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
Shot By Both Sides
Magazine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What is legal is just what's real
What I'm given to understand
Is exactly what I steal
I wormed my way into the heart of the crowd
I wormed my way into the heart of the crowd
I was shocked to find what was allowed
I didn't lose myself in the crowd
Shot by both sides
On the run to the outside of everything
Shot by both sides
They must have come to a secret understanding
New offenses always in my nerves
They're taking my time by force
They all sound the same when they scream
As a matter of course
I wormed my way into the heart of the crowd
I wormed my way into the heart of the crowd
I was shocked to find what was allowed
I didn't lose myself in the crowd
Shot by both sides
On the run to the outside of everything
Shot by both sides
They must have come to a secret understanding
Why are you so edgy Kid?
Asks the man with the voice
One thing follows another
You live and learn, you have no choice
I wormed my way into the heart of the crowd
I wormed my way into the heart of the crowd
I was shocked to find what was allowed
I didn't lose myself in the crowd
I didn't lose myself to the crowd
I didn't lose myself to the crowd
I was shocked to find what was allowed
I didn't lose myself in the crowd
But I wormed my way
But I wormed my way
But I wormed my way
But I wormed my way
But I wormed my way
But I wormed my way
But I wormed my way
But I wormed my way
Shot by both sides
I don't ask who's doing the shooting
Shot by both sides
We must have come to a secret understanding
Magazine's "Shot By Both Sides" is a song that illustrates the singer's internal and external struggles with conformity, social order, and morality. The singer seems aware of the hypocrisy and the contradictions in society, but in the end, he chooses not to get lost in the crowd. The lyrics suggest that conformity and rebellion are two sides of the same coin and both are oppressive in different ways.
The opening lines of the song, "This and that, they must be the same, What is legal is just what's real, What I'm given to understand, Is exactly what I steal," suggests the singer's disillusionment with the status quo. The lines describe the paradox that exists in society where the legal is often a facade that masks the real issues that plague society. For the singer, to find meaning and truth, he has to excavate beneath the legal facade to the core of the problem—the heart of the crowd.
As the song progresses, the lyrics highlight the singer's desire to be part of the crowd, even as he adamantly refuses to lose himself to it. The phrase "I wormed my way into the heart of the crowd" appears repeatedly throughout the song's three verses. The lines suggest the singer's desire to belong to the crowd, despite the crowd's indifference, powerlessness, and conformity. In the song's chorus, the singer repeats the line "Shot by both sides," suggesting that the singer feels trapped between conformity and rebellion. He feels oppressed by both sides and is thus forced to run to the outside of everything.
Line by Line Meaning
This and that, they must be the same
I'm perceiving similarities between things that should be different
What is legal is just what's real
Laws are often a reflection of what's actually happening
What I'm given to understand
What I think I know
Is exactly what I steal
I'm taking information, ideas or actions and transforming them for my own purposes
I wormed my way into the heart of the crowd
I managed to become an accepted part of a popular group or movement
I was shocked to find what was allowed
I was surprised at what was acceptable behavior within this group
I didn't lose myself in the crowd
I didn't allow myself to become completely absorbed by the group and its values
Shot by both sides
I'm being targeted or criticised by opposing forces
On the run to the outside of everything
I'm trying to escape from my current situation and break away from conformity
They must have come to a secret understanding
It seems as though my critics or enemies have made some sort of deal or agreement in their attacks on me
New offenses always in my nerves
I'm constantly being irritated or bothered by fresh negative comments or actions aimed at me
They're taking my time by force
My opponents are using tactics to distract me or waste my resources
They all sound the same when they scream
My detractors are using similar methods of attack, making it difficult to distinguish between them
As a matter of course
It's what's expected or considered normal
Why are you so edgy Kid?
Someone is questioning my anxious or tense demeanor
Asks the man with the voice
A person with authority or power is inquiring about my emotional state
One thing follows another
Things happen sequentially or logically
You live and learn, you have no choice
I need to accept that I'm gaining experience and knowledge, whether I want to or not
I didn't lose myself to the crowd
I remained true to my own individuality and beliefs
But I wormed my way
However, I did still manoeuvre or infiltrate my way into the group
I don't ask who's doing the shooting
I'm not concerned with the identity of my attackers
We must have come to a secret understanding
It appears as if some sort of agreement or truce has been reached between me and my opponents
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Mute Song Limited
Written by: HOWARD DEVOTO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
クラン F-741
Your channel is such a treasure. Awesome quality vids ! Thank you so much !!! ❤️❤️❤️
William Cooper
Great quality video. What a shame they never had more hits. Bit of a one hit wonder was Magazine. These 70s vids are absolutely fantastic. Would be nice to see some "GlamRock" vids of Mud, Sweet, Suzi Quatro, Slade etc.
Thanks.
Bill
ZaZa88
I think my dad used to listen to these
BITSY BAGPIPES
Are the Kaiser Cheifs a fan by any chance 😊
Sedriq Miers
Drummer and guitarist look like kin.