Middleton began in the 1990s playing both bass and guitar, and sometimes singing, in several bands including Purple Bass Plectrum, Rabid Lettuce, Pigtube and The Laughing Stock. In 1995, Middleton and Aidan Moffat, after sharing their love of musical artists such as Smog and Will Oldham, began making music under the name "Arab Strap". The band released six studio albums.
In 2002, while in between Arab Strap albums, both he and bandmate Moffat pursued different solo projects, Moffat's being the ambient Lucky Pierre; Middleton, writing lyrics and singing for the first time, recorded the cathartic 5:14 Fluoxytine Seagull Alcohol John Nicotine for Chemikal Underground.
Middleton released the slightly more optimistic album Into The Woods in the summer of 2005, again between Arab Strap records.
In late 2006, Arab Strap split after ten years together, leading Malcolm to focus on his solo work full-time. He swiftly signed to Full Time Hobby and the appropriately-titled third album, A Brighter Beat, was released in February 2007.
December 2007 witnessed an unlikely turn in Middleton's career as he put himself forward as a contender for Christmas no 1 alongside Sean The Sheep, Mariah Carey and the Xfactor. Needless to say, the coveted top spot went to fellow Scot Leon Jackon of Xfactor but Middleton made a sizeable dent in the festive 40, being the only independent entry at no 31 with We're All Going To Die.
Performing under the pseudonym, Human Don't Be Angry, Middleton released a self-titled album (Human Don't Be Angry) in 2012, despite previous claims that he would retire his solo work, Middleton has resumed performing under his own name, alongside his work as Human Don't Be Angry. His most recent album under his own name is, Waxing Gibbous, released on 8 June 2009
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Devastation
Malcolm Middleton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just withdraw your eyes and you'll hear me start to moan
I've never felt so lonely as when you're in the next room
I hope you come back in here, come back in here soon
Had your face in my eyes all weekend now you're gone
24 long miles but my car's broken down
He won't travel 3 and he can't travel 10
So when will we ever see you again
I've never felt more betrayed
Got a spring in my eye and a light in my step
I wasn't made to feel this way
Got your hair in my hands and your legs running to me
Should I lick the bath or should I wait till Tuesday
I'm sorry for the silence I'm sorry for the noise
You know I'll make it up to you with a million steak McCoys
And how can you like me
With this head and these arms
How can this shallow freak be accused of having charm
The way the earthquakes land when I blow my nose
The lyrics to Malcolm Middleton's song Devastation describe a feeling of loneliness and a longing for someone's presence. The opening lines of the song, "And you're the only person that can make me feel alone, just withdraw your eyes and you'll hear me start to moan," suggest that the singer's loneliness is caused by the emotional withdrawal of another person. The lyrics go on to describe the feelings of loneliness that arise even when that other person is nearby, but emotionally distant: "I've never felt so lonely as when you're in the next room, I hope you come back in here, come back in here soon."
The song's chorus expresses the singer's feelings of betrayal and devastation, saying, "And I've been so devastated, I've never felt more betrayed, got a spring in my eye and a light in my step, I wasn't made to feel this way." These lines suggest that the singer feels deeply hurt and abandoned by the person they are addressing in the song. The lyrics also contain playful and surreal images, such as the lines "Got your hair in my hands and your legs running to me, should I lick the bath or should I wait till Tuesday," which suggest a strange mixture of intimacy and detachment.
Overall, the lyrics to Devastation convey a complex mix of emotions, including loneliness, longing, hurt, and wry humor. The song's spare, intimate arrangement underscores these feelings, giving the impression of a person baring their soul to the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
And you're the only person that can make me feel alone
When you don't pay attention to me, I feel isolated
Just withdraw your eyes and you'll hear me start to moan
If you look away from me, I'll start to complain
I've never felt so lonely as when you're in the next room
Even when you're near, I still feel alone without your attention
I hope you come back in here, come back in here soon
I miss you, please come back to me
Had your face in my eyes all weekend now you're gone
I thought about you all weekend, but now you're not here
24 long miles but my car's broken down
I'm far away from you, but my car has stopped working
He won't travel 3 and he can't travel 10
My friend can't drive too far to help me
So when will we ever see you again
When will we be able to see each other in person?
And I've been so devastated
I'm extremely upset
I've never felt more betrayed
I feel like you've let me down
Got a spring in my eye and a light in my step
I'm feeling happy and excited
I wasn't made to feel this way
This isn't how I want to feel
Got your hair in my hands and your legs running to me
I want you to be close to me
Should I lick the bath or should I wait till Tuesday
I'm not sure what to do without you here to guide me
I'm sorry for the silence I'm sorry for the noise
I apologize for any time I may have been too quiet or too loud
You know I'll make it up to you with a million steak McCoys
I'll do something special for you to make up for my mistakes
And how can you like me
Why do you even like me?
With this head and these arms
I'm not perfect, I have flaws
How can this shallow freak be accused of having charm
I don't understand how you find me charming
The way the earthquakes land when I blow my nose
Even when I do something as simple as blow my nose, it feels like everything shakes or falls apart
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Mute Song Limited
Written by: Malcolm Middleton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
schinkenpelz
Highly underrated, brilliant song.
pfbcarlisle
A stunning and beautiful song. Off the superb album 'Into The Woods'
Cassandra Gemini
my favorite song.
skl31
Quality upload thank you sir :)
evan eastman
Thank you Pandora for showing me this and Ballad of Fuck All. Both great songs.
BramanNoodles
@carefreecrow Oh god.. really? Spelling aside, i love this song. Thanks for uploading!