my bloody valentine is a shoegaze band formed in 1983 in Dublin, Ireland. T… Read Full Bio ↴my bloody valentine is a shoegaze band formed in 1983 in Dublin, Ireland. The band’s best known lineup is Kevin Shields (vocals, guitar), Bilinda Butcher (vocals, guitar), Debbie Googe (bass) and Colm Ó Cíosóig (drums). Their 1988 album Isn't Anything is generally regarded as one of the most influential records of the period, acting as an important precursor to the early '90s "shoegazing" scene. In 1991, the band released their second full length album Loveless, later declared one of the finest albums of the 1990s. The band struggled to record a follow up album and split in 1997. The band reunited in 2007 and performed several concerts the following year. The band released their third album, m b v, in February 2013.

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.

What You Want
My Bloody Valentine Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What I do I say
But I can't get far away
Oh, I go back to
A memory again
What you want
But you know that I'm alive
Then I'll go back to you
Don't you know (what I) feel inside

When you (come down) blue
But I do, I do, I do
Oh, I come back to
The one who calls my name out
What you want
Don't you know that I can smile
Then I go back to you
And then you make him go inside

Turn around and smile
No they can't see through your eye
Could I fall into the one that calls me mine
Come back down, but I can't believe my mind
Then it surrounds you
Don't you know that I'll ask why

When you (come down) blue
But I do, I do, I do
Oh, I come back to
The one who calls my name out
What you want
Let me know that I'm alive

Then I go back to you
And then you make him go inside

Overall Meaning

My Bloody Valentine's "What You Want" is a hauntingly beautiful and ambiguous song. The lyrics suggest a sense of longing, a desire to be with someone, but an inability to fully express those desires. There is a sense of distance between the singer and the person they are singing to, as if there is a wall between them that can't be overcome.

The song begins with the singer expressing frustration with themselves. They "say" and "do" things, but are unable to distance themselves from their memories. Even when they try to move on, they find themselves pulled back into the past. The phrase "What you want" seems directed at the person they are singing to, as if they are pleading for this person to understand them and their feelings.

The chorus is the most memorable part of the song, with the repeated line "What you want". The singer seems to be trying to convince the person they are singing to that they are alive and present, and that their feelings are genuine. However, there is still a sense of distance and uncertainty, as if the singer is not sure if they are being heard or understood.

Overall, "What You Want" is a melancholy and introspective song about the complexity of human relationships. The lyrics are open to interpretation and allow the listener to project their own experiences and emotions onto the song.

Line by Line Meaning

What I do I say
I'm struggling with expressing my thoughts and feelings.

But I can't get far away
I can't escape my inner turmoil.

Oh, I go back to
I'm constantly returning to

A memory again
a past experience that haunts me.

What you want
You have a desire

But you know that I'm alive
you want something from me even though I'm struggling.

Then I'll go back to you
I'll try to fulfill your desire despite my inner struggles.

Don't you know (what I) feel inside
Can't you see that I'm hurting inside?

When you (come down) blue
When you're feeling low

But I do, I do, I do
I still care about you, no matter what.

Oh, I come back to
I return to