1.
McCarthy were a British … Read Full Bio ↴There are 2 bands with this name.
1.
McCarthy were a British indie pop band, formed in Barking, East London in 1985 by schoolmates Malcolm Eden, Tim Gane, John Williamson and Gary Baker. They mixed a sweetly melodic style, dominated by Gane's 12-string guitar playing, with Eden's overtly political lyrics, often satirical in tone, which reflected the band's far left leanings.
After a string of singles, including 'Red Sleeping Beauty' and 'Frans Hals', and a track on the NME C86 album, their debut album 'I Am A Wallet' was released in 1987 to much critical acclaim. Two further singles appeared in early 1988, then an EP in February 1989 was followed by a second album, 'The Enraged Will Inherit The Earth', which was considerably less well received. A year later, in 1990, they released a third album 'Banking, Violence and the Inner Life Today', on which they were joined by Gane's girlfriend Lætitia Sadier on vocals. The album suggested a new willingness to experiment musically, and was seen by critics as something of a return to form, but it in fact proved to be their swansong and they split soon afterwards.
Gane and Sadier went on to form Stereolab, while Eden formed Herzfeld while studying Literature.
McCarthy were a major early influence on the Manic Street Preachers who covered 'We Are All Bourgeois Now', which appeared as a hidden track on the CD of their 'Know Your Enemy' album, as well as 'Charles Windsor', which appeared as a b-side on their Life Becoming A Landslide EP. Manics frontman James Dean Bradfield has also covered 'Red Sleeping Beauty'.
2.
A Southern Metal band from Barrie Ontario. They have released one EP: "Wanna Get Rough?"
The Way of the World
McCarthy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If only I could
If I had a heart to give
I'd give it to you
And I'd give no thought to her
If only I could
But I'd like something to eat
It breaks my heart, but I'm afraid it's true
We're all money's fools
It's so bad, but it's the way of the world
Look at the kindly old soul
Asleep in a ditch
Is it a crime to be bad
When it's not worth being good?
It's a rotten old life
You tend to find
The rotten will rise
The best are hung
Take a look at that rich shareholder's smile
How many heads had to fall
Before he could smile?
This is the way of the world
This is the way of the world, way of the world
In the song "The Way of the World," McCarthy delves into the complexities of human nature and the societal constructs that drive it. The opening lines, "I would give all of my heart to you, If only I could," suggests a yearning for love and connection that, unfortunately, is hindered by materialistic desires. The singer reveals that they would have no qualms about leaving their current partner, "And I'd give no thought to her, If only I could." However, the hunger for sustenance and shelter takes precedence, indicating that even in matters of the heart, survival instinct holds true.
The chorus, "It breaks my heart, but I'm afraid it's true, We're all money's fools, It's so bad, but it's the way of the world," highlights the crux of the song's message. The singer bemoans the fact that the societal obsession with wealth and power has made everyone "money's fools." The lyrics suggest a sense of hopelessness, with the way of the world being inherently flawed and corrupt, making it challenging for individuals to escape the clutches of greed and materialism.
The final lines paint vivid imagery of the world and its ugly realities. The image of a "kindly old soul" sleeping in a ditch juxtaposes the grim reality against the common assumption that goodness is rewarded. The question, "Is it a crime to be bad when it's not worth being good?" points to the irony of how one's moral compass is influenced by the pessimism of their circumstances. Ultimately, the song presents a bleak and confrontational view of the world and begs the question of whether hope and love can survive in such an environment.
Line by Line Meaning
I would give all of my heart to you
If it were possible, I would give you my entire heart.
If only I could
Unfortunately, I am not able to do so.
If I had a heart to give
If I had a heart to give, it would be yours.
I'd give it to you
I would give you my heart.
And I'd give no thought to her
I would not care about anyone else.
But I'd like something to eat
Although I wish I could give you everything, I also need to eat.
And I'd like somewhere to sleep
I also need somewhere to rest.
It breaks my heart, but I'm afraid it's true
This hurts me deeply, but I believe it to be true.
We're all money's fools
We are all foolishly obsessed with money.
It's so bad, but it's the way of the world
It is regrettable, but it is how the world operates.
Look at the kindly old soul
Observe the elderly person who appears to be kind.
Asleep in a ditch
Despite appearances, they are homeless and living in terrible conditions.
Is it a crime to be bad
Is it truly wrong to act immorally?
When it's not worth being good?
When there is no reward for acting morally, what is the point of doing so?
It's a rotten old life
Life is often unpleasant.
You tend to find
It is common to observe that
The rotten will rise
The worst people often achieve success.
The best are hung
Meanwhile, the most deserving people are often punished.
Take a look at that rich shareholder's smile
Observe how content the wealthy shareholder appears.
How many heads had to fall
Consider how many people were negatively affected by this person's success.
Before he could smile?
How much harm did he have to cause before he was happy?
This is the way of the world
This is how things work in our society.
This is the way of the world, way of the world
This is how our world operates; it is just the way things are.
Contributed by Chloe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
samusaran311
“I would give all of my heart to you
If only I could
If I had a heart to give
I'd give it to you
And I'd give no thought to her
If only I could
But I'd like something to eat
And I'd like somewhere to sleep
It breaks my heart, but I'm afraid it's true
We're all money's fools
It's so bad, but it's the way of the world
Look at the kindly old soul
Asleep in a ditch
Is it a crime to be bad
When it's not worth being good?
It's a rotten old life
You tend to find
The rotten will rise
The best are hung
Take a look at that rich shareholder's smile
How many heads had to fall
Before he could smile?
This is the way of the world
This is the way of the world, way of the world.”
professormessor
ace tune, incredible album. the world needs more bands of the calibre (and outlook) of mccarthy.
re
"Take a look at that rich shareholder's smile
How many heads had to fall
Before he could smile?"
Pauleymack
A sweeter Ricko Sound would be hard to find.