After releasing 300 copies of two of their songs, the band was discovered by, and eventually signed with, independent label Warp Records in 2004, releasing their critically-acclaimed debut album A Certain Trigger" in May 2005. Widely described as one of the best British albums of the year, the album helped the band develop a strong and diverse fanbase both in the UK and abroad, and also earned them a nomination for the coveted Mercury Music Prize. Three songs from the record, Apply Some Pressure (re-released), Graffiti and Going Missing, reached the Top 20 in the UK music charts in 2005. Maxïmo Park also contributed a song titled Wasteland to the War Child album Help: A Day in the Life, midway through that year. The final single from A Certain Trigger, I Want You To Stay, was released in the United Kingdom on February 20, 2006.
Maxïmo Park's second album, Our Earthly Pleasures was released on April 2, 2007. Singles included Our Velocity, Girls Who Play Guitars, Books From Boxes and Karaoke Plays. In August 2008 Paul Smith announced that the band had finished recording their third album and were looking for someone to produce it. It is expected for release in early 2009.
As a result of their rapidly increasing popularity both in the United Kingdom and overseas, 2005 also proved to be a highly exciting year for the band from a touring perspective, with a number of successful tours of Europe, as well as supporting The Bravery in the United States and performing a number of sellout shows in Japan and Australia. While performing across Europe at the Glastonbury and Lowlands music festivals and the Carling Weekend, their enormous success in the United Kingdom was confirmed through their place as support for Kaiser Chiefs on the NME Rock and Roll Riot Tour, and their appearance at the XFM Winter Wonderland shows in London in December of 2005. In a similar vein, the band headlined the NME Awards Tour in the UK, featuring Arctic Monkeys, Mystery Jets and We Are Scientists, and expanded their presence in Asia by performing in Thailand as part of the Rock 100 Festival in Bangkok.
The The National Health Songfacts reports that Maximo's Park fourth album relates to the state of society at large: "The nation is out of control," said Paul Smith, "and the record is about taking back control, and being a force for change in your own life. It can't speak for everybody but it has its eyes and ears all around us. Our songs are built on empathy. I would hope it's as vital a music as people would want to hear." The National Health will be released June 11, 2012.
The band also enjoys playing in their hometown, Newcastle. In early 2007, despite global success, they decided to play in three small venues and price tickets at only £5. These venues were The Head Of Steam, The Cumberland Arms and The Cluny. The band also headlined Freevolution 2007, a free outdoor music festival in Newcastle/Gateshead sponsored by Orange phones.
The Kids Are Sick Again
Maxïmo Park Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of the summer holidays
Pointless days pining
Afternoons whining
The suburbs scream
At passers by
The scream of escape
A new siren
Wasted lives
Hope takes flight
I don't mind
Losing self respect
I've done it before
And I'll do it again
I'm stifled tonight
Which is fine
I've done it before
And I'll do it again
I'm hotter than this
Under regular beams of light
Toothpaste smiles
Don't seem so bright
I'm marching on
Don't revise
I don't mind
Losing self respect
I've done it before
And I'll do it again
I'm thwarted tonight
Which is fine
See I've done it before
And I'll do it again
The kids are sick again
Nothing to look forward to
They jumped the cliff again
Future sinks beneath the blue
The kids are sick again
Nothing to look forward to
They jumped the cliff again
Future sinks beneath the blue
The kids are sick again
Nothing to look forward to
They jumped the cliff again
Future sinks beneath the blue
The kids are sick again
Nothing to look forward to ...
The Maxïmo Park’s song The Kids Are Sick Again is a poignant commentary on the lives of young people living in the suburbs. The opening lines describe the bittersweet feeling of freedom that comes with the summer holidays. The long, lazy days are a welcome relief after a year of studying, but they can also feel meaningless and unfulfilling. The following lines paint a picture of suburban life, where boredom and frustration are the norm. The suburbs appear as a place without identity or purpose, where the only sound is the scream of escape. The phrase “a new siren” suggests that there is always someone trying to break free from this monotonous existence.
The chorus of the song, “The kids are sick again” suggests that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way young people are being raised in the suburbs. They have nothing to look forward to, and so they act out in destructive ways. The repetition of this line drives home the idea that this problem is not going away anytime soon. The second verse of the song mentions “toothpaste smiles,” which suggests that the people in the suburbs are putting on a facade of happiness, even though they feel empty inside.
Overall, The Kids Are Sick Again is a powerful song that captures the feelings of disaffection and boredom that many young people experience when growing up in the suburbs. It is a warning to society that if we don't address these issues, we risk losing an entire generation to despair and hopelessness.
Line by Line Meaning
The comforting ache
The familiar pain
Of the summer holidays
During the long break from school
Pointless days pining
Wasting time craving things that can't be had
Afternoons whining
Complaining about boredom or discomfort
The suburbs scream
The dull surroundings create a sense of desperation
At passers by
Directing frustration towards innocent individuals
The scream of escape
A desire to leave and find something more meaningful
A new siren
Hope for a better life
Wasted lives
Undeveloped or unfulfilling existence
Hope takes flight
Expectations for a better future are lost
I don't mind
I am not bothered
Losing self respect
Acting shamefully or immorally
I've done it before
This is not the first time
And I'll do it again
I will do it repeatedly
I'm stifled tonight
Feeling trapped or suffocated
Which is fine
It's okay
I'm hotter than this
I am capable of more
Under regular beams of light
In normal circumstances
Toothpaste smiles
Fake or insincere happiness
Don't seem so bright
Are not as appealing
I'm marching on
Continuing forward
Don't revise
Ignoring responsibility to study or improve oneself
I'm thwarted tonight
Blocked or prevented from progress
See I've done it before
I have faced this situation previously
The kids are sick again
The youth are unwell
Nothing to look forward to
No upcoming positive events or opportunities
They jumped the cliff again
They repeated their mistake or failure
Future sinks beneath the blue
Doomed to a bleak and sad future
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Archis Tiku, Duncan Robert Lloyd, Lukas James Wooller, Paul Anthony Smith, Thomas Alexander English
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thomas O
i can´t believe why this song has just 21,3k views (and Maximo Park just 15,7k subs!!!). This song is absolutly GREAT, love the ending. Maximo Park is awesome :)
Peter Beaumont
Such an underrated tune
panic emre
Perfect song!!
David Westera
VEVO'd! An act of recognition if you ask me, I'm glad their videos are in now online in better quality.
Brian Millington
Great song great band
ilan doesn't matter
great
Esstringlo SinE
💙💙💙🌻🌻🌻💙💙💙💙
Beats By Face
Geordie power