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)
The Union
Ocean Colour Scene Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brings the world with all the joy
Still the world is spinning on his face
And all the blooming lights to noon
Run and hide get boundary
Rich between the mountains and the wind
Village beans and city scapes
Now the grind is being washed from our face
A joy of shades with skinny legs
Skin disarms most every
Helps when all years lose their way
I'm waking up
I'm waking up
Welcome to the union
Son of moon and sea and land
Every miracle it's closed and had
I wonder if there's nothing more
Welcoming the baby boy
Seeing part of you shine in his face
Oh happy day, oh happy joy
Welcoming the baby boy
Still the world is spinning on his face
I'm waking up
I'm waking up
I'm waking up
I'm waking up
I'm waking up
I'm waking up
I'm waking up
I'm waking up
The song "The Union" by Ocean Colour Scene is a celebration of new life and the joy that comes with it. The opening lines welcome a baby boy into the world, acknowledging the happiness and potential that he brings. The song acknowledges the struggles of the world, but expresses hope that the new generation can make a difference. The lyrics reference the natural world, with imagery of mountains, wind, and the moon and sea, conveying a sense of awe and wonder.
The song's chorus speaks to the feeling of unity that comes with welcoming a new life into the world. It suggests that each child is a miracle and a part of something larger than themselves. The final lines of the song emphasize the idea of waking up, perhaps referencing a new awareness or perspective that comes with the arrival of a new life.
Overall, "The Union" is a sentimental and optimistic song that celebrates the beauty of new life and the potential for positive change that it represents.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome to the baby boy
Introducing the arrival of a newborn baby boy.
Brings the world with all the joy
The birth of the baby brings a sense of happiness into the world.
Still the world is spinning on his face
Despite the birth of the baby, the world continues to move forward with or without him.
And all the blooming lights to noon
The brightness and beauty of the world during the day.
Run and hide get boundary
People often seek shelter and protection when they feel vulnerable.
Rich between the mountains and the wind
The surroundings of the baby are filled with natural beauty and freedom.
Hand to hand we share the joy
People come together to share in the happiness and celebration of the baby's birth.
Village beans and city scapes
The happy occasion unites people from different backgrounds and places.
Now the grind is being washed from our face
The stress and hardships of daily life are momentarily forgotten because of the arrival of the new baby.
A joy of shades with skinny legs
The baby is a bundle of different emotions and feelings, represented by different 'shades,' and is still discovering how to walk on his 'skinny legs.'
Skin disarms most every
The baby's delicate and innocent skin has the power to disarm and soften most people's hearts.
Helps when all years lose their way
The baby's presence helps give direction and purpose to the lives of those around him.
Welcome to the union
Celebrating and acknowledging the new bond created by the baby's birth.
Son of moon and sea and land
The baby is part of the natural world and its cycles, as represented by the moon and sea and land.
Every miracle it's closed and had
The birth of a baby is a miraculous event that has happened many times before and will happen many times again.
I wonder if there's nothing more
Wondering if there is more to life beyond the birth of a new baby boy.
Welcoming the baby boy
Celebrating the arrival of the new baby boy.
Seeing part of you shine in his face
Recognizing and acknowledging the baby's familial ties and physical similarities to other family members.
Oh happy day, oh happy joy
Expressing joy and happiness about the new baby's birth.
Still the world is spinning on his face
Despite the happiness surrounding the baby's birth, the world continues to move and operate without relying solely on him.
I'm waking up
Possibly referencing a sense of awakening or newfound perspective brought on by the baby's arrival.
I'm waking up
Continuing the possible theme of self-reflection and personal growth because of the baby.
I'm waking up
Repeating the previous lines for further emphasis.
I'm waking up
The experience of welcoming a new baby boy can bring a renewed sense of purpose and wake people up to the world around them.
Contributed by Jordan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Richard Steele
This is a ridiculously good OCS track. I gotta say, I fucking love you boys. Thankyou for keeping keeping on.
CaptainCassius
From a brilliant album. O.C.S Bang on form once more!