe life outside her room.
And Julie hates, she hates the world below
Julie feels angry and resentful towards the world outside her window.
A hundred stairs to her new room
Julie's new place was located on the upper floors of a tower block and entailed climbing many stairs to reach it.
Over glass and blackened spoons
The stairs that Julie had to climb were littered with drug paraphernalia, symbolizing the misery, and despair that the people living there faced.
Children grow old so soon
The harsh realities of life make children grow up too quickly, as they face challenges and struggles beyond their years.
Past the kids who gather there
As Julie climbs the stairs to her room, she walks past children who congregate in communal spaces in the tower block.
Pain masked by narcotic stares
The children who lived in the tower block masked their pain with drug use or simply looked numb and disconnected.
But no one really cares
The people in the tower block, including the children, lived in a society that didn't care about their welfare or their struggles.
Her dreams were cut up and bled dry
Julie's dreams of a better life were shattered and never fulfilled.
A million voices in her cry
Julie felt the pain and suffering of millions of people who shared her struggles and saw their hopes and dreams fade away.
And Julie hates, just what she doesn't know
Julie hates what she doesn't know or understand, which includes the challenges and struggles that other people like her face.
But Julie loves,
Despite her pain and loneliness, Julie still holds on to the capacity to love.
She loves too much to know
Julie loves so intensely that she doesn't realize the extent of the pain and suffering that she's going through.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DP, CHARLES KENTON HEATHER, HUGH PIPE MACKAY, JEREMY CUNNINGHAM, JONATHAN SEVINK, MARK CHADWICK, SIMON FRIEND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@julieclark8976
My children have said when I die this is the tune they'll play, I left home at age 16 married at 16 and had my son at age 16 ,it's one of my all time favourites and they grew up with it .
@davidgammon9751
Thank you Levellers for some beautiful memories.
@kristian5705
What a song, and what a band, so underrated!
@Whatthaonabout
Sorry,never "underrated"!!!
@notaflicker
My parents used to take me to Glastonbury festival when they were the head line band on mainstage. Absolutely rocked it back in the 90s
@stephenarnold1725
Stunning, absolutely brilliant. What more needs to be said.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@JimmyTheMower
What a tune, it nearly turned me from a full on raver in to a crusty new age traveller.
I still wonder what might of been if I had took that path.
@patkelly3966
You would've got muddy
@TechTins_Projects
Probably the same but maybe with brain kicked with less LSD but more psilocybin.
@stephendarcy9803
The Crusty travellers used to put on the best illegal raves back in the early 90’s. Always had the best ecstasy as well, totally pure & clean as well as the best mind blowing acid too. Great days.