Beginnings
Originally from the small town of Saltwood,[4] just north of Hythe, Kent, the Godfrey brothers—DJ/producer Paul Godfrey and multi-instrumentalist Ross Godfrey—moved to London when they were in their late teens.[5][6][7][8] Sometime in the mid 1990s, at a party in Greenwich, the brothers met Skye Edwards, who was singing backup in a funk band, and also played guitar; before too long the three began recording songs together, and formed the trio Morcheeba.[4][9] At first they produced tracks at their home studio,[4] together with engineer Pete Norris.[8][10]
They were eventually signed to China Records[4] by Angus Blair (A&R) and the band released their debut Trigger Hippie EP,[11] in October 1995. At the same time, Paul Ablett came on board as manager.[10] The band's debut album, Who Can You Trust?, was released in April 1996 and fitted into the trip hop genre through a combination of Paul Godfrey's hip hop roots, Ross Godfrey's psychedelic rock influences and Edwards' soul-styled vocals. A second single, "Tape Loop", appeared in July 1996. The band began to play live around Europe and North America,[12] with a live band that included five additional members.[13] At this point, the band had outgrown the home recording set-up and the brothers purchased their own studio.[14] In 1997, they contributed to the David Byrne album Feelings, participating in the recording and production of the release.[8][15][16]
Mainstream success
With a more professional recording set-up, the brothers began developing their ideas for a second album. Much of the material had already been written, and, with Norris involved again, the band moved towards a more mainstream sound.[14] At the same time, Edwards appeared on the BBC charity single "Perfect Day". The follow-up, 1998's Big Calm, moved away from trip hop towards a more pop-oriented, song-based sound. This was exemplified by the band's reworking of "Moog Island" (from their debut) into the pop-song "The Music That We Hear".[17] One of the album's singles, "The Sea", became a radio favourite. The album proved to be a big seller and ensured Morcheeba's success as a breakthrough act.[18] In 1998, Morcheeba collaborated with Hubert Laws to record the classic song "Summer Time" for the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Red Hot + Rhapsody, a tribute to George Gershwin, which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease.
In 2000, Morcheeba released their third album, Fragments of Freedom. This repeated the sales success of Big Calm but received a less positive critical response. The band's fourth album, Charango, was released in 2002 and saw a diminished role for Edwards. The singles "Otherwise" and "Way Beyond" followed. The lyrics for "Undress Me Now" were written with Lambchop's Kurt Wagner, while other collaborators on the album were with rappers Pace Won and Slick Rick. In January 2003, the band undertook their first significant tour of the US since 1998.[19] In 2001, the Godfrey brothers contributed three songs to the Jim White album No Such Place.[20]
Split
By the end of 2003, the Godfrey brothers split with Edwards, citing creative and personal differences.[21] Edwards received "a phone call from our manager saying that it was over. It was a relief to think we didn't have to continue".[22] She was under the impression that the band had ceased to operate. A greatest hits compilation, Parts of the Process, helped to retain interest in the band and featured two new tracks: "What's Your Name" (featuring a rhyming cameo from Big Daddy Kane) and "Can't Stand It". At around the same time, they released the live DVD Morcheeba: From Brixton to Beijing. A decade later, Ross Godfrey reflected on this period, saying: "We just felt like we couldn't breathe, I'd been in the band and on the road since I was 18, so to have any kind of break from that was just amazing".[23]
The two brothers reunited the year after, leaving Paul to explain that "Ross and I realised that Morcheeba was kind of our family company, and that we wanted very much to keep it going, hence the change".[24] In 2005, Morcheeba released their fifth studio (and first post-Edwards) album, The Antidote. Daisy Martey (formerly of the band Noonday Underground) was recruited to replace Edwards as the album vocalist. However, Martey's period with the band was brief and she was sacked in the middle of the promotional tour, to be replaced by Jody Sternberg. Martey subsequently sued the band for breach of contract and defamation.[25] Sternberg's own tenure with the band was similarly brief, and she only appeared to have been part of the band to fulfil tour dates. According to Ross, the entire episode "was difficult to say the least. It left us in near-ruin".[26]
After a break of several years, Morcheeba released their sixth studio album, Dive Deep, in February 2008. On this album, the Godfrey brothers fell back into their role as producers, selecting five vocalists to perform their songs. The folk-rock singer Judie Tzuke, Norwegian born Thomas Dybdahl and blues singer/guitarist Bradley Burgess appeared as lead vocalists together with the Korean-American rapper Cool Calm Pete and French singer Manda (Amanda Zamolo).[27] Both Manda and Burgess toured with Morcheeba as lead singers on their 2008 tour.
Reunion
As a solo artist, Edwards remained with the same management company as Morcheeba—Chris Morrison the CM of CMO Management represented both artists—which led to a chance meeting in their London offices sometime in 2009. Edwards and the Godfrey brothers met again to discuss her possible involvement in a new project. Initially the singer was hesitant and pointed out that she "really enjoyed doing my solo stuff and writing my own lyrics".[28] Eventually, Edwards rejoined the band and the trio began work on a new album,[21] with Edwards still on tour promoting her solo album, Ross Godfrey living in California and Paul Godfrey in France.[29] On 12 February 2010, NME revealed that Edwards was once again back with the band, which was confirmed by Paul Godfrey the day after on the band's Myspace blog. Edwards made her live return with the band at the Caprices Festival, Switzerland on 9 April 2010.[30] Edwards' role in the band changed, as she had "become more confident" in her "ability as a singer and a songwriter", and found that during the recording process they were "more honest with each other", and thus they produced "a more honest record".[22]
Morcheeba released their seventh album, Blood Like Lemonade, on PIAS in June 2010, preceded by the single "Even Though". It was produced by Paul Godfrey, who described the album as "a warm, fuzzy blanket of psychedelia", while Edwards described the lyrics as "having dark themes".[22] She also remarked on how the brothers had made her part of the creative process again.[28] An eighteen-month tour followed that saw the band play around the Americas and Europe.[31]
Their eighth album, Head Up High, was released on 14 October 2013, again on PIAS.[32] In 2014, the band toured Australia,[33] with a line-up consisting of Skye Edwards (vocals), Ross Godfrey (guitars), Steve Gordon (bass), Richard Milner (keyboards), Martin Carling (drums) and James Anthony (decks).
Departure of Paul Godfrey
In 2014, Paul Godfrey left the band.[34][35] Ross Godfrey later explained that: "Paul and I had not been getting on musically, or personally for a long time, and after the Head Up High album in 2013, Paul told us he was leaving the band, and he wanted Skye and I to buy him out of his share of the name. We disagreed on how much it was worth so no deal was struck. Skye and I thought it best to just release the record we had made under our own names. There will be no more Morcheeba albums".[2] Paul Godfrey has since established a recording studio, Sacrosync Sound, in Hastings and recorded a new album "Cool Your Soul" with Rachel Cuming under the moniker Morcheeba Productions.[36][37]
Ross Godfrey and Skye Edwards announced a new project in 2016 named Skye & Ross.[38] They have toured, and released an eponymous album on 2 September 2016.[39] The band started as an acoustic duo but soon included Edward's son Jaega (drums), her husband Steve Gordon (bass) and Godfrey’s wife Amanda Zamolo (backing vocals).[40][41] Edwards took responsibility for the lyrics while Ross Godfrey noted that the recording process was "a very organic experience".[42]
Part of the Process
Morcheeba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Changing places, falling proud
Behind the bomb, no one cares,
Time is money
We're taught to tear
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
How can we show, how to feel
Situation ain't so real
Chopping wood won't stop the rage
We need targets on war we wage
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
You smash they grab 'til it's gone
Attempt to grow and fix undone
And I am the way it's all to scale
We're all companions on which we sail
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance
Part of the Process by Morcheeba is a song that examines the idea of success and the lengths people go to achieve it. The first verse presents a chaotic and angry world where people are constantly changing, cursing, and no one cares about the consequences of their actions. The lyrics suggest that this is all part of the process of achieving success, which is a central theme of the song. The chorus repeats the idea that everyone wants success, but the chance to achieve it is never around. The second verse explores the futility of trying to fix things and how people cope with their rage, suggesting that society needs targets for the wars it wages.
The song's lyrics are complex, but its message is clear. It highlights the relentless pursuit of success in contemporary society, where our worth is often measured by our wealth and material possessions. The lyrics address the impact of these societal pressures and how they shape our decisions and behavior. The song acknowledges that success is something everyone wants, but it questions whether the sacrifice is worth it.
Line by Line Meaning
Angry faces, cursing loud,
People are expressing their anger and frustration loudly
Changing places, falling proud
People are changing roles and positions frequently and their pride is being diminished
Behind the bomb, no one cares,
The cause of the problem is being ignored and no one is taking responsibility
Time is money
Time is a valuable commodity, just like money
We're taught to tear
We are trained or conditioned to destroy or cause damage
It's all part of the process
All of these actions and behaviors are part of a larger cycle or pattern
We all love looking down
We enjoy feeling superior or seeing others fail
All we want is some success
We desire to achieve something meaningful or important to us
But the chance is never around
We often feel like the opportunity to succeed is out of our reach
How can we show, how to feel
We are unsure how to express or identify our emotions
Situation ain't so real
The situation or circumstances we are in may not be authentic or genuine
Chopping wood won't stop the rage
Trying to fix the problem by doing something unproductive or irrelevant won't make the anger go away
We need targets on war we wage
We must identify who or what we are fighting against in order to make progress
You smash they grab 'til it's gone
One group destroys while another seizes the opportunity to take something away
Attempt to grow and fix undone
Attempts to improve or repair the situation have been unsuccessful
And I am the way it's all to scale
One person's perspective or attitude has a significant impact on the situation
We're all companions on which we sail
We are all on this journey together, and we are responsible for each other
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PAUL GODFREY, ROSS GODFREY, SKYE EDWARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tombax
"All we want is some success.... But the chance, is never around"
This song is such a beautiful embodiment of the struggle we all face. Rich, poor, fat, starving - the human experience is the feeling of barely hanging on and just begging life for that 'big break'. Frustration and doubt fill the weekdays as we scurry about trying to put all the pieces together.
Thanks for putting this little piece of audio together. It soothes the soul and acknowledges what we face.
It's all part of the process.
Wish I'd have heard this in 1998 when I was 7.
Bobby Bob
Angry faces, cursing loud,
Changing places, falling proud
Behind the bomb, no one cares,
Time is money
We're taught to tear
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
How can we show, how to feel
Situation ain't so real
Chopping wood won't stop the rage
We need targets on war we wage
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
You smash they grab 'til it's gone
Attempt to grow and fix undone
And I am the way it's all to scale
We're all companions on which we sail
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
It's all part of the process
We all love looking down
All we want is some success
But the chance is never around
Audran
This song reminds me sooo much memories... I remember going to Corsica, a little island in the south of the France, for several weeks on summer vacations. It used not to be a very popular location at this time and I remember all those beaches we used to go to and all those sunsets on the sea that we watched in the garden. Our house was on a mountain, but it was not the best villa you could find, however it used to be perfect for me. The reason this song reminds me this is because my parents always played this record on the car while we were moving and all those images of me watching the mountains fading far away during this trips slap my face. It was what we call the “good old days” but the thing is that I didn’t know at this time that I was and I wish I could go back at this time, not thinking about anything else than my friends I would see back in school and when my only problem was to ask my parents to stay a little longer in the sea so we could play. I really miss this time and this track brings me back here for a few minutes and fills my heart with nostalgia
DDG
None of us ever seem to realise it's the "good old days" while we are actually living it. It makes you think... in your distant future, are you going to be looking back at this very moment you are in right now with fond memories too? Then... maybe stop for a bit, slown down, be less anxious, worry less about tomorrow for a little while. If these days indeed are destined to be "the good old days" at some point, take in every sight, sound, scent, emotion, song, friendship, ... Everything. Revel in it now, while you're living it. Don't let these good old days slip away in a blur. 🤗
The Dude
Bro your parents played this shit. You are so lucky, unreal. You know how hard it was for me to find this music !!!!!! You were blessed bro what a wonderful life you must have. !!!!! ANd I aint lying.
83moonchild
@DDG I've just screenshot your whole comment to help pick me up when I'm feeling crappy, thank you!
The Dude
you were parents were very col. Lucky you
Audran
@The Dude yeah dude, i wish every kid could live this
Tombax
"All we want is some success.... But the chance, is never around"
This song is such a beautiful embodiment of the struggle we all face. Rich, poor, fat, starving - the human experience is the feeling of barely hanging on and just begging life for that 'big break'. Frustration and doubt fill the weekdays as we scurry about trying to put all the pieces together.
Thanks for putting this little piece of audio together. It soothes the soul and acknowledges what we face.
It's all part of the process.
Wish I'd have heard this in 1998 when I was 7.
The Dude
Bro the rich dont struggle. Trust me they dont. But the truth is the rich never know the feeling of being that close to death. As a blue collar worker I appreciate every moment I hve of freedomn, which comes twice a week for two days only. Then I worry about my life every other day. Slab city is looking pretty good right now !!!
Gianluca Chiaretto
Eccezionale, anni e anni che l ' ascolto, mantiene il suo fascino!
83moonchild
Love her voice