The band started in Grand Rapids, MI, when Ferguson -- inspired by musical heroes like the Beatles, the Police, and Depeche Mode -- began jamming with guitarist Pete Dunning in the early '90s. The pair split up not long into their initial partnership, but the vision that would become Papa Vegas was set in Ferguson's mind and set into motion. A steady stream of musicians came and went as Ferguson tinkered with his songwriting skills and his band's lineup through the mid-'90s. Things really started happening for the group soon after Brian Vander Ark of the Verve Pipe caught a Papa Vegas set while judging a local battle of the bands. This was the first performance of the group under their new moniker, and Vander Ark was so impressed he signed the band to his fledgling label Sid Flips months later in 1997 and produced the group's five-song debut EP, entitled Grounded.
While all this was going on, Dunning returned to the group, and, along with drummer Scott Stefanski, bassist Mick Force, and Ferguson, the final Papa Vegas lineup was formed. Sid Flips was soon incorporated into the Verve Pipe's label home, RCA Records, which turned out nicely for Papa Vegas as they now had a major-label home of their own, too, and the budget to more fully flesh out their material with Eve 6 producer Don Gilmore. After RCA sent the group to Guildford, England (of all places), for a few months in order for them to have an inspiring yet somewhat isolated venue to refine their music, the band returned home to the States to record Hello Vertigo in July 1998. After a few months of recording in L.A., the band finished tracking the record in Seattle and sent the masters to the legendary mixing engineer Tom Lord-Alge (the Rolling Stones, blink-182, Collective Soul, the Verve Pipe, Eve 6, etc.) for finishing in Miami. After Hello Vertigo was released on April 27, 1999, the band went out on their first and only real tour, which included many nights of opening for Vander Ark and the Verve Pipe. The single "Bombshell" received very little attention, and the group was pretty much finished (touring and otherwise) by the fall of that year.
Never
Papa Vegas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When will they say it's overdue
I know we'll fall when love is all
Just imagery a memory
Well I don't want to spend forever
Thinking what a fool I've been
Some people seem to swim together
So much for never when forever's always
It's always me, it's always you
There's nothing else there's nothing new
And soon we'll fall when hate is all
Just imagery a memory
Well I don't want to spend forever
Thinking what a fool I've been
Some people seem to swim together
Drowning in the pool they're in
So much for never when forever's always
Don't leave me in the cellar... don't leave me
'Cause I don't want to spend forever
Thinking what a fool I've been
Some people seem to swim together
Drowning in the pool they're in
So much for never when forever's always
And I don't want to spend forever
Thinking what a fool I've been
Some people seem to swim together
Drowning in the pool they're in
So much for never when forever's always
Closing in...
The song "Never" by Papa Vegas talks about a relationship that has lost its spark after being together for a long time. The first two lines, "It's never me, it's never you. When will they say it's overdue" indicate that both parties are no longer willing to admit their faults and take responsibility for the failing relationship. The singer in the song understands that the relationship is beyond repair and that they will eventually fall apart. The phrase "Just imagery a memory" implies that they're holding onto the past and what could have been.
The next verse indicates that the singer doesn't want to hold onto the relationship because they know it's causing them more pain than pleasure, and that some people seem to be stuck in these bad relationships because they don't know when to let go. The line "Drowning in the pool they're in" is particularly interesting as it suggests that people can get trapped in their own toxic environments, unable to escape. The chorus "So much for never when forever's always" highlights the irony of the situation. When they started out, they believed their love would be eternal, but, in the end, it has only brought them misery.
The song also features a repeated refrain "Thinking what a fool I've been" which captures the regret and sadness that comes with letting go of someone you love but who doesn't love you anymore. In the final verse, "Don't leave me in the cellar... don't leave me," the singer pleads for their partner not to leave them alone in pain, which is a particularly poignant moment in the song. The song ends with the line "Closing in...", implying that the end is near, and the relationship will soon come to a conclusion.
Line by Line Meaning
It's never me, it's never you
We are never the cause of our problems, they just happen naturally.
When will they say it's overdue
We are waiting for someone else to recognize that things are not working out.
I know we'll fall when love is all
Our love is fragile and will eventually crumble when it's the only thing holding us together.
Just imagery a memory
Our love has faded into a distant memory, a figment of our imagination.
Well I don't want to spend forever
I don't want to waste my entire life dwelling on my mistakes.
Thinking what a fool I've been
Regretting my past decisions and wishing I had done things differently.
Some people seem to swim together
Some couples seem to effortlessly navigate their relationship without any issues.
Drowning in the pool they're in
For other couples, their relationship is too much to handle and it's suffocating them.
So much for never when forever's always
Despite hoping that our relationship would never end, it seems that it will inevitably last forever.
It's always me, it's always you
We are always involved in our problems, and can't seem to escape them.
There's nothing else there's nothing new
Our problems are monotonous and repetitive, with no new solutions or approaches.
And soon we'll fall when hate is all
Our relationship will crumble when feelings of hatred overpower what little love remains.
Don't leave me in the cellar... don't leave me
I am afraid of being abandoned and left alone to suffer.
Closing in...
Our relationship is coming to a close, and there's nothing we can do to stop it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BARDIS MUSIC, USA ATTN: PETER BARDON
Written by: RONAN HARDIMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rachel White
If I was taller I'd be able to see the back of my head in this... ;) Haha
Nice video!! They were fantastic.
live2cd
thank you so much for your PV videos!!! i wish i recorded more video, myself.
Rachel White
live2cd I got every song except One I Left Behind (which is a bummer because that's a favorite of mine) but I don't know if I've uploaded all of them to YT or not.... I think I've done most of them...