Mouthwash personify the phrase ‘Urban ska’, although i… Read Full Bio ↴(1995 - 2011)
Mouthwash personify the phrase ‘Urban ska’, although it almost undoubtedly applies to them alone. They walk tall with a swagger and they talk in thick south London drawls. Their songs are defined by an honest delve in to the underbelly of London life, with references to rejecting day jobs, bundling on to night buses and getting guns pulled on them in Brixton for trying to stop a domestic debacle. All of their music is engrained with a gritty realism that tenderly touches on the romantic before heading back to street corners or signing on, the offy or the bookies.
The band formed in south London in the late 90’s and played with many of the world’s prominent punk, ska and hardcore bands when they were still in their punk-addled teens, pressed EPs independently and released their debut album ‘1000 Dreams’ on Tim Armstrong’s (Rancid) own ‘Hellcat Records’ in 2001 to critical acclaim.
They have toured Europe and America extensively, and have some of the craziest tour stories, from hitchhiking across America and living in a shack in the woods, to touring in a van with a mental patient and sleeping in a graveyard!
Having only just about survived the extensive touring of their debut record, the band subsequently split up, but in 2005 they reformed with two new members and a more urban undercurrent.
They’re quintessentially English, so much so that they double up as pigeon trainers, as singer Nip explains: “My dad is a pigeon racer, so when we go on tour we have to take baskets of pigeons with us and let them out in different cities, to keep them on their toes”. But they are never more at home than on the sofa watching football with a cup of tea or a beer.
Mouthwash features husky lead vocals offset by commanding ska guitar, a rhythm section to rival any digital technology and backing vocals that could belong to Boyz to Men!! They love dancehall and 90s swing as much as they do dubstep and their alma mater, punk.
Despite having been together for over a decade, Mouthwash know it’s still early days for them. They’re moving from the ground upwards, touring all the time and sparking interest from fans, new and old. They released their second album ‘True Stories’ in the UK through indie label ‘Rebel Alliance’ in 2009 and they have been receiving great press aswell as receiving national radio airplay on BBC Radio One as well as London based XFM.
But their ultimate goal? To headline the legendary Brixton Academy in London (only a stones throw from where they grew up), then get the bus home for a cup of tea!!
http://www.myspace.com/MOUTHWASHLONDON
Go Check them Out! :D
Southbound
Mouthwash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I bumped into this girl
She said do you remember me
And would you like to talk a while?
She took me by surprise
There was something in her eyes
That I knew I felt in me
She said
And when you find it then you'll know
Heading Southbound and out of Downtown
I'm drawn to you like a moth to a flame
See the sun light beaming through the window
Reflecting from her eyes, I think I'm burning
I fell right where I stood into your arms
I fell right where I stood
As our train pulled into the station
At platform two
I said I'm getting off here
So what's it gonna be?
She took me by surprise
She said if I come with you now
I'm never gonna leave
I said
When you find out let me know
And if you find it then you'll know
As we surfaced back into the daylight
I was struck by a thought that hadn't hit me before
This might be the one right moment in a lifetime
When opportunity just knocks on your door
The song "Southbound" by Mouthwash is a story about a chance meeting between two people at a train station, which leads to a romantic and adventurous journey. In the first verse, the singer describes how he meets a girl at the train station, and she asks if he remembers her. She seems familiar but he can't place her. They strike up a conversation, and the singer is drawn to her. She tells him about a feeling that she has, and she wants him to let her know if he ever feels it too.
In the chorus, the singer describes how he feels about the girl, using metaphors of light and fire. He says he is drawn to her like a moth to a flame, and she makes him feel like he's burning. He falls into her arms and feels an instant connection.
In the second verse, the train pulls into the station, and the two have to make a decision. The girl tells the singer that if she goes with him, she'll never leave. The singer is cautious and tells her that he needs to find something before he can commit to anything. They get off the train together, and as they emerge into the daylight, the singer realizes that this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Overall, the song is a romantic tale about taking chances and following your heart. The singer is hesitant but also intrigued by the girl he meets at the train station. He knows that something is there between them, but he's not sure if he's ready to take the leap. The chorus is an expression of his intense feelings for her, and the second verse is about the decision that they have to make.
Line by Line Meaning
I was waiting for the train
The singer was waiting for a train
When I bumped into this girl
He collided with a girl
She said do you remember me
The girl asked if he remembered her
And would you like to talk a while?
She asked if he wanted to chat
She took me by surprise
Her actions surprised him
There was something in her eyes
He noticed something in her gaze
That I knew I felt in me
He recognised the feeling in himself
She said
The girl spoke again
When you find out let me know
She asked him to inform her when he discovered something
And when you find it then you'll know
She suggested he would understand it once discovered
Heading Southbound and out of Downtown
The singer is leaving the city in a southerly direction
I'm drawn to you like a moth to a flame
He is attracted to the girl like an insect to light
See the sun light beaming through the window
Sunlight shines in from outside
Reflecting from her eyes, I think I'm burning
The light reflects off her eyes, making him feel hot
I fell right where I stood into your arms
He fell into her embrace without moving
I fell right where I stood
He fell in place without walking
As our train pulled into the station
The train arrived at their destination
At platform two
They disembark at that platform
I said I'm getting off here
He tells her he is leaving the train
So what's it gonna be?
He asks her to make a decision
She took me by surprise
Her response catches him off guard
She said if I come with you now
She will accompany him
I'm never gonna leave
She tells him she will never depart
I said
The artist responded
When you find out let me know
He echoes her previous statement
And if you find it then you'll know
He tells her she will understand when she finds it
As we surfaced back into the daylight
They emerge into the daylight again from underground
I was struck by a thought that hadn't hit me before
He had a previous realization only now registering
This might be the one right moment in a lifetime
They may be having a once-in-a-lifetime moment
When opportunity just knocks on your door
Opportunity presents itself at that exact time
Contributed by Carter G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@roguecomics4775
I wonder why they never put any of this on spotify. This is waaay better than nine to five which is on spotify