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 (1995β2000)
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 (2001β2008)
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 (2009βpresent)
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 1992β2018, 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 1992β1997. 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)
Outside Of A Circle
Ocean Colour Scene Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sunshine pours like wine
Through your window
But I know golden June
Can turn an empty grey
Against your window
Of a circle
If I walk by the trees
I'll catch the falling leaves
If the wind blows
But I know all this means is
Whiling on the hours
Watching sideshows
And I feel like I'm on the outside
Of a circle
Will I turn my coat to the rain?
I don't know
But I'm going somewhere I can warm my bones
Fare you well I'll carry me away
And sing to those I know
Upon their birthdays
And I won't feel like I'm on the outside
Of a circle
Ocean Colour Scene's "Outside Of A Circle" utilizes clever metaphors to explore feelings of isolation and alienation. The song opens on a sunny Saturday afternoon with the singer acknowledging the beauty of the world. However, the singer then shifts tone by acknowledging that despite his surroundings, he feels empty and alone. The metaphorical significance of the golden June turning an empty grey corroborates these melancholic sentiments since it signals that the singer's general optimism is threatened by the looming threat of uncertainty.
The singer then further elaborates on this sense of displacement through the use of lyrical personification. The falling leaves and wind operating as sideshows create an impression of the singer passively watching an event, distancing themselves from the world around them. The repetition of "And I feel like I'm on the outside of a circle" emphasizes that the singer is an observer, rather than a participant, in this state of being. However, the song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer contemplating his future and the possibility of warmth and comfort. He hopes to be a part of the celebrations for his loved ones.
Overall, "Outside Of A Circle" is a thought-provoking meditation on the nature of isolation and introspection, and the desire for personal connection and belonging.
Line by Line Meaning
Saturday afternoon
It's a lazy afternoon and the sun is shining brightly through the window.
The sunshine pours like wine
The warmth and brightness of the sun feels like a refreshing drink of wine.
Through your window
This beautiful weather is being admired from inside the house.
But I know golden June
Although it's sunny and lovely now, June can quickly turn gloomy and dull.
Can turn an empty grey
The once golden and lively atmosphere can transform into a dull and dreary one.
Against your window
Even though the window, the world outside can seem empty and dead.
And I feel like I'm on the outside
The singer feels excluded and distant from those who live in the circle of happiness and positivity.
Of a circle
This circle represents the community of people who appear to be thriving and happy.
If I walk by the trees
The singer contemplates going outside and being amongst nature.
I'll catch the falling leaves
The singer might collect some leaves falling off the trees while being outside.
If the wind blows
They will relish in the beauty of the wind blowing the leaves and rustling the trees.
But I know all this means is
However, doing all of this is just a distraction from the everyday monotony.
Whiling on the hours
They would just idle around without any specific purpose.
Watching sideshows
Being an outsider does not open any attractions or opportunities for them.
Will I turn my coat to the rain?
The singer is unsure if they should brace themselves to face the challenges or simply avoid them by staying inside.
I don't know
The singer is not sure of their feelings about facing the rain.
But I'm going somewhere I can warm my bones
However, they do know that they will go towards warmth that they seek with no explanation of what that might be.
Fare you well I'll carry me away
The singer will bid goodbye to their audience but promise to move away from the circle and find themselves.
And sing to those I know
They will sing to those comrades who they have left behind to pursue their search.
Upon their birthdays
On the occasions of their birthdays, the singer will sing in celebration to show their devotion to the companions.
And I won't feel like I'm on the outside
The singer hopes that their new endeavor would make them feel like they belong to the circle of contentment.
Of a circle
This circle symbolizes the singer's inclination towards the societal contentment that would be within them.
Contributed by Owen I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dean Hatch
<3
Saturday afternoon
The sunshine pours like wine
Through the window
And I know golden June
Can turn an empty gray
Against your window
And I feel like I'm on the outside
Of the circle
If I walk by the trees
I'll catch the falling leaves
If the wind blows
But I know all this means is
Whiling on the hours
Watching sideshows
And I feel like I'm on the outside
Of the circle
Will I turn my coat to the rain
I don't know
But I'm going somewhere I can warm my bones
Fare you well I'll carry me away
And sing to those I know
Upon their birthdays
And I won't feel like I'm on the outside
I wont feel like I'm on the outside
I wont feel like I'm on the outside
Of the circle
Philip Kearney
Saturday
Afternoon, the sunshine
Pours like wine
Through your window
And I know
Golden June can turn
An empty gray
Against your window
And I feel like
I'm on the outside
Of the circle
If I walk
(If I walk, if I walk)
By the trees
I'll catch the falling leaves
If the wind blows
But I know
(But I know, but I know)
All this means
Is whiling on the hours
Watching side shows
And I feel like
I'm on the outside
Of the circle
Will I turn my coat to the rain
I don't know
But I'm goin'
Somewhere I can
Warm my bones
Fare you well
(Fare you, fare you well)
Carry me away
And sing for those
I know upon their birthdays
I won't feel like
I'm on the outside
I won't feel like
I'm on the outside
I won't feel like
I'm on the outside
Of the circle
Patrick Stocks
Saturday afternoon
The sunshine pours like wine
Through the window
And I know golden June
Can turn an empty gray
Against your window
And I feel like I'm on the outside
Of the circle
If I walk by the trees
I'll catch the falling leaves
If the wind blows
But I know all this means is
Whiling on the hours
Watching sideshows
And I feel like I'm on the outside
Of the circle
Will I turn my coat to the rain
I don't know
But I'm going somewhere I can warm my bones
Fare you well I'll carry me away
And sing to those I know
Upon their birthdays
And I won't feel like I'm on the outside
I won't feel like I'm on the outside
I won't feel like I'm on the outside
Of the circle
TheDvdral
Imagine how much this song would be played on the radio if blur or oasis had released it.
OCS are seriously underrated
Craig
TheDvdral I also rate cast aswell
Bite Me
This entire album is a treasure trove of gems. Ah, man, those were the days
nisher23
Paul Weller did a good version
Chris Hayworth
Ocean Colour Scene had really bad luck because of the Madchester scene and the usual shit in London.
Beta Music
Their problem was their sound was too unfashionable for the cool kids of the 90s. Yes, their music was brilliant, yes it was superior to Blur and Oasis, undoubtedly. But it was dated, so was never going to beat the cooler sounds in the pop charts.
dan garnell
Turning 18, Ben Sherman Shirts, friends, freedom and alcohol. The 90s were the best years to be young. Now Iβm the tragic 40 + years old man that I despised back then.
danny t0werhouse101
Dan join the club, I'm soon to rurn 40. I remember listening to this it was my brothers album he got it from Brittania music club, remember them ?
Ste Mc
Me too lads, me too
Ian STANTON
Now you know what it was like to be in the sixties we experienced the same thing these guys remind me of the Beatles who actually were their heroes heck he even plays a Hovner Base.