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)
Profit In Peace
Ocean Colour Scene Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't wanna fight no more
All the people nursing shattered bones
Don't wanna fight no more
But there's no profit in peace
So we've gotta fight some more
And all these who are in foreign lands
And all those those lost their feet or hands
Don't wanna fight no more
But there's no profit in peace boys
We gotta fight some more
hey we don't fight no more
hey, hey, hey, We don't wanna fight no more
But there's no profit in peace
So we gotta fight some more
And all those just trying to play their part
Don't wanna fight no more
And all those who own a human heart
Don't wanna fight no more
But there's no profit in what you want
So we must fight some more
And all those who got an axe to grind down
Don't wanna fight no more
And all those who got their burning lives
Don't wanna fight no more
But there's no profit in ever being right
So we must fight some more
And all the people under broken homes
Don't wanna fight no more
But there is profit in the land you own
So we must fight some more
And all those who got a tired face
Don't wanna fight no more
And all those who are lost without a trace
Don't wanna fight no more
But there is profit in the love of hate
So we must fight some more
The lyrics to "Profit In Peace" by Ocean Colour Scene convey the frustration and weariness of people who have experienced broken homes, physical injuries, and the harsh realities of war. They express a desire for peace and an end to fighting, but the harsh reality is that there is no profit in peace. The song suggests that despite a collective desire for peace, those in power have an interest in continuing conflict as it benefits their own interests.
The lyrics speak to a range of people affected by violence, including veterans who have lost limbs, those living in war-torn countries, and those who are struggling to find their place in the world. The repeated line "we don't want to fight no more" underscores the exhaustion and weariness of people who have experienced the trauma of violence, but the song suggests that this desire for peace is not enough. This message is captured in lines such as "But there's no profit in what you want, so we must fight some more," which suggest that although it may be tempting to hope for peace, the reality is that those in power will continue to perpetuate conflict for their own benefit.
At the same time, the song also acknowledges the paradox of fighting for peace. Lines such as "there is profit in the love of hate" highlight the complicated and often contradictory impulses that drive humanity's relationship with violence. Altogether, "Profit In Peace" offers a nuanced and thought-provoking exploration of the challenges and contradictions of seeking an end to conflict.
Line by Line Meaning
All the people under broken homes
People who live in homes that are in disrepair or dysfunctional homes.
Don't wanna fight no more
Those people do not want to engage in any more conflict.
All the people nursing shattered bones
People who have suffered broken bones.
But there's no profit in peace
However, there is no financial gain in ending the conflict and achieving peace.
So we've gotta fight some more
Therefore, we are compelled to continue fighting.
And all these who are in foreign lands
Individuals who are living in foreign countries far away from home.
And all those those lost their feet or hands
People who have lost their limbs in the war.
But there's no profit in peace boys
However, there is no financial gain in achieving peace.
We gotta fight some more
Hence, we must continue our violent behavior.
hey we don't fight no more
We are not interested in fighting anymore.
hey, hey, hey, We don't wanna fight no more
We are exhausted and do not want to engage in violence any longer.
And all those just trying to play their part
People who are trying to contribute to society in their own way.
And all those who own a human heart
Individuals who empathize with fellow human beings and have compassion.
But there's no profit in what you want
However, there is no financial gain in fulfilling your desires.
So we must fight some more
Thus, we must continue to engage in conflict.
And all those who got an axe to grind down
People with a grudge or unresolved issues.
And all those who got their burning lives
Individuals who have experienced intense trauma and psychological distress due to the war.
But there's no profit in ever being right
However, there is no financial gain in being morally justified or in the right.
So we must fight some more
Therefore, we must continue waging battles.
And all the people under broken homes
People who are living in homes that are in disrepair or otherwise not functional.
Don't wanna fight no more
These people do not want to engage in any more conflict.
But there is profit in the land you own
However, there is financial gain in owning land.
So we must fight some more
Thus, we must continue with our violent behavior.
And all those who got a tired face
People who are exhausted from the hardships and struggles of life.
Don't wanna fight no more
These people do not want to engage in any more violence.
And all those who are lost without a trace
Individuals who are experiencing deep feelings of confusion and disorientation.
Don't wanna fight no more
These people do not desire to participate in any more combat.
But there is profit in the love of hate
However, there is financial gain in the promotion of hatred and animosity.
So we must fight some more
Therefore, we must continue engaging in conflict.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAMON MINCHELLA, OSCAR LLOYD HARRISON, SIMON FOWLER, STEPHEN CRADOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@markcorcoran3790
Never got the recognition they deserved, underrated band of the 90's
@SoulCrewRecords
100 percent
@terrance8817
Agreed
@lefthandlee
Without a doubt
@teanmace
Not everybody succeeds in life.
@scottmeehan2422
Totally especially when mosley shoals is probably one of the best albums of the 90s
@sco467
Took me 20 year to listen to this again after losing my best mate..
Man it hits hard....
What a song, what a band x
@saltyscoundrel4368
I'm so sorry for your loss, I hope that you can find peace and comfort in this song.
@MARSBELLA1
What a fantastic tribute song to your mate x timeless
@senansharvin3696
I'm sure your mate is happy that you can listen to this again and enjoy ❤️