For more than twenty years he has been releasing, to only marginal commercial and critical success, playful and transgressive albums on labels in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. In his lyrics and his other writing he makes seemingly random use of decontextualized pieces of continental (mostly French) philosophy, and has built up a personal world he says is "dominated by values like diversity, orientalism, and a respect for otherness." He is also known in certain circles outside the U.S. as a producer. He is fascinated by identity, Japan, the avant-garde, time travel and sex. Live Momus shows are rare but when he does perform he often sings the crowd favourite 'maf' from the Stars Forever LP.
He wears a patch over his right eye because he lost the use of it after contracting acanthamoeba keratitis from a contact lens case washed with Greek tap water.
Nick Currie currently resides in Osaka, Japan.
I Had a Girl
Momus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because my skin was white and her skin was brown
Someone made sure she was on a plane
So I'd never hear from that girl again
Sometimes at night, alone and depressed
A little uptight or unbearably stressed
I cry as I call out your name
I am always unable to rest
These days my life is beautifully grim
Like your long grey coat from Comme des Garcons
Imagine me here in the pouring rain
Dreaming of how I'll solve everything
I'll sit and I'll write, alone and depressed
Letters that might never reach your address
Somewhere in north Bangladesh
I am always unable to rest
I had a girl I lost to the world
Because this side was cold and that side was warm
I got left here in the pouring rain
Crying aloud as I called her name
Sometimes at night, alone and depressed
A little uptight or unbearable stressed
I cry as I call out your name
I am always unable to rest
I hope that I'll see you again
The lyrics to "I Had a Girl" by Momus convey the sadness and longing of a man who lost a girl he loved because of societal barriers. The couple's different skin tones caused them to face discrimination, as someone ensured that the girl would never be able to contact him again. The singer is left alone and depressed, unable to move on from the loss. He describes his life as "beautifully grim," suggesting that his experiences are both tragic and strangely beautiful. In his mind, he still holds onto the hope that he will see this girl again.
The lyrics are rich in emotion and detail, particularly when the singer describes his attempts to contact the girl through letters that may never reach her. The use of specific brand-name references, such as Comme des Garcons, creates a sense of aesthetic and cultural specificity that adds to the depth of the song. Through this imagery, the singer is able to communicate a sense of his life beyond this one particular relationship, despite the fact that he is unable to let go of his feelings for the girl he lost.
Overall, "I Had a Girl" is a moving and poignant song that captures the sense of loss and longing that can come from being separated from someone you love due to societal boundaries.
Line by Line Meaning
I had a girl I lost to the world
I used to be with a girl who I lost because of external factors beyond our control.
Because my skin was white and her skin was brown
Someone decided that our different skin colors were a problem and took action to separate us.
Someone made sure she was on a plane
Someone made sure that the girl was taken away from me and flown to a different location.
So I'd never hear from that girl again
The plan was to keep the two of us from having any further contact or communication.
Sometimes at night, alone and depressed
In lonely moments, I feel sad and downhearted.
A little uptight or unbearably stressed
Sometimes my anxiety gets the best of me and I feel overwhelmed with stress.
I cry as I call out your name
I often weep while calling out the name of the lost girl.
I am always unable to rest
I never feel fully at ease or able to relax.
These days my life is beautifully grim
My life is a mix of beauty and sadness that makes it complex and bittersweet.
Like your long grey coat from Comme des Garcons
The girl in question had a distinctive fashion style that was a memorable part of her identity.
Imagine me here in the pouring rain
Picture me standing alone in a heavy rainstorm, feeling lost and helpless.
Dreaming of how I'll solve everything
Despite my despair, I still believe that there is a way to make things right between us.
I'll sit and I'll write, alone and depressed
I spend a lot of time alone, trying to express my feelings through writing.
Letters that might never reach your address
I fear that my messages to the girl may not even reach her due to the distance between us.
Somewhere in north Bangladesh
She is far from me, located in a distant and remote part of the world.
I am always unable to rest
Despite my attempts to move on, I still am not able to find peace without her.
Because this side was cold and that side was warm
Our relationship faltered because one of us was distant and the other was more emotionally invested.
I got left here in the pouring rain
I was abandoned by the girl and left feeling hopeless in a dire situation.
Crying aloud as I called her name
In desperation and sadness, I scream out for her to return to me.
I hope that I'll see you again
Despite everything, I still long for a reunion and desire to see the girl again.
Contributed by Charlie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dimitri M.
This is the kind of wholesome content the internet needs more of; a tune for the postman to sing as he skips from house-to-house.
mikungfu
One of my favorite "golden oldies" from one of my favorite Momus albums! Great editing! Thanks! Miguel
Dominic Carlsson-Wragg
I have a bit of a habit of often introducing friends to Momus through this song. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't always work. I like how that erection almost bobs rhythmically to the beat there.
Quentin Crisp
From my first self-purchased Momus album... I miss the nineties.
ÅᑎƬwΛN aƦᡶur0 ᗩNᗪƦΞϟƠИ
classy as ever momusasu! :D
Stacey Friedrich
GREAT!!!!
BadDreamFancyDress
Brilliant x