The band have never had, or have ever seemed to pursue, strong mainstream success, but they do have a devoted underground following in North America and Europe. They tour fairly often on both continents and maintain a dedicated fan base.
The band was formed in 1979 by brothers Rob Wright (bass guitar and vocals) and John Wright (drum set, keyboards and vocals). Their name derives from an anti-date rape slogan. For their first four years the duo's music would seem to be influenced as much by jazz and progressive rock as punk rock. The musical press described their earliest recordings as "Devo on a jazz trip, MotĂśrhead after art school, or Wire on psychotic steroids." NoMeansNo have been credited with being an influence on, and perhaps even the genesis of, math rock.
The brothers Wright began recording as a two-piece in their parents' basement in 1979. These recordings, heard on their first two self-released 7"s, consisted of full rock band arrangements and had a new wave, warped-pop sound, different from subsequent recordings. When, in the early 1980s, the duo began gigging simply with bass, drums and vocals, the present form of their distinct sound slowly took shape. The songs they played in this period are documented on the "Mama" LP (re-released in 2004 on their own Wrong Records.)
In 1984, they added Andy Kerr (who played with John Wright in Infamous Scientists) on guitar and vocals. Kerr preferred pseudonymity and used such pseudonyms as "Buttercup" or "None-Of-Your-Fucking-Business". He brought a distinct hardcore punk edge to the group, and stayed until 1991. He is often erroneously credited for penning the lyrics of NoMeansNo songs on which he sang, perhaps due to deliberately vague liner notes and frequent vocal moonlighting (Kerr sings lead or co-lead vocals on nearly half the songs on Wrong for example). Kerr's vocals were a necessity for a period of time in the 1980s when Rob Wright was recovering from nodules on his vocal cords. While Rob Wright is the band's lyricist and main songwriter, all members have contributed songs to NoMeansNo records, and nearly all their material is credited to the entire band.
Wrong is widely considered the band's best and most representative record ("The playing is incredibly skilled, with the Wright brothers effortlessly shifting tempos and time signatures and Kerr's razor sharp lyrics clicking right into place").
After Kerr's departure, the Wright brothers recorded "Why Do They Call Me Mr. Happy?" as a duo. They subsequently recruited guitarist Tom Holliston from Showbusiness Giants and The Hanson Brothers, and have continued touring and releasing records, including "Worldhood of the World (as such)", "Dance of the Headless Bourgeoisie", "One", and most recently, "All Roads Lead to Ausfahrt" which was released on August 22, 2006. The album was released by AntAcidAudio in the United States and Southern Records in Europe.
The album "One", released in 2000, featured "two stunning covers that only make sense coming from NoMeansNo": a slow stoner rock-styled version of The Ramones' Beat On The Brat, and rather authentic fifteen-minute version of Miles Davis' Bitches Brew, (complete with electric piano and congas) featuring lyrics by Rob.
NoMeansNo initially released records with seminal punk rock record label Alternative Tentacles. This relationship ended in 2002. The band has since been reissuing old albums through Southern Records under their own Wrong Records imprint.
Even their earliest recordings demonstrate impressive instrumental technique ("some of the most complex instrumentation you're ever likely to find in punk rock"). Jazz has been an influence on the group; Rob's basslines have a loping, melodic quality often reminiscent of Charles Mingus, and John's drumming sometimes sounds a bit like Elvin Jones or Art Blakey.
NoMeansNo's output features a seemingly endless flow of "Wright/wrong/right" puns, and significant measures of black humour, with "pointedly warped lyrics", such as on "Dad" from Sex Mad. The song was a minor college radio hit, and has been called "a bit chilling, even though it's spit out at slam-pit's pace". The first person narrator details a rampaging father's physical and sexual abuse, ending with what's been called a "killer end touchâthe baldly delivered line 'I'm seriously considering leaving home.'". One critic (while noting the group's "savage intelligence") suggests that NoMeansNo might well be "the secret influence on a fair amount of both early-'90s math rock and emo, what with the barely controlled fervour of the singing and the sudden jerks back and forth in the rhythm section."
Equally striking about the band's back catalogue is their ability to jump from style to style and still maintain their musical identity. They leap from dirge to thrash, complication to simplicity, discordant to melodic and still sound like themselves.
John's drumming style has been mentioned as an influence to others, including Dave Grohl.
NoMeansNo's alter ego is TheHanson Brothers, a quartet with John singing and different drummer. Nearly a Ramones tribute band, the Hanson Brothers play fun punk rock as a mock group of backward Canadian ice hockey fans. The lyrics centre on ice hockey, beer and girls. The name comes from characters in the 1977 George Roy Hill film Slap Shot, starring Paul Newman.
Rob Wright's alter ego is Mr. Wrong, who dresses as an authoritarian priest and often poses with a shotgun. Mr. Wrong is simply Wright on bass and vocals with no other instrumentation. It is rumoured that Wright also plays upright bass in a traditional jazz band who play standards, but he keeps this side of his life fuzzy in interviews.
Tom Holliston released several albums with his band Showbusiness Giants as well as three solo albums.
Andy Kerr and John Wright played in the early 1980s in the Infamous Scientists. Kerr, after leaving NoMeansNo, released a solo CD and collaborated with Victoria musician Scott Henderson in Hissanol. Kerr most recently has begun a duo called Two Pin Din in the Netherlands.
River
NoMeansNo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are lost within this roaring
And when I call your eyes turn to me
But what are they exploring ?
Hidden shapes that pass fast away
Upon the waters streaming
And what I see I just cannot say
I could say that I am sorry
But what forgiveness lies before me ?
In the river
Those who know me know all too well
All my sins and failings
But brother dear, how could I tell ?
The course that I was sailing
In the flood, before my eyes
I see the face that I despise
In the river
It's mine, it's mine
Drifting far away
I can see you'rte not very strong
As the current sweeps you past me
Ans I can see your head going down
As helpless your cries find me
"Help me ! Save me ! Lend me a hand !
Pull me out ! Pull me out !
Save me ! Save me ! Give me your hand !
Pull me out ! Pull me out !"
I would save you, give my life
But it's already sacrificed
To the river
It's gone, it's gone
Drifitng far away
Mothers tell your children the truth
Don't hide the fate that's waiting
When you're born you start to drown
There's no help, no safety
First a gift of love is given
Then the winds rise, the sails are riven
On the river
The lyrics to NoMeansNo's song "River" explore the concept of forgiveness, regret, and the consequences of one's actions. The song opens with the singer expressing their frustration at not being able to convey their thoughts effectively. They feel lost in the chaos of the world around them and unable to communicate their feelings in a way that could be truly understood. As the song progresses, the lyrics take on a more introspective tone, with the singer reflecting on their own past mistakes and the impact those errors have had on their life.
The river serves as a potent symbol throughout the song, representing the unstoppable force of life that carries us all along. The singer is acutely aware of their own damage and shame, knowing that those they love are aware of their failings. In the end, the song seems to suggest that everyone is swept away by the river of existence, succumbing to the same weaknesses and struggles. Despite this seemingly bleak outlook, the song ends on a plaintive note, with the singer imploring parents to be truthful with their children and prepare them for the hardships of life.
Overall, "River" is a poignant and powerful song that encourages introspection and reflection. It asks listeners to confront their own flaws and shortcomings, while also recognizing the inevitability of life's struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
When I speak the words I repeat
The words that I keep repeating get lost in the loud, chaotic river.
Are lost within this roaring
The river is making so much noise that it drowns out my words.
And when I call your eyes turn to me
When I call out to you, you look at me.
But what are they exploring ?
But I'm not sure what you're really thinking about when you look at me.
Hidden shapes that pass fast away
I see fleeting images that disappear quickly on the surface of the river.
Upon the waters streaming
I see these shapes moving quickly along the current of the river.
And what I see I just cannot say
But I can't really articulate what exactly it is that I'm seeing.
There is no one to heed me
And there's no one who really listens or pays attention to me.
I could say that I am sorry
I can apologize for my mistakes and shortcomings.
But what forgiveness lies before me ?
But I'm not sure if I can be forgiven or if there's anything that will absolve me of my guilt.
Those who know me know all too well
The people who really know me are aware of all of my faults and shortcomings.
All my sins and failings
They know all the mistakes and bad decisions that I've made in my life.
But brother dear, how could I tell ?
But I can't bring myself to really talk to my brother about what's been happening in my life.
The course that I was sailing
The path that I've been following for years and years.
In the flood, before my eyes
In this deluge of emotions that I'm experiencing right now.
I see the face that I despise
I'm looking at the face of my own shortcomings that I absolutely hate.
It's mine, it's mine
And I have no one else to blame for this but myself.
Drifting far away
And it feels like all my troubles are just floating away downstream and out of my reach.
I can see you'rte not very strong
I can see that you are struggling in the water.
As the current sweeps you past me
As the river carries you away from me.
Ans I can see your head going down
And I can see you sinking into the water.
As helpless your cries find me
And I feel helpless as I hear you calling out for help.
"Help me ! Save me ! Lend me a hand !
You're screaming for me to help you, to save you, to give you a hand.
Pull me out ! Pull me out !"
Please pull me out of this dangerous situation.
I would save you, give my life
I would do whatever it takes to save you, even if it means sacrificing my own life.
But it's already sacrificed
But it's too late, my life has already been lost to the river.
To the river
The river has already taken everything from me and there's nothing left to give.
It's gone, it's gone
It's all over, everything that I once had is now gone with the current.
Mothers tell your children the truth
Mothers, please be honest with your children about the realities of life.
Don't hide the fate that's waiting
Don't shield them from the harsh truths that they'll inevitably face in life.
When you're born you start to drown
From the moment you're born, life is a constant struggle and challenge.
There's no help, no safety
There's no safety net or guarantee that things will work out.
First a gift of love is given
Even though life is unpredictable and challenging, we are all given the gift of love at the beginning of our lives.
Then the winds rise, the sails are riven
But the winds of life can be harsh, and the journey can be incredibly difficult.
On the river
Life is a journey, and we're all just floating along on this river, trying to keep our heads above water.
Lyrics Š Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN KILBEY, JEREMY BUTTERWORTH, MATT KERR, T. LOCKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@artofpretention
When I speak the words I repeat
Are lost within this roaring
And when I call your eyes turn to me
But what are they exploring ?
Hidden shapes that pass fast away
Upon the waters streaming
And what I see I just cannot say
There is no one to heed me
I could say that I am sorry
But what forgiveness lies before me ?
In the river
Those who know me know all too well
All my sins and failings
But brother dear, how could I tell ?
The course that I was sailing
In the flood, before my eyes
I see the face that I despise
In the river
It's mine, it's mine
Drifting far away
I can see you'rte not very strong
As the current sweeps you past me
Ans I can see your head going down
As helpless your cries find me
"Help me ! Save me ! Lend me a hand !
Pull me out ! Pull me out !
Save me ! Save me ! Give me your hand !
Pull me out ! Pull me out !"
I would save you, give my life
But it's already sacrificed
To the river
It's gone, it's gone
Drifitng far away
Mothers tell your children the truth
Don't hide the fate that's waiting
When you're born you start to drown
There's no help, no safety
First a gift of love is given
Then the winds rise, the sails are riven
On the river
@richardst.romain6837
I thought there'd be thousands of comments but I guess we're the fortunate few. Fuck I love this song and when life is dark this song pulls me outta the muck. Thank you nomeansno
@analogcyberpunkpappypunkco6971
Easily one of the top 100 punk songs ever written, and probably the most terrifying.
@artofpretention
When I speak the words I repeat
Are lost within this roaring
And when I call your eyes turn to me
But what are they exploring ?
Hidden shapes that pass fast away
Upon the waters streaming
And what I see I just cannot say
There is no one to heed me
I could say that I am sorry
But what forgiveness lies before me ?
In the river
Those who know me know all too well
All my sins and failings
But brother dear, how could I tell ?
The course that I was sailing
In the flood, before my eyes
I see the face that I despise
In the river
It's mine, it's mine
Drifting far away
I can see you'rte not very strong
As the current sweeps you past me
Ans I can see your head going down
As helpless your cries find me
"Help me ! Save me ! Lend me a hand !
Pull me out ! Pull me out !
Save me ! Save me ! Give me your hand !
Pull me out ! Pull me out !"
I would save you, give my life
But it's already sacrificed
To the river
It's gone, it's gone
Drifitng far away
Mothers tell your children the truth
Don't hide the fate that's waiting
When you're born you start to drown
There's no help, no safety
First a gift of love is given
Then the winds rise, the sails are riven
On the river
@drewmiller9533
artofpretention love these lyrics. Favorite band ever
@jayjaykingbee5566
These lyrics are truth in poetry form. could be the most powerful song ever written.
@kimineko7072
getting goosebumps every time listening
@gsus8990
One of the best punk songs - outstanding!!
@user-dt7yu5el8p
52 years old
my children and wife are the most important..
just after ...nomeansno đ
@dadloraed
Impossible to love any other band more.
@ColeWheeler4Lyfe
No band does brutal better. â¤