Variously described as krautrock, shoegazing, punk, and "voodoobilly"(!). They toured with bands like Arab Strap, Pulp, Sebadoh, Sonic Youth, and Stereolab; performed sessions for John Peel and were in the 1997 Festive 50; and appeared at the Abbey Park Festival and at the Reading Festival. The members were:-
* David Jeffreys
* Donald Ross Skinner (also collaborated with Julian Cope: Julian Cope & Donald Ross Skinner)
* Linda Steelyard (also Ears Go Fff!)
* Mick Derrick - "Scottish Mick" (also Cha Cha 2000, Morocco, Noize 'R' Us, The Inside of a Butcher's Shop, Thee George Squares)
* Mick Harrison - "Geordie Mick" (also Ears Go Fff!)
* Pat Marsden (also Cha Cha 2000)
* Tim Pattison (also Ludd Gang, MJ Hibbett & The Validators, The Council, The Fabians)
Their gig list can be found here. Mick Derrick and Linda Steelyard were also in the television soap Chez Lester.
The band reformed in 2015 at the request of Mogwai who wanted them to support their 20 year anniversary gigs.
Serpico
Prolapse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This mug wullny take it, am full tae the brim ye see
Ah counter ma ailin' position with brains
If that disnae stope then back tae the wife n' weans
These guys are aw lousy wi other guy's fleas
The circle is growin' wi relative ease yi know
There's only wan thing that's left for tae dae
Dissect an bisect it an' separate the strays
Ah'll clean up the precinct wae gall n' wae verve
It's thame that's the wankers
They'll get what they deserve
You keep yer eyes open an' don't let them stray
Come hell or high water this dog 'll have it's day
Ah'll clean up the precinct, ah'll craze it wi cracks
The wae that wur goin there's nae lookin' back yill sae
Ah'll tread on the toes that hide in the boots
These cunts are all cosy inside their new suits yi know
Ah'll carry out everythin' expected ae me
But ah cannae very well turn a blind eye tae it
If you are the cause ae whit ah hive tae be
Then at least come oot an admit that your part ae it
At least come oot an admit your part ae it
Excuse me sergeant ah've somethin' to say
There's a lot of people doon there
They're no doin' it the right way
Wi give them backhanders
They release yi oon loot
And that's aw this dae yi know
"OK, give me their names, give me their names
And ah'll get them right now"
"Well ye've got Healy, ye've got Brenderson
Ye've got Henderson an' McFarlane"
Get out of my office
What do ye take me for?
Get out of my office
It only takes one little person like you
To ruin an establishment such as this
We don't need men of your calibre around here
Out!
Ah'll clean up the precinct wae gall n' wae verve
It's thame that's the wankers
They'll get what they deserve
You keep yer eyes open an' don't let them stray
Come hell or high water this dog 'll have it's day
(Freeform rant)
If I ever see you again... Just keep from under my feet
OK
Ye've got aw ye're trainin' an' aw ye're schools
An look at yi, ye're a bloody disgrace!
The song "Serpico" by Prolapse is a powerful commentary on corruption and the abuse of power. The lyrics describe a protagonist who is determined to clean up their precinct and expose the wrongdoings of their colleagues. The verses are filled with rich imagery, painting a picture of a dirty and broken place. The chorus is a declaration of the singer's dedication to justice, promising that they will not rest until they have achieved their goal.
The first verse describes the singer's frustration with his colleagues and their acceptance of corruption. They are trickling down the problem and drinking it up, but the singer is full to the brim with disgust. He counters their ailment with his brains and knowledge but ultimately, if the problem persists, he will have to return to his family. The second verse is a declaration that the singer will clean up the precinct with gall and verve, condemning the "wankers" who deserve what is coming to them. He urges listeners to keep their eyes open and not let themselves stray, promising that come hell or high water, he will accomplish his mission.
The freeform rant towards the end is an explosive dialogue that unleashes the singer's anger and frustration. The sergeant dismisses his concerns, and the singer reminds him of the corrupt backhanders given to officers. The sergeant gives him names, but when his attention is called out, he accuses him of being a disgrace and orders him out of his office. The song ultimately brings attention to the systemic issue of corruption within law enforcement and how it can cause people to lose their values and morals.
Line by Line Meaning
They trickle it doon and wi sup it aw up
They slowly give us the drugs and we happily consume them
This mug wullny take it, am full tae the brim ye see
I won't take it anymore, I've had enough
Ah counter ma ailin' position with brains
I use my intelligence to fight against my difficult position
If that disnae stope then back tae the wife n' weans
If it doesn't work out, I'll just go back to my family
These guys are aw lousy wi other guy's fleas
These people are bad at dealing with other people's problems
The circle is growin' wi relative ease yi know
The group is getting bigger surprisingly easily
There's only wan thing that's left for tae dae
There's only one thing left to do
Dissect an bisect it an' separate the strays
Analyze it and separate the outliers
Ah'll clean up the precinct wae gall n' wae verve
I'll clean up the station with bravery and determination
It's thame that's the wankers
They are the ones at fault
They'll get what they deserve
They will face the consequences
You keep yer eyes open an' don't let them stray
Stay alert and don't let them distract you
Come hell or high water this dog 'll have it's day
No matter what happens, I will have my revenge
Ah'll craze it wi cracks
I'll destroy it with cracks
The wae that wur goin there's nae lookin' back yill sae
The way things are going, there's no turning back
Ah'll tread on the toes that hide in the boots
I'll deal with those who hide behind their power
These cunts are all cosy inside their new suits yi know
These people are comfortable in their positions of power
Ah'll carry out everythin' expected ae me
I'll do everything that's expected of me
But ah cannae very well turn a blind eye tae it
But I can't ignore it
If you are the cause ae whit ah hive tae be
If you are the reason for my current situation
Then at least come oot an admit that your part ae it
At least confess that you are part of it
Excuse me sergeant ah've somethin' to say
Excuse me, sergeant, I have something to say
There's a lot of people doon there
There are a lot of people involved
They're no doin' it the right way
They're not doing it correctly
Wi give them backhanders
We give them bribes
They release yi oon loot
They let you go for a price
And that's aw this dae yi know
That's all they do, you know
"OK, give me their names, give me their names
"Okay, tell me their names
Ye've got Healy, ye've got Brenderson
You have Healy, Brenderson
Ye've got Henderson an' McFarlane"
You have Henderson and McFarlane
Get out of my office
Leave my office
What do ye take me for?
What do you think I am?
It only takes one little person like you
It only takes one insignificant person like you
To ruin an establishment such as this
To destroy a place like this
Out!
Get out!
(Freeform rant)
Unstructured angry speech
If I ever see you again... Just keep from under my feet
If I see you again, stay out of my way
Ye've got aw ye're trainin' an' aw ye're schools
You have all your training and education
An look at yi, ye're a bloody disgrace!
And yet, you're still a failure!
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID JEFFREYS, LINDA STEELYARD, MICHAEL DERRICK, MICHAEL HARRISON, PATRICK MARSDEN, TIM PATTISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind