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, Motörhead 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 touch—the 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.
Tired Of Waiting
NoMeansNo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tired of waiting, waiting for news
Tired of waiting for things to improve
Tired of waiting, waiting for your letter
Tired of waiting for things to get better
I got tired, tired, tired of waiting
Tired of waiting, waiting by the phone
Tired of waiting here all alone
Tired of waiting for you
I got tired, tired, tired of waiting
I got tired of waiting, waiting in line
Tired of waiting for my clothes to dry
Tired of waiting for this show to begin
I got tired of waiting for my ship to come in
Tired of waiting, waiting for the bus
Tired of waiting for my shoes to get fixed
Tired of waiting, waiting for my cheque
Tired of waiting for a change in the weather
Tired of waiting for the water to boil
Tired of waiting for the paint to dry
Tired of waiting, waiting for a sign
Tired of waiting for my big break
Tired of waiting for the dam to break
Tired of waiting for the bombs to drop
Tired of waiting and waiting and waiting
I got tired of waiting for the end
I got tired of waiting because I found out
There's only a fine line between
Biding one's time and wasting one's site
Do you know what I mean?
I got tired of waiting that's all
The lyrics to NoMeansNo's song Tired Of Waiting express a feeling that most people can relate to at some point in their lives. The song is largely about the frustration and impatience that comes with waiting for something to happen, whether it be news, opportunities, or even personal growth. The repetition of the phrase "tired of waiting" throughout the song underscores the singer's exasperation with his current situation.
The list of things the singer is tired of waiting for is lengthy, and includes mundane tasks like waiting for his clothes to dry or his bus to arrive, as well as more significant events like waiting for his big break or for the bombs to drop. This juxtaposition suggests that even small instances of waiting can feel overwhelming when we are already consumed with a sense of impatience.
The final lines of the song, "I got tired of waiting because I found out there's only a fine line between biding one's time and wasting one's site," reveal a deeper meaning behind the frustration of waiting. The singer has realized that waiting too long can be detrimental, and that it's important to take action and not waste one's time simply waiting for things to happen.
Line by Line Meaning
I got tired, tired, tired of waiting
The singer is expressing that waiting has become tiring, tedious and frustrating.
Tired of waiting, waiting for news
The singer is weary of waiting for any updates on a particular matter.
Tired of waiting for things to improve
The singer has been waiting in hope for things to get better, however, it has been too long now and patience is wearing thin.
Tired of waiting, waiting for your letter
The artist is waiting for a letter from someone, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for things to get better
The artist has been waiting in hope for things to improve, however, it has been too long now and patience is wearing thin.
Tired of waiting, waiting by the phone
The singer is waiting for a phone call, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting here all alone
The singer is alone and waiting for someone to come, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for something new
The artist is waiting for a change or for something different to happen, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for you
The artist is waiting for someone, and although they care for them deeply, the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting, waiting in line
The artist is standing in a queue, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for my clothes to dry
The singer is waiting for their laundry to dry, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for this show to begin
The artist is waiting for a performance or event to begin, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
I got tired of waiting for my ship to come in
The singer has been waiting for something significant to happen - like a windfall - but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting, waiting for the bus
The singer is waiting for a bus or public transport to arrive, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for my shoes to get fixed
The singer is waiting for their shoes to be repaired, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting, waiting for my cheque
The artist is waiting for a check or payment to be processed, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for a change in the weather
The artist is waiting for the weather to change, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for the water to boil
The singer is waiting for water to boil or heat up, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for the paint to dry
The singer is waiting for paint to dry, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting, waiting for a sign
The artist is waiting for a sign or indication that something is about to happen, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for my big break
The artist is waiting for an opportunity or chance to shine, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for the dam to break
The artist is waiting for a significant event or breakthrough to occur, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting for the bombs to drop
The singer is waiting for an anticipated event or occurrence to happen, but the wait has been too long and they are tired of it.
Tired of waiting and waiting and waiting
The artist is tired of waiting and the repetition of the phrase emphasises this.
I got tired of waiting for the end
The singer is tired of waiting for a particular situation, experience or period to come to an end.
I got tired of waiting because I found out
The reason why the singer is tired of waiting is that they have realised something important.
There's only a fine line between
The singer is about to reveal a significant insight that they have experienced.
Biding one's time and wasting one's site
The artist has discovered that waiting can be viewed in two ways - either as a strategic decision (biding one's time) or as a fruitless waste (wasting one's sight or vision).
Do you know what I mean?
The artist is posing a rhetorical question, asking if the listener understands or has ever experienced something similar.
I got tired of waiting that's all
The singer is offering a simple summary of their feelings - they are tired of waiting, end of story.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gunnar D
Epic in its simplicity, existential truth and electrifying execution.
UntitledKirk
I got tired of waiting because I found out there's only a very very fine line between biding one's time and waisting one's time. You know what I mean?
N C
This is what gets me out of bed every morning
Drew P. Weiner
I got tired of waiting, that’s all.
larry pickleman
such a fucking amazing song... i wanna play bass again
Jim Hunter
I play this when I’m ready to go out before everyone else
Heather S W
So punk. God I love these guys. Andy Kerr era was the best.
Jose
Perfect for now.
peterweikl
Thanks for posting this!
rate eightx
And so tired, Tired of waitin', Tired of waitin' for youuuu!