It is hard to describe their sound. They claim their inspirations began with the sounds from old 60’s and 70’s bands such as The Velvet Underground, Syd Barret, Can, Tom Waits, Soft Machine and the Fall. There is no denying these influences but they are also heavily influenced by New York’s East Village bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s but with a very Chinese obliqueness to their harmonies and musical approach and the typical Beijinger’s bluntness. They combine the rhythmic sophistication of bands like ESG and Bush Tetras with the eerie but jangly, sinuous guitar lines of Bush Tetra guitarist Pat Place and the strange harmonics of DNA. Amid their drawn-out sessions you can even sometimes hear the long, druggy patterns of the Doors. This is a band extremely sure of its sound and wholly dismissive of any attempts to mold their image or sound into a more pleasing outline.
After several heavily acclaimed concerts in Beijing’s major clubs P.K.14 frontman Yang Haisong took them to the studio to record and produce their first CD. Almost as soon as Bing Ma Si/Maybe Mars was formed, in August 2007, the band was approached by the label to join their roster. Their self-untitled CD was released by Bing Ma Si/Maybe Mars in January 2009. Over the years, there has been confusion about the band's name between "Ourself Beside Me" and "Ourselves Beside Me" - both have appeared in print, but the album's artwork has laid the issue to rest, with the former as the "correct" version.
Sunday Girl
Ourself Beside Me Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She cries alone like a queen in bed
She left her room she closes her eyes
She play a trick without any lights
Her mom takes some candy at Sunday night
She calls her daughter Sunday girl
But she doesn't want to see her anymore
She wants love like someone else
But she knows love's just a silly game
Whatever she pertends she's not right
Now she takes some pills then tries to forget
The lyrics to Ourself Beside Me's song Sunday Girl tells the story of a young girl who spends her lonely Saturday night crying alone in bed. She tries to escape from her loneliness by playing tricks with herself, closing her eyes and pretending. But on Sunday, her mother offers her some candy and calls her the "Sunday girl" which the girl doesn't want to hear anymore. She's bored with the game of pretending and wants to find real love, but knows that love is just a silly game. She takes some pills and tries to forget.
The song is a poignant expression of the loneliness and isolation that many young people feel, even when surrounded by others. The lyrics capture the deep sense of longing for love and connection, while also acknowledging the reality that love can be elusive and difficult to find. The line "Whatever she pretends she's not right" highlights the tension between the girl's desire for love and her inability to find it. The song is a powerful reminder of the importance of connection and the pain of loneliness.
Line by Line Meaning
Every lonely Saturday night
On each and every night of the week when she's left alone, especially on Saturdays, she feels the most isolated and distant.
She cries alone like a queen in bed
She weeps in solitude, taking comfort in her private sorrow which she perceives as befitting of royalty.
She left her room she closes her eyes
She attempts to blot out the world by staring into darkness and imagining herself elsewhere, perhaps in a dream or fantasy.
She play a trick without any lights
She entertains herself with games and illusions that don't need any external light sources, indicating a deep-seated melancholy and perhaps some self-doubt.
Her mom takes some candy at Sunday night
Her mother often snacks on candy on Sunday nights, which is a detail that suggests a shared history or common family background.
She calls her daughter Sunday girl
The singer's mother affectionately describes her as a creature of habit, one who is known for her regular behavior on Sundays and her childlike innocence.
But she doesn't want to see her anymore
The singer's feelings toward her mother are complex and conflicted, with a sense of rejection or abandonment accompanying her memories of their relationship.
She quit the game and she's so bored
She gave up on playing 'the game' - likely a metaphor for relationships or social competition - and as a result, is left feeling aimless and purposeless, with no outlet for her creative or emotional impulses.
She wants love like someone else
Despite feeling lost and disillusioned, she still longs for the same kind of love and connection that she sees in others.
But she knows love's just a silly game
At the same time, she recognizes that romantic relationships are often shallow and superficial, without much depth or meaning.
Whatever she pertends she's not right
She tries to keep up appearances and act as though everything is fine, but in reality she is not content, fully aware of her own struggles and shortcomings.
Now she takes some pills then tries to forget
The artist resorts to artificial means - in this case, pills - to escape her problems and find some kind of temporary relief.
Contributed by Joshua D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.