In 1993, the start of the turnaround occurred. Paul Weller invited the band to support him on some dates of his tour. On the back of these performances, Weller invited guitarist Steve Cradock to play on one of his singles, and vocalist Simon Fowler to sing on his album, Wild Wood. Cradock was asked to play live with Weller on his tour, and the money Cradock made kept the band afloat during this time.
Britpop fame (1995–2000)
The band recorded a demo that was sent to various industry figures. After hearing this tape, Noel Gallagher invited the band to play with Oasis on their 1995 tour. This support slot brought OCS to the attention of more record labels, and eventually in late 1995, the band signed with MCA Records. With the explosion of the Britpop scene, OCS's music became nationally and internationally known. Their second album Moseley Shoals was released to mixed-to-positive reviews, containing four hit singles and reached No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart. They also played at one of the concerts at Knebworth House supporting Oasis in August 1996.
Marchin' Already, the follow-up to Moseley Shoals, went to No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart, displacing Oasis' Be Here Now at the top of the charts in 1997. In 1998 they headlined their own arena tour in support of Marchin' Already and played three sold out nights at Stirling Castle, Scotland.
One from the Modern was released in 1999, and peaked in the UK Albums Chart at No. 4. The record spawned three top 40 singles, "Profit in Peace", "So Low" and "July". A Greatest Hits album, Songs for the Front Row, was released in 2001.
Post-Britpop (2001–2008)
After splitting with bassist Damon Minchella, the band continued to record and perform. Releases in 2001 (Mechanical Wonder), 2003 (North Atlantic Drift), 2005 (A Hyperactive Workout for the Flying Squad) and 2007 (On the Leyline) continued the trend of releasing new material every two years.
2004 saw the band release their first live album, Live: One for the Road. The album was a compilation of nineteen live tracks taken from various concerts. In 2006 the band released a live acoustic album, Live at the Jam House, which consisted of fifteen live tracks and also contained four new songs in "Great Man in Waiting", "The Word", "Still Trying" and "Matilda's England".
The band also released a live album in December 2006, which was recorded at Birmingham Academy and spread over two discs. People attending the gig were able to purchase the recording straight afterwards.
Recent years (2009–present)
In 2009, the band went into the studio with producer Gavin Monaghan, known for his work with Editors, Scott Matthews and The Twang, to work on a new album, Saturday, with a release date of 1 February 2010 to mark the 21st anniversary of the band. The album had a working title of 'Rockfield', named after the studios where it was recorded, but it was released as Saturday - both "Rockfield" and "Saturday" being tracks thereon.
On 2 November 2009, the band released a free downloadable version of a new song, "Mrs Maylie". "Magic Carpet Days", the first single from Saturday, was released on 25 January, followed by the album a few days later. The album charted at No. 35 on the UK Albums Chart. A second single, "Saturday", was released in May 2010 but it failed to chart. On 24 July 2010 they performed at the Wickerman Festival.
On 11 October 2010, the band released a 4-CD box set, 21, to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the band. It included many previously unreleased tracks and a brand new song entitled "Twenty One".
In March 2011, the band released a 15th anniversary special edition of their 1996 hit album Moseley Shoals. It consisted of the full album, b-sides and live tracks. The band played a full UK tour in support of the re-release. December saw the limited edition release of a double CD/DVD release of the band's Moseley Shoals gig at O2 Academy Birmingham, which was filmed on 26 February 2011. They performed an acoustic set at Lanford Live in 2011 for the Teenage Cancer Trust. In December 2012, the band announced the forthcoming release of their tenth studio album, Painting, which was released on 11 February 2013. They also played at V-festival where Inbetweeners actor James Buckley performed "The Circle" with them in Chelmsford and at The Electric Picnic Festival in Stradbally, Ireland.
In 2014 a special edition of Marchin' Already was released on a 2 CD edition and a special deluxe 4 disc box set which included a DVD of their live performance at Stirling Castle in 1998. Early 2015 saw the band celebrate their 25th anniversary with some acoustic concerts around the UK. They released a double CD live album which was recorded at the Manchester concert on the tour.
The following year, in 2016, the band announced several special concerts around the UK to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their 1996 hit album Moseley Shoals. They also played several dates in Australia for the first time in their career.
On 22 June 2016, the band officially announced that Scottish musician Raymond Meade would be joining the band permanently on bass, following the departures of both Dan Sealey and Andy Bennett. Meade had already played live with the band since the start of the year.
In November 2018 the band unveiled their first new material in five years since the release of Painting. The four track EP was released on 10" vinyl and available only at the band's Christmas shows. The EP received a 5 stars rating from Flick of the Finger, with the publication stating that 'Lushly textured, these four compelling and diverse new offerings are nothing short of brilliant.' In 2023 the band released a career-spanning box set entitled Yesterday, Today 1992–2018, which contained all their studio albums and 5 bonus CDs, totalling 230 tracks. The set also came with a 72-page book. A companion vinyl box set was also released, covering their first three studio albums from 1992–1997. In May, a follow-up vinyl set was released, covering the three studio albums released between 1999-2003. August saw the release of the final box set, covering the remaining four albums, 2005-2013.
Studio albums
Ocean Colour Scene (1992)
Moseley Shoals (1996)
Marchin' Already (1997)
B-Sides: Seasides & Freerides (1997)
One from the Modern (1999)
Mechanical Wonder (2001)
North Atlantic Drift (2003)
A Hyperactive Workout for the Flying Squad (2005)
On the Leyline (2007)
Saturday (2010)
Painting (2013)
Charlie Brown Says
Ocean Colour Scene Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No-one promised this when i was a kid
When my days were filled with carousels
Fairground rides and cockleshells
Kicking pebbles on a beach
When time couldn't reach me
And tears were just a memory left to be learned
Five o'clock shoes full of snow
All rained out, nowhere to go
Memories are sure to find you
No matter how fast you run
Gonna catch up with you
Charlie brown says
Oh this winter sure sure gets me down
When there ain't no friends around
The lyrics of Ocean Colour Scene's song "Charlie Brown Says" reflect the nostalgia of adulthood for the simplicity and innocence of childhood. The opening lines "No one promised this when I was a kid, when my days were filled with carousels, fairground rides, and cockleshells" embody the idea that life changes and can become more complicated compared to one's younger years. The singer reminisces about "kicking pebbles on a beach" when time was non-existent and tears had yet to be learned. In the next verse, the singer describes how harsh adult life can be during the winter, without friends around to help combat the bleak feelings of loneliness.
Line by Line Meaning
Charlie brown says
Starting off the song with the words of Charlie Brown, perhaps alluding to a sense of nostalgia or longing for the past.
No-one promised this when I was a kid
Reflecting on how childhood was not accompanied with the struggles of adulthood, which can leave people feeling unprepared.
When my days were filled with carousels
Reminiscing on the joy and carefree nature of childhood, represented by the imagery of a carnival ride.
Fairground rides and cockleshells
Further describing the memories of the pleasant and whimsical experiences of youth.
Kicking pebbles on a beach
Recalling the simple pleasures of a leisurely childhood activity.
When time couldn't reach me
Elaborating on the feeling of being free from constraints such as time during childhood.
And tears were just a memory left to be learned
Suggesting that pain and sadness were not yet experienced in childhood, and only arrived as a learned emotional response in adulthood.
Now days catch me without an overcoat
Contrasting the lack of preparedness in adult life with the reassuring presence of adequate clothing as seen in childhood.
Five o'clock shoes full of snow
Painting a vivid image of discomfort and the harshness of winter that can contrast with the warmth of earlier memories.
All rained out, nowhere to go
Expressing hopelessness and a lack of direction despite the challenges of enduring unfavorable weather in the present.
Memories are sure to find you
Introducing a theme of inescapability and inevitability concerning the memories and emotions from the past.
No matter how fast you run
Reinforcing the idea that one cannot outrun their past or their mind, despite the temptation to try.
Gonna catch up with you
Continuing the ominous implication that the past will not be forgotten or left behind.
Charlie brown says
Returning to the titular character at the end of the song, perhaps suggesting that he still has more to say or represent in the context of the lyrics.
Oh this winter sure sure gets me down
Echoing the earlier description of the winter's harshness and further emphasizing the impact it can have on one's emotions and sense of well-being.
When there ain't no friends around
Adding a sense of loneliness and isolation to the feelings of sadness and despair already depicted in the song.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAMON MINCHELLA, OSCAR LLOYD HARRISON, SIMON FOWLER, STEPHEN CRADOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind