Anderson and Berenyi had been friends since the early 1980s, and published the Alphabet Soup fanzine together. In 1986 Anderson joined The Rover Girls as bassist and Berenyi joined The Bugs as guitarist but neither band lasted long.
Lush formed in 1987, initially named The Baby Machines, with a line-up of Meriel Barham (vocals), Emma Anderson (guitar), Miki Berenyi (guitar), Steve Rippon (bass), and Chris Acland (drums). After Rippon joined, the band members decided on a change of name to Lush, making their live debut at the Camden Falcon on 6 March 1988. Barham was fired, with the rest of the band deciding she lacked commitment (she later joined Pale Saints). Anderson and Berenyi then took on lead vocal duties.
Lush gained recognition when Robin Guthrie helped the band sign to 4AD. The band's first release was Scar, an EP, in 1989. Critical praise for Scar and a wildly popular live show established Lush as one of the best-selling alternative bands of the period. That year the EPs Mad Love, produced by Robin Guthrie, and Sweetness and Light, produced by Tim Friese-Greene of Talk Talk fame, followed.
In 1990 the compilation Gala, which combined the material from the first three EPs, was released by Reprise in the United States, this being the first exposure of Lush in North America.
Lush's first full-length album of completely new material was Spooky in 1992. Produced by Robin Guthrie, Spooky featured a sound very similar to Guthrie's band Cocteau Twins, with walls of sound and a great deal of flange. Reviews were mixed and critics of the album hold that Guthrie's production brought the sound away from the band's original creative vision. Bassist Steve Rippon left the band at this stage in order to concentrate on writing, though his book Cold Turkey Sandwich - a fictionalized chronicle of his time in touring - was rejected by publishers. He was replaced by Phil King. Also in 1992, Lush toured America as part of the Lollapalooza festival.
The band's second studio album Split was released in 1994 and featured a harsher sound alternated with long and softer tracks as "Desire Lines" and "Never-Never". Despite critical praise, the album sold poorly.
After adapting to the newly popular sounds of the Britpop era, Lush's 1996 Lovelife became the biggest seller of their career, including the hit singles "Ladykillers", "500" and "Single Girl", which was released in several different versions with different tracks along with the title track. Also on this album, Jarvis Cocker from Pulp contributed guest vocals to "Ciao!" and the record included the now classic/melancholic favorite "Last Night".
In 1996, drummer Chris Acland committed suicide by hanging, at his parents' house, allegedly due to depression. The situation proved too hard for the band, and in 23 February 1998 the three remaining members of Lush decided to disband.
Emma Anderson has since formed a new band, Sing-Sing, who have released two full-length albums to date.
On September 28th 2015 Lush announced their reunion. The reunited band consists of Anderson, Berenyi & King with the addition of Justin Welch on drums, an old friend of Acland.
Lush discography:
Scar EP (1989)
Mad Love EP (1990)
Sweetness and Light EP (1990)
Gala compliation of the above EPs (1990)
Spooky (1992)
Split (1994)
Lovelife (1996)
Plums and Oranges
Lush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are insecure in this house
I'm so bored and Jaded
I'm so tired of feeling blue
It's a sober day in this house
I can't seem to flow in this house
This is where I'm staying
Please believe me when I say all is right it seems
I've packed them all and thrown them away
You know I need you
From the inside to the outside
Please believe me when I say all is right it seems
It's a different day in this house
Plums and oranges in this house
This is where I'm staying
This is where I want to be
The opening lines of Lush's song "Plums and Oranges" suggest a melancholic atmosphere. The house in which the singer is staying seems to contribute to their feelings of boredom and insecurity. The repetition of "this house" emphasizes a sense of entrapment and suggests that the singer cannot see a way out of their current situation. This is further emphasized in the second verse where the singer says that they "can't seem to flow" in the house. The use of the word "sober" could suggest that the singer is experiencing a heightened state of awareness and is coming to terms with their situation, which could have previously been masked by alcohol or drugs, but also could be that they are not used to living soberly.
However, the chorus suggests a glimmer of hope. The singer implores the listener to "please believe me when I say all is right it seems" while acknowledging that they have had to throw things away in order to feel this way. This could be interpreted as an admission that they have needed to let go of certain negative influences or patterns of behavior in order to feel more positive.
The final section of the song sees the mood shift somewhat. The singer seems to have found solace in the unconventional combination of plums and oranges, which could be seen as a metaphor for finding beauty in unexpected places. The line "this is where I want to be" suggests that the singer has found some measure of peace in the house, and potentially in themselves too.
Overall, "Plums and Oranges" is a song that deals with the complicated nature of mental health and finding happiness in difficult circumstances. The repetition of certain phrases underscores a sense of monotony and ennui, but the chorus offers hope that things can get better.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a lonely day in this house
The singer is feeling isolated and alone in their current environment.
We are insecure in this house
There is a lack of confidence and stability in the atmosphere of the house.
I'm so bored and Jaded
The singer is feeling uninterested and lacking enthusiasm.
I'm so tired of feeling blue
The artist is exhausted from feeling sad and down.
It's a sober day in this house
The artist is experiencing a somber and serious day in the house.
I can't seem to flow in this house
The singer is having difficulty feeling comfortable and at ease in their environment.
This is where I'm staying
The singer has chosen to remain in this house despite its negative aspects.
I just want to be with you
The artist values their relationship with the person they are addressing and desires to spend time with them.
Please believe me when I say all is right it seems
The artist is attempting to convince the person they are addressing that everything is okay, despite their negative emotions.
I've packed them all and thrown them away
The artist has removed and discarded things that were causing negative emotions in an attempt to move forward.
You know I need you
The singer wants the addressed person to understand how important they are to them.
From the inside to the outside
The artist values the addressed person on a personal and external level.
It's a different day in this house
The atmosphere of the house has changed, perhaps for the better.
Plums and oranges in this house
There are new and different aspects present in the house, possibly indicating a new beginning.
This is where I want to be
The singer has found comfort and desires to remain in this environment with the addressed person.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: EMMA VICTORIA JANE ANDERSON, Emma Anderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind