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)
Second Sight
Lush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Grey dawn breaks into white
Sun climbing the sky
Your eyes reflecting the light
Clouds out of sight
But when the day is through
Will I see you again
Don't let go of my hand
Running together
We go together so well
I can tell
Run where I run
Play what I play
Do what I do
But when this day's through
Will I see you again
The lyrics of Lush's song Second Sight reflect a yearning for the future, a fear of the unknown, and an intense desire for companionship. The first stanza, "Peel back empty night, grey dawn breaks into white," suggests a transition from darkness to light, from ignorance to understanding. The singer appears to be watching the sunrise, hinting at the beginning of a new day or perhaps a new phase in their life. "Your eyes reflecting the light," indicates that the person being addressed is also present, witnessing the same sunrise, or that he or she is a metaphorical source of light for the singer.
However, this sense of hope is tinged with fear and uncertainty. "When the day is through, will I see you again?" The chorus, "Keep your eyes on me, don't let go of my hand. Running together, we go together so well, I can tell," highlights the importance of companionship and human connection. But, the lines "run where I run, play what I play, do what I do," suggests that the singer is not seeking an independent person; rather, they want someone to be dependent on them, to follow their lead. The last line of the chorus, "But when this day's through, will I see you again?" reinforces the feeling of insecurity and anxiety about the future.
Overall, the song is an introspective take on the human desire for companionship and the fear of being alone. The lyrics reflect not only the happiness that comes with being in a relationship but also the fear and sadness that comes with losing it or being alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Peel back empty night
Opening up the dark and desolate night
Grey dawn breaks into white
The beginning of a new day filled with hope and light
Sun climbing the sky
The emergence of the sun into the sky
Your eyes reflecting the light
Your eyes shining and reflecting the beautiful light
Clouds out of sight
The disappearance of the clouds into the endless sky
But when the day is through
Will I see you again
Questioning whether we will meet again after the day is over
Keep your eyes on me
Pleading to stay focused and attentive towards me
Don't let go of my hand
Urging to maintain physical connection and bond
Running together
Joining forces to sprint towards the end goal
We go together so well
Expressing that we complement and work well together
I can tell
Self-assured about the compatibility between us
Run where I run
Play what I play
Do what I do
But when this day's through
Will I see you again
Vowing to pursue a journey together but with the constant fear of whether we will meet again at the end of the day
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MIKI BERENYI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind