The group initially signed with Elektra Records in 1993. However, just before they released their first single, two tragedies struck the band. Lead singer Hunt was seriously injured in a car accident resulting in his being in a coma for three days. Shortly after, the UK arm of the record label closed its doors leaving the Longpigs' future in doubt. Elektra set a price of £500,000 to release them from their contract.
The Longpigs contract was purchased by U2's new record label, Mother Records. The band had a series of fortunate gigs, including opening for Echobelly, Supergrass and finally Radiohead in early 1995. Their first singles, Happy Again, She Said and Jesus Christ did little in the charts. The band played the 1995 Reading Festival and subsequently, new track All Hype was featured on the compilation CD Volume 14: Reading '95 Special.
Their next single, the poppy Far, managed to hit the UK Top 40. In March 1996, this was followed by the ballad On & On which received considerable radio play and hit the UK Top 20. The song had a guitar riff remarkably similar to Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. In April 1996 the band released their debut album The Sun Is Often Out, which was declared one of 1996's 50 best albums by both Q Magazine and Melody Maker. On the heels of their newfound success, the band then repackaged and re-released She Said which hit the UK top 30 in June 1996.
The band waited more than two years to release their next material, an eternity in the Britpop world. Their second album, Mobile Home, was released in 1999, with singles including Blue Skies and The Frank Sonata. Despite briefly reaching the UK top 20, the album failed to achieve any notable success. Dee Boyle left the band, and shortly after Mother Records folded in 2000, the rest of the band split up. Guitarist Richard Hawley went on to tour with Pulp.
In late 2004, Hunt lent his voice to the self-titled album by pop/electronic supergroup Mayonnaise on the Lunaticworks/BMG label. Richard Hawley has a flourishing solo career and has also worked with Jarvis Cocker in the electro group Relaxed Muscle. Hunt has since been seen recording with a new band, Gramercy with the help of Dylan Rippon (producer of albums by Emma Townsend) and Nigel Hoyle, once of Britpop-rockers Gay Dad.
On & on
Longpigs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
More often than you know
'Cause you're the lull that I've countered
More often than I've let it show
And I, I wish you would leave me
And I, I wish you would go
And I, I wish you didn't need me
'Cause I just can't go on
So please don't do me wrong
No, I won't do you harm
My love for you goes on & on
There's no one else I want beside you
Give me a cold shoulder to cry upon
You're never anywhere I find you
You're never anything I rely upon
And I, I wish you would leave me
And I, I wish you would go
And I, I wish you didn't need me
And I, I wish I didn't know
But I just can't go on
So please don't do me wrong
No I won't do you harm
My love for you goes on & on & on & on
No, I just can't go on
So please don't do me wrong
No I won't do you harm
'Cause my love goes on & on
And on & on
And on & on
And on & on
...
The lyrics to Longpigs's song On & On describe a feeling of being trapped in a relationship that has passed its expiration date. The singer is torn between wanting their partner to leave them and wanting to hold onto them, even though they know the relationship is not healthy for either of them. The singer feels like they have to counter the lull of the relationship more often than they show, meaning they have to fight the complacency that comes with an empty, loveless relationship.
The repetition of the lines "And I, I wish you would leave me / And I, I wish you would go / And I, I wish you didn't need me / And I, I wish I didn't love you so" conveys a feeling of desperation and hopelessness. The singer is powerless to change the situation and wishes for something they know can't happen. Despite all of this, the singer still loves their partner and doesn't want to cause them harm.
The chorus, "So please don't do me wrong / No, I won't do you harm / My love for you goes on & on," reveals that the singer is caught in a cycle of disappointment and hurt, but they can't bring themselves to let go of their love. The last line, "And on & on," is a haunting echo of the singer's internal struggle, as they continue to cling to a relationship that has no future.
Line by Line Meaning
All the songs that I've sung here
All the experiences we’ve shared together
More often than you know
More frequently than you're aware of
'Cause you're the lull that I've countered
You are the calm that balances me out
More often than I've let it show
More frequently than I’ve expressed it
And I, I wish you would leave me
I desire for you to walk away from me
And I, I wish you would go
I desire for you to be gone
And I, I wish you didn't need me
I desire for you to not require me
And I, I wish I didn't love you so
I desire for my feelings for you to disappear
'Cause I just can't go on
Because I am unable to continue
So please don't do me wrong
Therefore please don’t hurt me
No, I won't do you harm
No, I would not harm you
My love for you goes on & on
My feelings for you persist and continue
There's no one else I want beside you
I want only you by my side
Give me a cold shoulder to cry upon
Comfort me while I express my sadness
You're never anywhere I find you
I am unable to locate you
You're never anything I rely upon
I cannot depend on you for anything
And I, I wish you would leave me
I desire for you to walk away from me
And I, I wish you would go
I desire for you to be gone
And I, I wish you didn't need me
I desire for you to not require me
And I, I wish I didn't know
I desire to not be aware of certain things
But I just can't go on
But I am unable to continue
So please don't do me wrong
Therefore please don’t hurt me
No I won't do you harm
No, I would not harm you
'Cause my love goes on & on
Because my feelings for you persist and continue
And on & on
And for an indefinite, continuing time onwards
And on & on
And for an indefinite, continuing time onwards
And on & on
And for an indefinite, continuing time onwards
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SIMON STAFFORD, RICHARD HAWLEY, ISAAC BOYLE, CRISPIN MACMICHAEL HUNT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind