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.

Too Many Colors
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry Lyrics

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Recognize you feel alive
And all the things you could be now
You broke the spell now
Who can tell exactly what you want to be
Too many colors are in your hands
And now you are the only one to realize
What's in those eyes
Too many colors are in your hands

Colors in your hands, colors in your hands
Thinking that you were alone
And no one ever really cared
To be alive is half the prize
And now it's really up to you
Too many colors are in your hands
And stuck for choice
Now hear your voice
Don't complicate the things you do
Too many colors are in your hands
Colors in your hands, colors in your hands
Too many colors are in your hands
Colors in your hands, colors in your hands

Too many colors are in your hands
Colors in your hands, colors in your hands

Overall Meaning

The song "Too Many Colors" by Red Lorry Yellow Lorry speaks to the idea of having too many options in life and not knowing what direction to take. It begins by acknowledging that the listener "feels alive" and has the potential to become anything they desire. However, with too many choices available, it becomes difficult to determine exactly what they want to be. The repetition of the phrase "too many colors are in your hands" emphasizes the overwhelming number of options available to them.

The song then addresses the feeling of loneliness and the belief that nobody cares, before reminding the listener that being alive is an accomplishment in itself. The lyrics suggest that the responsibility of choosing a path is entirely up to the individual, and they should not overcomplicate the decision-making process. They are encouraged to trust their instincts and not let the abundance of choices hold them back.

Overall, the message of "Too Many Colors" is one of empowerment and self-determination, encouraging listeners to embrace their potential and trust their intuition.

Line by Line Meaning

Recognize you feel alive
Acknowledge the sensation of being alive

And all the things you could be now
Realize the limitless possibilities of the present moment

You broke the spell now
You have freed yourself from an enchantment or delusion

Who can tell exactly what you want to be
No one can accurately determine your desires and aspirations

Too many colors are in your hands
You have too many choices to make

And now you are the only one to realize
You alone are aware of the gravity of your situation

What's in those eyes
What motivates you is unclear

Too many colors are in your hands
You have too many options to choose from

Thinking that you were alone
Believing that you were solitary in your experience

And no one ever really cared
There was never anyone who truly cared about you

To be alive is half the prize
Merely existing is a significant achievement

And now it's really up to you
You are solely responsible for your actions and decisions

Too many colors are in your hands
You are conflicted with too many choices

And stuck for choice
You are paralyzed by indecision

Now hear your voice
Listen to your inner voice

Don't complicate the things you do
Do not overthink or overanalyze your decisions

Too many colors are in your hands
You have too many alternatives from which to choose

Colors in your hands, colors in your hands
Choices abound and can be overwhelming

Too many colors are in your hands
You have too many options to navigate

Colors in your hands, colors in your hands
You are grappling with an abundance of alternatives

Too many colors are in your hands
You have an excessive number of choices to make

Colors in your hands, colors in your hands
You are faced with a bewildering array of options

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER PAUL REED, DAVID WOLFENDEN, LEON DAVID PHILLIPS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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