The band’s key member is guitarist/singer/composer Kevin Shields, a reclusive perfectionist and radically inventive guitarist/engineer. The band’s other original member is drummer/studio maven Colm Ó Cíosóig; during their heyday MBV also included singer-guitarist Bilinda Butcher and bassist Debbie Googe. Their band shares its name with a low-budget Canadian slasher film.
MBV influences include The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, Cocteau Twins, late-1970s Wire, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and independent artists such as The Pastels. Kevin Shields has also named The Beach Boys and The Ramones as a personal influence.
After leaving Creation Records in 1992 and signing with Island Records, the band fell into a creative black hole. Rumors spread among their fans of albums being recorded and then shelved. Debbie Googe left the band to form Snowpony; she had not played bass on their recordings since You Made Me Realise. Colm Ó Cíosóig eventually left and formed a band with Hope Sandoval, formerly of Mazzy Star, called Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions. Kevin Shields sporadically collaborated with other artists, most notably Experimental Audio Research, Curve, and Primal Scream. He revealed in a fall 2003 National Public Radio interview that Island Records quit financing his My Bloody Valentine endeavors after he spent half a million pounds of their money.
As of 2006, many rumors mentioned the possible reformation of MBV for a new studio album, but none of these were true. On November 15 2007, My Bloody Valentine announced three upcoming live gigs in the UK for 2008. On June 13 and 14, the band played in public for the first time in thirteen years, offering a pair of "Live Rehearsal" presentations at the ICA in London and officially starting their series of comeback performances. The band went on to play a slew of festivals in Summer and Fall of 2008. Following their appearance at the 2008 All Tomorrow's Parties festival, the New York Times reported that Shields was planning to complete the unfinished album.
On 2 February 2013 they self-released the self-titled album m b v as a download with both vinyl and CD copies shipping on 22nd Feb 2013. The Huffington Post reported that it caused such a public stir that the official MBV website crashed when fans attempted to access the site to purchase a copy.
Thorn
My Bloody Valentine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Even though you can't decide
Look out, (jump back)
You'll be on your own
Hillside, slip and slide
Feel the pain, it's no surprise
Look out, look out
I felt your hair across my skin
I didn't know where to begin
A shallow promise in my ear
No thoughts, no dreams, no wishes, and no fear
The rose is dead, your face (eerie)
No memories of things that once did seem
(To be to me) important too
You give me flowers when it's thorns I give to you
The song "Thorn" by My Bloody Valentine is a haunting and hypnotic track that deals with the pain of unrequited love. The opening lines of the song, "Walk all over me, even though you can't decide," suggest a relationship where one person is in control, not making clear what they want from the other. The line, "Look out, you'll be on your own," reinforces this idea, indicating that the singer is aware that they are not really wanted and may eventually be abandoned.
The chorus of the song, "Thorn will be your love," suggests that the singer has accepted their role as the one who is hurting in the relationship. They know that their love will never be fully reciprocated, but they are willing to endure the pain and be a thorn in their love's side. The imagery of hillsides and slipping and sliding adds to the sense of instability and uncertainty in the relationship.
The verses of the song describe the singer's confusion and desperation as they try to make sense of their love for someone who does not feel the same way. The line, "I felt your hair across my skin, I didn't know where to begin," captures the intensity of the physical attraction that the singer feels, but they know that it is not enough to sustain a real relationship. The lines, "No thoughts, no dreams, no wishes, and no fear," suggest that the singer is willing to give up everything for their love, but they are also aware that this is not healthy or sustainable.
Overall, "Thorn" is a beautiful and heartbreaking song that captures the pain of loving someone who does not love you back.
Line by Line Meaning
Walk all over me
I will let you treat me however you want, regardless of the consequences.
Even though you can't decide
Despite your indecision, I still give you power over me.
Look out, (jump back)
You may be in danger, but I won't be there to save you.
You'll be on your own
You will have to face the consequences of your actions alone.
Hillside, slip and slide
Metaphor for a difficult situation where things are not going according to plan.
Feel the pain, it's no surprise
It's not surprising that things are painful when you're in a bad situation.
Thorn will be your love
The difficulties you're facing will become a part of your life, perhaps even a twisted form of love.
I felt your hair across my skin
I had a physical reaction to you, but I wasn't sure how to interpret it.
I didn't know where to begin
I was confused about my feelings and how to proceed.
A shallow promise in my ear
You made empty promises to me that you didn't intend to keep.
No thoughts, no dreams, no wishes, and no fear
I was numb and didn't have any feelings, ambitions or anything that I cared about.
The rose is dead, your face (eerie)
You've changed or become someone different, and the beauty of the relationship is gone.
No memories of things that once did seem
Things changed, and I lost memories of what was once important to our relationship.
(To be to me) important too
I felt that our relationship was important, but it no longer seemed that way to you.
You give me flowers when it's thorns I give to you
You try to do nice things for me, but instead of appreciating them, I cause you pain in return.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KEVIN SHIELDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind