Metronomy began in the tiny, bohemian market town of Totnes, Devon, when Joseph’s Dad sold his son a computer so he could sit in his bedroom and make electronic music. He was inspired by the likes of Autechre, LFO and Aphex Twin, more as a creative hobby than a pop masterplan.
After decamping to Brighton for Uni, Metronomy released their debut album in June 2006. It was called Pip Paine (Pay The £5000 You Owe), and its obtuse but fascinating, largely instrumental electro-pop reflected the eccentricity of its title, and the enduring influence of Totnes.
Joseph admits that he only, finally, saw the commercial possibilities of Metronomy when DJ, producer, Trash founder and electro-punk avatar Erol Alkan began to feature the single You Could Easily Have Me in his sets, and asked Metronomy to play at his club. Cue the need for a proper live show, and the additions of Gabriel Stebbing, Oscar Cash, dance routines and clothes that blink.
Move on 2 years and Nights Out a wonky love-child of Giorgio Moroder, New Order, Pet Shop Boys and Unfinished Sympathy is a second album that feels like a debut. The first to be vocal-led, with the self-effacing Joseph stepping up and grabbing the mic for most of the tracks; and, crucially, the first to introduce Metronomy as a fully live propsition, rather than a pseudonym for Joseph‘s solo work.
As Metronomy’s busy touring schedule built a buzz amongst kids who instinctively get the dance/art crossover, In April 2009 the Metronomy show took another leap in its evolution, with the addition for the first time of a live drummer in Anna Prior, and bassist Gbenga Adelekan. The new Metronomy was completely live, proving it is possible for electronic bands to put on show as authentic as any rock band.
Meanwhile Joseph has embarked on a series of prestigious remixes for the likes of Klaxons, Franz Ferdinand, Gorillaz and collaborations with Kate Nash and Florence and The Machine. Metronomy produced part of the highly acclaimed Roots Manuva album Slime and Reason.
Love Underlined
Metronomy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause she wants it all the time
And Jill Scott's a friend of mine
And Southern Hummingbird's a friend of mine
Our love is underlined
Our love is underlined
'Cause she wants it all the time
And Jill Scott's a friend of mine
And Southern Hummingbird's a friend of mine
And though I'm willing babe
To go the whole way
We could never be in love
When you go you're all I'm thinking of
With luck I'll get you anyway
Our love is underlined
Our love is underlined
That girl's no friend of mine
And it might be hard sometimes
Keep looking at me wide-eyed
While we're holding hands tonight
We're still in love underlined
In “Love Underlined” by Metronomy, the singer suggests that their love is underlined, drawing emphasis and importance to it. However, they do so while acknowledging that their love may not be entirely sustainable. The repetitive lines “Our love is underlined, 'cause she wants it all the time” suggest that perhaps one person in the relationship needs more than the other and that this might cause issues if not addressed. This is reinforced by the mention of Jill Scott and Southern Hummingbird as ‘friends of mine’. Both Jill Scott and Southern Hummingbird are soul singers, well known for their songs about love, heartbreak, and relationships, and the implication is that the singer feels a camaraderie with these artists in terms of understanding the complexities of love.
The singer seems committed to the relationship, despite acknowledging their differences. They state that they are “willing babe to go the whole way,” but that they “could never be in love.” This could be a signal of the singer’s recognition that whilst they love the other person, they might not be in love with them. Instead, their feelings are closer to a sense of comfort or companionship. Despite this, they still want to be with the other person and hope to have more time with them. They hedge their bets, stating, “with luck I’ll get you anyway.” Overall, the song paints a picture of a relationship that may not be perfect but is still valued by both parties. The repetition of the phrase “our love is underlined,” reinforces that idea, suggesting that even though there are underlying issues, the love between the couple remains essential.
Line by Line Meaning
Our love is underlined
Our love is emphasized and important
'Cause she wants it all the time
Our love is emphasized because she constantly desires it
And Jill Scott's a friend of mine
I know Jill Scott personally
And Southern Hummingbird's a friend of mine
I also know Southern Hummingbird personally
And though I'm willing babe
Despite my willingness
To go the whole way
To commit fully to the relationship
We could never be in love
Our relationship can't be considered love
When you go you're all I'm thinking of
When you're gone, you're all I can think about
With luck I'll get you anyway
I hope to still have you in my life
That girl's no friend of mine
I don't consider her a friend
And it might be hard sometimes
It could be difficult at times
Keep looking at me wide-eyed
Keep looking at me with wonder and interest
While we're holding hands tonight
While we're physically close to each other tonight
We're still in love underlined
Despite everything, our love is emphasized and important
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSEPH PATRICK MOUNT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Elena Patiño
Our love is underlined
'Cause she wants it all the time
And Gil Scott's a friend of mine
And southern hummingbird's a friend of mine
Our love is underlined
Our love is underlined
Our love is underlined
Our love is underlined
Our love is underlined
'Cause she wants it all the time
And Gil Scott's a friend of mine
And southern hummingbird's a friend of mine
I know I'm willing, babe, to go the whole way
We could never be alone
When you go you're all I'm thinking of
With love I'll get you anyway
Our love is underlined
Our love is underlined
Our love is underlined
Our love is underlined
That girl's no friend of mine
And it might be hard sometimes
Keep looking at me, bright eyes
While we're holding hands tonight
We're still in love underlined
And it might be hard sometimes
Keep looking at me wide eyed
While we're holding hands tonight
We're still in love underlined
Nick Cadman
What an absolute banger. The whole album is a classic IMO.
Crystal Jeffin
Such an underrated track
luca passeroni
the best track
Simpol Ei
Such an underlined song <3
curubito power
I always love how this song builds up.
Dakota Clark
It's 2021 and I'm playing this song every morning, brightens my mood.
Sebanja
Es una hermosa canción y es una pena que tenga tan pocas vistas esta gema musical
Anayelsi Salinas
Really love their work, love every part of this song. Geniuses behind this.
Meiko Obsidiana
El final de esta canción es grandioso. Me encanta los cambios que tiene.
Samsara Saraswati
i feel like i need to play this song everyday