They met at a Sheffield party, when Murphy had no prior professional singing experience. Meanwhile, Brydon had a thirteen-year musical résumé, first with Chakk / Hula pioneering EBM (then, aka big beat). Subsequently, within dance music, he formed and produced various pop and house acts, e.g. producing Krush's hit "House Arrest" (1987, FON) and his 1993 Cloud Nine project. Murphy approached Brydon with the chat-up line "Do you like my tight sweater? See how it fits my body!", hence their debut album's title. Respectively, 'Moloko' originates from the Nadsat slang word for "milk" (from the Russian, молоко), in Anthony Burgess' novel "A Clockwork Orange".
Recorded while the pair were dating, Do You Like My Tight Sweater? gained notice on underground dance and trip-hop scenes, then more so with I Am Not a Doctor (Jul 1998, Echo). The latter yielded "Sing It Back", which broke Moloko into the mainstream. Remixed by house producer Boris Dlugosch, "Sing It Back (Boris Musical Mix)", was a massive Ibiza hit and entered the top-five of 1999 weekly UK singles charts, helped by a psychedelic video featuring Murphy in a very short metallic flapper dress and cap. "Sing It Back" was eventually featured on more than 110 music compilations. Dlugosch's remix also appears on faux radio station Rise FM in the action-adventure game "GTA: Liberty City Stories" (2005, Rockstar Games).
In 2000 Moloko started touring as a full band along with percussionist Paul Slowly, keyboardist Eddie Stevens, and guitarist Dave Cook.
The band also had chart success with "The Time Is Now", the first single from their third album, Things to Make and Do. This album had relied less on the leftfield beats of the previous albums, and featured more organic instrumentation.
Murphy and Brydon ended their relationship in 2001. After their breakup they recorded and released their fourth and final studio album, Statues, in 2003. Statues continued a segue into more traditional instrumentation, along with electronica elements from their earlier releases. The album majorly incorporated the theme of the couple's split: all of the songs deal with a troubled and/or ending romance.
In 2004 Moloko released a live DVD, 11,000 Clicks, recorded on stage at the Brixton Academy. It contained many of their well known songs including "Indigo", "Sing It Back", and "The Time Is Now".
After concluding the tour supporting Statues, Moloko mutually parted ways, with Róisín Murphy launching a solo career.
A "best of" album, Catalogue, was released in 2006. Murphy and Brydon, along with long-time Moloko guitarist Dave Cook, played a select number of acoustic radio performances to promote the album.
Since 2006 they have been on an indefinite hiatus.
Where Is The What If The What
Moloko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where am I going with no destination,
What if the fish came from the sea,
What if my lover made me feel free,
What if my intake caused revelation,
What if the point was reincarnation,
What if my shoes do'nt match my jacket,
What if your mamma said you were fat,
If you are lost find where your at,
What is a number without any time,
You can't get higher with nothing to climb,
Why have a body if you ain't got a mind,
What is a searcher with nothing to find,
Why is the traffic refusing to stop,
Why climb the ladder if you can't reach the top,
Where is the what if the what is in why,
Where is the what if the what is in why
Where is the what if the what is in why,
What do you dream of when you sleep at night,
Wee how the blind man fills up with light,
What is a bird with nowhere to fly,
How can you leave and not say goodbye,
What is a hunter with nothing to find,
What is the goodness without the unkind,
When did the outfit fall out of fashion,
When did the lover run out of passion,
My reincarnation time a phoney creation rhyme,
With no destination mine my information's fine,
Why did the voice say don't step on the floor,
Why did the sign say so float through the door,
What is a god of phoney creation,
Where am I going with no destination,
What if the fish came from the sea,
What if my lover made me feel free,
What if my intake caused revelation,
What if the point was reincarnation,
What if my shoes don't match my jacket,
If it's not working why don't you smack it,
What if your mamma said you were fat,
If you are lost find where you're at,
Where is the what if the what is in why,
Where is the what if the what is in why,
Where is the what if the what is in why,
How did the loser get to be rich,
What is a saleman with nothing to pitch,
When did the fool het to be king,
Why did you leave when they asked you to sing,
Why loose belief if you got a dream,
What is a train that ran out of steam,
What is a spy with no-one to spy,
On who do you sleep with nothing to lie on,
What if the fruit don't fall from the tree,
What if these questions just won't let you be,
Why waste your time looking for proof,
What if the answer is never the truth.
The lyrics to Moloko's song "Where Is The What If The What" bring up various existential questions about life that are not easily answered. The song touches upon themes of creation, purpose, perception, freedom, and identity, and the lyrics seem to be a reflection of the singer's thoughts on those topics. The song begins by wondering about whether the concept of a god is a phoney creation, and then moves on to questions about destiny and the origins of life. The singer also contemplates the possibility of reincarnation and the impact of our actions on our lives.
Later on in the song, the lyrics become more introspective and personal, as the singer questions their own identity and freedom. They wonder about whether the choices they make in life are driven by their own desires or influenced by their surroundings. The lyrics also touch upon the theme of acceptance and self-love, where the singer asks what the point is of being upset about being called fat by their mother when they can simply move on and focus on finding their own way.
Overall, the lyrics of this song are open to interpretation and encourage listeners to ponder their own thoughts on life's big questions. The song's repetitive chorus of "Where Is The What If The What" adds to the overall sense of confusion and uncertainty, making it a thought-provoking and introspective piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
What is a god of phoney creation,
What is the worth of a deity created without any sincere belief or devotion behind it?
Where am I going with no destination,
What is the point of traveling through life without any clear goals or sense of purpose?
What if the fish came from the sea,
What if the most obvious and seemingly simple answers are actually the correct ones?
What if my lover made me feel free,
What if true love can provide the freedom and liberation that one seeks?
What if my intake caused revelation,
What if a simple act like consuming something could lead to profound insights and revelations?
What if the point was reincarnation,
What if the purpose of life is to repeatedly return and learn from past mistakes?
What if my shoes do'nt match my jacket,
What if the superficial things in life, like fashion and appearance, don't actually matter?
If it's not working why don't you smack it,
If something isn't functioning properly, why not try to fix it or make a change?
What if your mamma said you were fat,
What if the people closest to us, like our mothers, sometimes say things that aren't true or helpful?
If you are lost find where your at,
If you're feeling lost, focus on where you are in the present moment to orient yourself and move forward.
What is a number without any time,
What is the significance of a quantity or value without any context or relevance?
You can't get higher with nothing to climb,
You can't expect to reach new heights or make progress without facing challenges and obstacles.
Why have a body if you ain't got a mind,
What is the purpose of having a physical existence if one isn't using their intellect or consciousness to its fullest potential?
What is a searcher with nothing to find,
What is the worth or purpose of a person who is constantly seeking but never discovering anything new?
Why is the traffic refusing to stop,
Why does the chaos and bustle of modern life seem ceaseless and unrelenting?
Why climb the ladder if you can't reach the top,
Why strive for success or status if it's impossible to attain or maintain?
Where is the what if the what is in why,
Where is the elusive answers to life's biggest questions, when they often seem buried within other perplexing inquiries?
What do you dream of when you sleep at night,
What are the desires or aspirations that one's subconscious mind conjures up in dreams?
Wee how the blind man fills up with light,
Witness how even the most disadvantaged or marginalized individuals can find hope and enlightenment.
What is a bird with nowhere to fly,
What is the purpose of having wings or potential if there's nowhere to utilize them?
How can you leave and not say goodbye,
How can someone abandon or depart from a relationship or situation without even offering a proper farewell?
What is a hunter with nothing to find,
What is the point of pursuing an objective or goal if it turns out to be unattainable or unrewarding?
What is the goodness without the unkind,
What is the value of positive traits or actions without any experiences of hardship or negativity?
When did the outfit fall out of fashion,
When did something that was once trendy or popular become outdated or unfashionable?
When did the lover run out of passion,
When did the love, desire, or enthusiasm that was once present in a relationship fade or disappear?
My reincarnation time a phoney creation rhyme,
The idea of rebirth or renewal may actually be a shallow or superficial concept.
With no destination mine my information's fine,
Even without a concrete goal or objective, the knowledge or information one gains can still be valuable and enriching.
Why did the voice say don't step on the floor,
Why would someone utter a command or prohibition that is nonsensical or meaningless?
Why did the sign say so float through the door,
Why would a sign convey a message that is unusual or incomprehensible?
How did the loser get to be rich,
How did someone who appears to be unsuccessful or inept end up achieving great wealth or status?
What is a saleman with nothing to pitch,
What is the purpose or value of someone who is trying to sell or advertise a product or service with no clear target or audience?
When did the fool het to be king,
When did someone without any intelligence or wisdom come into a position of great power or authority?
Why did you leave when they asked you to sing,
Why would someone walk away from an opportunity or invitation to showcase their skills or talents?
Why loose belief if you got a dream,
Why let go of one's faith or convictions if they still have aspirations or visions of a better future?
What is a train that ran out of steam,
What happens when something that was once powerful or energetic loses its momentum or drive?
What is a spy with no-one to spy,
What is the worth of a covert operative or informant if there's no one to gather intelligence on?
On who do you sleep with nothing to lie on,
What is the point of resting or sleeping without a comfortable or supportive surface to lie upon?
What if the fruit don't fall from the tree,
What if the expectations or preconceived notions that we have about something aren't accurate or realistic?
What if these questions just won't let you be,
What if the persistent and nagging inquiries posed by life or the self refuse to dissipate or be answered?
Why waste your time looking for proof,
Why spend one's energy and time trying to find evidence or verification for something that may not be provable?
What if the answer is never the truth.
What if the solutions or answers that we uncover through life are often incomplete or deceptive?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARK ERRINGTON BRYDON, ROISIN MURPHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-nn3nc6hd6q
"... Why waste your time looking for proof,
What if the answer is never the truth. "
sad, but true.
@ryanberg8965
That got me too
@jollyjack5856
no, the answer is in the question.
the what is in why.
this means, the question is its own answer.
an answer is never the answer, the question itself is the answer.
asking is receiving.
@viiajones
plays this song at my funeral. I was exposed to Moloko through So You Think You Can Dance and I’m so grateful.
@jamesrowden303
So you are a ghost? Neat.
@rachels30
THE BEST MUSIC AND LYRIC EVER!! -RH
@unwelldanny7108
THIS is the sequel to Fun for Me.
@modifiedcontent
I think this was actually their debut
@SkinnyEMedia
Moloko and puppets, animation seem to go hand-in-hand. That's why I was a fan of them when I was a child because the "Things To Make & Do" and "Do You Like My Sweater" album covers peaked my curiosity as a boy.
@Emgee78
First time I heard this track was after getting the Moloko Catalogue album. There's something hypnotic about it.