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)
Up on the Downside
Ocean Colour Scene Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Between the war and a rockets flying
You found the crib that saves me
And teach me wrong and right
Then the world was talking
It never got it's chance to say
When there's too much talking
[Chorus]
You won't see
Baby now I want you
These blind communications
Only last throughout the year
And half of what we're saying
Is halfway in a truth
And blind communications
For a million hearts and fools
I am a witness
To a land of a million fools
All placing bets on life
Then hate the ones you lose
And all the lonely
Never get the chance to say
That their one and only
Would be the chance to even play
[Chorus]
Hello Monday
The week is just a blur
I've been burning bridges
And now I'm begging at your door
So I keep on working
'cause it's a chance for me to pay
But too much talking
When you believe the words I say
[Chorus]
In the song Up on the Downside by Ocean Colour Scene, the singer speaks of the lessons he has learned growing up in England between wars and rockets flying. He credits someone in his life with saving him and teaching him right from wrong, likely referencing the struggles he and many others faced during times of conflict. The second verse speaks on the power of words, and how often people talk so much that nothing is truly heard. He sings that communication only lasts for so long, and only half of what people say is true. The chorus echoes this sentiment, declaring that blind communication only lasts for a limited time, and will only resonate with some.
The third verse takes on a more critical tone, as the singer labels England a "land of a million fools." He describes people placing bets on their own lives and hating those who lose. He also speaks of the loneliness felt by those who never get a chance to truly speak and be heard. The final verse is the most personal, as the singer admits to burning bridges in his life and now begs for forgiveness. He describes himself as constantly working to try and pay off his wrongdoings but recognizes that words without action mean nothing.
Overall, the song seems to lament the state of communication and understanding in the world, particularly in England. The singer recognizes the flaws in the way society operates and points out the unfairness and consequences of blind communication.
Line by Line Meaning
This England made me
Growing up in England has shaped who I am
Between the war and a rockets flying
I was born during a time of warfare and conflict
You found the crib that saves me
You gave me a home and a sense of security
And teach me wrong and right
You taught me the difference between good and bad
Then the world was talking
There was a lot of noise and chaos around us
It never got it's chance to say
The world was never given the opportunity to truly express itself
When there's too much talking
When there's an excess of noise and chatter
Nobody hears the words you say
It's difficult to make oneself heard in such a climate
You won't see
You don't understand
Baby now I want you
I need you now more than ever
These blind communications
Our way of communicating is flawed
Only last throughout the year
Our attempts at communication only last for short periods of time
And half of what we're saying
Only part of what we communicate is truly honest or accurate
Is halfway in a truth
Even when we are honest, we are only telling part of the story
And blind communications
Our lack of understanding and connection in communication
For a million hearts and fools
Many people are struggling with this same issue
I am a witness
I've experienced firsthand
To a land of a million fools
To a world full of people who are mistaken or misguided
All placing bets on life
We're all taking risks and hoping for the best
Then hate the ones you lose
But we often blame others for our misfortunes
And all the lonely
Those who are isolated or disconnected
Never get the chance to say
Don't get to share their thoughts or feelings with others
That their one and only
Their true love and connection
Would be the chance to even play
Is something they've never had the opportunity to experience
Hello Monday
A new week begins
The week is just a blur
The days blend together and time seems to pass quickly
I've been burning bridges
I've been damaging important relationships
And now I'm begging at your door
Asking for forgiveness or help from someone I've wronged
So I keep on working
I continue to strive and put in effort
'cause it's a chance for me to pay
In order to make amends or repay what I owe
But too much talking
Incessant chatter or empty promises
When you believe the words I say
But if you truly understand what I mean and trust me
Chorus
Repeating earlier lines about our flawed communication and need for human connection
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAMON MINCHELLA, OSCAR LLOYD HARRISON, SIMON FOWLER, STEPHEN CRADOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Matheus Santana
This England made me
Between the war and a rockets flying
You found the crib that saves me
And teach me wrong and right
Then the world was talking
It never got it's chance to say
When there's too much talking
Nobody hears the words you say
You won't see
Baby now I want you
These blind communications
Only last throughout the year
And half of what we're saying
Is halfway in a truth
And blind communications
For a million hearts and fools
I am a witness
To a land of a million fools
All placing bets on life
Then hate the ones you lose
And all the lonely
Never get the chance to say
That their one and only
Would be the chance to even play
You won't see
Baby now I want you
These blind communications
Only last throughout the year
And half of what we're saying
Is halfway in a truth
And blind communications
For a million hearts and fools
Hello Monday
The week is just a blur
I've been burning bridges
And now I'm begging at your door
So I keep on working
'cause it's a chance for me to pay
But too much talking
When you believe the words I say
You won't see
Baby now I want you
These blind communications
Only last throughout the year
And half of what we're saying
Is halfway in a truth
And blind communications
For a million hearts and fools
Novice
I have spent years searching for this song after if being on pes 2010, I have finally found it. Brilliant song
HARD2theCORE
if u just typed pes 2010 songs u would find it
A guy called Marcos
Same here. Finally found it
김재동
Chhers!
김승한
Same!
Mustafa Osman
Me too 😭
Adrián Who
Pes 2010 tiene la mejor música de todos los juegos!
Daniel Niño
Totalmente de acuerdo, y eso que esta salía era como una versión cortada, pero también Ruby, Party Hard, Pretend that you´re alone
Yeez
POSTA AMIGO
Alexis xd
Al fin un hombre con buena cultura