The band has so far produced seven studio albums and a number of singles/outtakes collections (most notably, 2006's career retrospective, All the Blue Changes).
Originally a sample-based proto-Trip hop/Ambient/Electro-Pop styled music, No-Man's sound has become more organic, diverse and band-oriented in subsequent years. The band has been lauded "Conceivably the most important English group since The Smiths" by Melody Maker music newspaper.
The name No-Man was adopted in 1990 and first used on the self-released June 1990 single release, Colours (a cover of the 1960s Donovan song). The single achieved Melody Maker and Sounds (british music paper) "Singles of the Week" accolades and was re-released by Liverpool-based label Probe Plus in October, 1990.
Between 1991 and 1994, No-Man were managed by Talk Talk's manager Keith Aspden. During this period, the band received highly positive UK music media support (including more "Singles of the Week" in Melody Maker, Sounds and Irish music paper, Hot Press), had 2 indie top 20 hits (Days in the Trees and Ocean Song), a Billboard Top 40 dance hit (the US only single, Taking It Like a Man) and had high profile contracts with One Little Indian, Hit & Run Publishing and Epic/Sony.
Subsequently, mirroring the evolution of artists such as Talk Talk, David Sylvian, Radiohead, Scott Walker and Kate Bush, with each successive release, the band has moved further away from its more conventional Pop/Rock roots.
Since the mid-1990s, No-Man has released material via Snapper Music, Third Stone/Adasam and internet label, Burning Shed (www.burningshed.com).
Included amongst the many artists and guest musicians the band has worked with are electronic artists Roger Eno, Faultline, Scanner, Muslimgauze and The Shamen, Jazz musicians Ian Carr and Theo Travis, and the legendary likes of King Crimson personnel, Robert Fripp, Pat Mastelotto and Mel Collins, and ex-Japan members, Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri and Mick Karn.
Drawing from a diverse mix of Singer-songwriter, Post Rock, Minimalist, Progressive rock, Jazz, and Contemporary Ambient sources for inspiration, No-Man's sound is distinctive, yet difficult to categorise.
As of 2012, No-Man live band members include Steven Bennett (keyboards), Pete Morgan (bass guitar), Michael Bearpark (guitar), Steve Bingham (electric violin), and Andy Booker (electronic drums).
In 2019, the duo released Love You To Bits. there first new record in over a decade.
Things Change
No-Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're leaving me behind you.
You say you're better
(You're leaving me behind).
I remember
When heaven's lips kissed your every word,
I pretended
You're leaving me behind you
Leaving me behind.
You're leaving me behind you
Things change
Leaving me behind.
Things change
You walk upon the dirt
And chocolate wrappers,
You're leaving me behind you.
You move across the bridge
Over the river
Leaving me behind.
"Wherever you don't go,
I'll be by your side," you lied.
I hate the way things change.
You're leaving me behind you
Things change
Leaving me behind.
Things change
The lyrics of No-Man's song Things Change speaks of a relationship that is falling apart due to one person's personal growth and success while the other is left behind. The song is an emotional reflection on how things change over time and how accepting change can be difficult. The first verse talks about how one person has become more successful and "clever" while the other is "leaving behind." The chorus emphasizes this feeling of being left behind with the phrase "Things Change" repeated twice.
The second verse describes how the successful person has moved on and is walking over dirt and chocolate wrappers, leaving the other person behind. The line "Wherever you don't go, I'll be by your side" suggests that the person who is left behind is still hopeful and wants to stay together, but the other has moved on, and the relationship is falling apart. The repeated phrase "Leaving me behind" in both the chorus and the verses emphasizes this feeling of loss and abandonment.
Overall, the song Things Change speaks to the complexity of relationships and how change can affect those involved. It is an emotional reflection on the pain of leaving someone behind and how difficult it can be to come to terms with change, even when it is necessary for personal growth.
Line by Line Meaning
You got so clever
You became so smart and intelligent.
You're leaving me behind you.
You're leaving me and moving forward with your life, away from me.
You say you're better
You claim that you have become a better person than me.
(You're leaving me behind).
You are moving away and leaving me behind in life.
I remember
I still remember and recall fond memories of the past when we were together.
When heaven's lips kissed your every word,
You once had a way with words that could charm and enchant anyone who heard you speak.
I pretended
I tried to ignore and deny the hurt caused by your words and actions.
Nothing you said could ever hurt.
I tried to cope by pretending that your words could never affect me.
You walk upon the dirt
You have descended to a lower level and lost your former, elevated status.
And chocolate wrappers,
And now you are surrounded by lowly objects such as discarded candy wrappers.
You move across the bridge
You're moving towards the future, leaving the past behind.
Over the river
You're crossing over and moving on from the obstacles in your path and old issues.
Leaving me behind.
You're moving forward in life and leaving me behind without you.
"Wherever you don't go,
You promised to stay with me no matter where we went or what we did.
I'll be by your side," you lied.
However, now I see that you were not true to your word and you have left me behind.
I hate the way things change.
I feel disappointed and bitter about the way things have turned out and how you have moved away from me in life.
Things change
The only constant in life is that things will inevitably change, whether we like it or not.
You're leaving me behind you
You're moving forward in life and leaving me behind in the past.
Things change
The only certainty in life is change, and we must accept this fact and make the most of it.
Leaving me behind.
You're abandoning me and leaving me behind in life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TIM BOWNESS, STEVEN WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind