Red Lorry Yellow Lorry (commonly referred to simply as "The Lorries") is a … Read Full Bio ↴Red Lorry Yellow Lorry (commonly referred to simply as "The Lorries") is a post-punk band formed by guitarist/songwriter Chris Reed and vocalist Mark Sweeney, along with bassist Steve Smith and drummer Mick Brown (who would later join The Mission). Sweeney left the band in late 1981 and Reed permanently took over as vocalist, with Martin Fagan joining as a second guitarist. The group's sound, featuring a numbing guitar drone, powerfully throbbing drums, and Reed's cavernous vocal tones, caused the Lorries (as their fans came to call them) to be quickly lumped into the then-developing gothic rock scene by pop journalists, although the band themselves preferred to cite Killing Joke and Wire as influences.
The use of a drum machine seems to have been a determining feature of bands coming out of Leeds, England (the Sisters of Mercy and The Three Johns are other examples).

In 1982, independent record label Red Rhino signed the band based on the strength of some of the group's demos. Their first single "Beating My Head" made a strong appearance on the influential New Musical Express (NME) independent record chart. Fagan and Smith soon departed the band, to be replaced by Dave Wolfenden and Paul Southern respectively. In 1983 and 1984, several more singles would be released by the band (including "He's Read" and "Monkeys On Juice"). In 1985, the band's debut album, Talk About The Weather, was released and reached #1 on the NME indie rock chart. The album received generally positive reviews and sold extremely well for a small label offering. The single "Hollow Eyes" obtained good sales as well, as did follow-up non-LP singles "Chance" and "Spinning Round", the latter of which is generally felt to be the Lorries's strongest song.

The band released one more album on Red Rhino (Paint Your Wagon) in 1986, a single ("Cut Down") and a four track EP ("Crawling Mantra", released as by The Lorries), before signing to Situation Two, an off-shoot of major label Beggars Banquet Records. Two albums followed, 1988's Nothing Wrong and 1989's Blow. These albums proved to be a slight change in direction for the band. The songs here were a little slower, with stronger, more conventional melodies sweetened by occasional female backing vocals. Reed's lyrics were less downbeat, almost optimistic. Overall, Blow is a warmer album than the band's previous, somewhat dour offerings; the Lorries pretty much left their specious gothic rock trappings behind for good. Neither one of the Beggars Banquet albums appeared on any mainstream pop charts. Singles, including "Only Dreaming (Wide Awake)" and "Open Up" (which upon its release was chosen by NME as the magazine’s Single of the Week), also failed to chart, and the band was subsequently dropped by the label. In 1991, the band released Blasting Off on the tiny Sparkhead label. Despite the relative strength of the song "Talking Back" (released as a single prior to the LP), the album was considered a major disappointment by fans and sold poorly. Reed broke up what was left of the band at that point.

In 2004, Reed revived the band and released four new songs on their website and then toured Europe and a DVD, "Thunder in the Black Cave" soon followed. The band recently announced they will tour again in 2009.

Do You Understand
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

People do you understand,
Are you running round
Are you on your own
Now people, do you understand
Could you kiss the ground
Are you all alone
Always, always
Someone got a helping hand in this frozen land

Can you push the stone
Someone got a lot to say, put it all away
'till we're on our own
Always, always

Do you understand, do you understand
Do you understand, what 's going on today !

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Do You Understand" is a cry of confusion to the people that surround the singer. The song questions whether people are in touch with themselves, others and their surroundings, as they seem to be rushing through life without any clear purpose or connection. The first verse asks whether people understand what is happening and whether they are running around without any clear direction. The second verse asks whether people have any grounding or connections from their experiences, whether they have an identity in which they belong.

The chorus continually asks "Do you understand?", as if pleading with people to wake up and take notice of what is happening in their lives and society. The lyrics show a sense of isolation and disconnectedness, as the singer suggests that somebody has got a helping hand in this frozen land, which may imply that he or she doesn't have one. Even though somebody could have something to say, the singer urges them to keep it hidden 'till they're on their own. The lyrics request for people to push harder to break out of isolation and create community through understanding.

Line by Line Meaning

People do you understand,
Do you comprehend the current situation or event we are in, humans?

Are you running round
Are you frantically trying to do something in response to the situation?

Are you on your own
Are you facing this situation alone?

Now people, do you understand
Are you now able to comprehend what is happening?

Could you kiss the ground
Are you grateful for the little things in life, such as the ground beneath your feet?

Are you all alone
Are you still facing this situation without any help or support?

Always, always
This is a continuous and ongoing issue.

Someone got a helping hand in this frozen land
Has someone been fortunate enough to receive help or support during difficult times?

Can you push the stone
Can you overcome obstacles and challenges, even when they seem impossible to move or change?

Someone got a lot to say, put it all away
Has someone been vocal about their opinions or advice, but it may not be helpful or relevant to the current situation?

'till we're on our own
Until we are able to handle and manage the situation independently.

Always, always
This is still an ongoing and continuous issue that needs to be addressed.

Do you understand, do you understand
Can you grasp and comprehend the severity and importance of the current situation?

Do you understand, what 's going on today !
Do you truly comprehend the events and circumstances of today?

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHRISTOPHER REED, DAVID WOLFENDEN, LEON PHILLIPS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS