in 2011 Magazine returned with their first new recorded material from the band in 30 years, though Adamson had left the reunion by this point.
Magazine's music continues to be an influence in modern music today. While having roots in the punk and new-wave movements, Magazine combined elements of avant-garde and pop. Radiohead in particular draws on the lyrical style of the group, and have performed "Shot By Both Sides" in concert. What's more, Radiohead's 1995 single "Just", with its ascending guitar hook, bears a passing resemblance to "Shot By Both Sides". Former Smiths singer Morrissey, a fan and acquaintance of Devoto's, covered "A Song From Under The Floorboards" as a B-side to his 2006 single "The Youngest Was the Most Loved". "Floorboards" was covered by My Friend The Chocolate Cake on their 1994 album Brood. Half Man Half Biscuit have performed live covers of a number of Magazine songs. "The Light Pours Out Of Me", from the album Real Life, has been covered by both Peter Murphy and Ministry. Swedish punk band No Fun At All did a cover of "Shot By Both Sides" on their record "And Now For Something Completely Different". Devoto co-wrote two songs with Mansun, "Everyone Must Win" and "Railings", contributing vocals to the latter, and the band later covered "Shot By Both Sides" for John Peel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magazine_%28band%29
http://www.discogs.com/artist/26054-Magazine
http://www.wire-sound.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/officialmagazine
Back to Nature
Magazine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't go on like this
I want to walk where the power is
Back to nature
I don't know where to start
Back to nature
I don't have that kind of heart
Back to somewhere else
Back to nature
And right back on top of yourself
Back to nature
I've got to look down
See where I am
Or just hit the ground
And I'm telling you
I know what you've been going through
In my heart of hearts
When I was here
You were there
Nothing was between us
We're up in the air
We're down on the ground
We're up in the air
We're down on the ground
Here are your friends again
Inching in the bedroom door
Ah they want to touch me
And you show me their hands
How warm and soft and foreign they are
Look at them, Cubans in surgical gloves
One on top of two on top of three
Well I've got more than you
Back to nature
The voyeur will realize
This is not a sight for his sore eyes
Back to nature
Getting back at you
I couldn't act naturally if I wanted to
Back to nature
A trip that I can't take
People are thinking
That they've dreamed of this place
Back to nature
It was somewhere else
Back to nature
Right back on top of yourself
And I'm telling you
I know what you've been going through
In my heart of hearts
When I was here
You were there
Nothing was between us
We're up in the air
We're down on the ground
We're up in the air
We're down on the ground
In "Back to Nature," Magazine croons about the concept of leaving behind civilization and returning to one's primal roots in nature. The lyrics suggest a feeling of disillusionment with modern society and a yearning for something more authentic and natural. The singer expresses dissatisfaction with their current state and the desire to find a more powerful sense of being by reconnecting with nature. The lyrics are introspective and contemplative, reflecting on the concept of personal identity and the search for meaning.
The song seems to take on a more political and critical tone, with references to Cuba and surgical gloves. Magazine seems to criticize the modern medical industry and its detachment from nature. The song could be interpreted as a call to return to a more holistic, nature-based approach to health and wellness. It is a reminder that, despite all the technological advancements of modern society, humans are still part of the natural world and should stay connected to it.
Line by Line Meaning
Back to nature
I want to return to nature and get away from modern society
I can't go on like this
I am unable to continue living in this way
I want to walk where the power is
I want to experience the power of nature by being in it
I don't know where to start
I am unsure of how to begin my return to nature
I don't have that kind of heart
I am not strong enough to fully abandon modern society and its comforts
Back to somewhere else
Returning to nature is going back to a different, better place
And right back on top of yourself
Returning to nature means confronting oneself and one's identity
I've got to look down
I need to reevaluate my life and my place in the world
See where I am
Understand my current situation and its impact on me
Or just hit the ground
Take drastic action and start anew
I know what you've been going through
I understand the struggles of others in similar situations
In my heart of hearts
Deep down inside, where my true feelings lie
When I was here
When I was in a similar situation
You were there
Others were in similar situations to mine
Nothing was between us
We were united in our struggles
We're up in the air
Our current situation is uncertain
We're down on the ground
We are grounded and forced to confront reality
Here are your friends again
People who enable my old way of life are back in my life
Inching in the bedroom door
Slowly trying to reintroduce themselves into my life
Ah they want to touch me
They want me to return to my old way of life
And you show me their hands
Reminding me of the destructive nature of my old lifestyle
How warm and soft and foreign they are
How inviting they are, but also how different they are from nature
Look at them, Cubans in surgical gloves
Their touch is clinical and impersonal
One on top of two on top of three
Their persistence and pressure to conform
Well I've got more than you
I have a deeper connection to nature than those who pressure me to return to my old way of life
The voyeur will realize
Those who watch from a distance will understand the beauty and importance of nature
This is not a sight for his sore eyes
Nature is too beautiful and sacred to simply be observed by outsiders
Getting back at you
My return to nature is a way of rebelling against society's expectations for me
I couldn't act naturally if I wanted to
I cannot just go through the motions of my old way of life anymore
A trip that I can't take
Fully returning to nature is not possible for me right now
People are thinking
Others are also considering returning to nature
That they've dreamed of this place
Many have idealized the simplicity and beauty of nature
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Mute Song Limited
Written by: DAVID TOMLINSON, HOWARD DEVOTO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind