The group played its first gig at London's Splash club in March 1994, subsequently taking six weeks to record its debut album, Paranoid and Sunburnt, at a "haunted house" outside the city. The band's first single, "Selling Jesus," was featured on the soundtrack of the film Strange Days; Stoosh followed in 1996, and three years later Skunk Anansie returned with Post Orgasmic Chill. They broke up in 2001, with Skin moving on to a solo career (releasing Fleshwounds in 2003 and Fake Chemical State in 2006). The group re-formed in early 2009, playing sold-out shows and recording three new tracks for a greatest-hits album, Smashes & Trashes. The reunion went so well that they decided to stick together and record a new album, Wonderlustre, released in the autumn of 2010, with the track "You Saved Me" used in Zack Snyder's 2011 movie Sucker Punch, along with their remix of Björk's "Army of Me."
Sadly, former drummer Robbie France passed away after his aorta ruptured in January 2011. The band released its fifth album, Black Traffic, in September 2012 and backed it with an extensive European tour. The first single from the album was "Sad, Sad, Sad." The group followed this up with the live album An Acoustic Skunk Anansie: Live in London, a recording of their performance at Cadogan Hall, London in April 2013, before their sixth studio effort, Anarchytecture, arrived in 2016. The following year, the band put out 25live@25 -- a compilation album that traversed 25 years of live material.
Biography by Steve Huey
Cheap Honesty
Skunk Anansie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In sleek ridicule. A seedy smile, they think they've scored,
But I know morning comes & babes alone again, too alone again
So what can I do, with cheap honesty,
You're giving me more than I can see,
But I'm to cool to say, that I want it all my way,
Get blasted by this sincerity.
I wish I had, the streets full view,
So I pretend, so mellowed out, too teasing,
Weak enough to long for, home again, lovely home again
The song "Cheap Honesty" by Skunk Anansie is a reflection on the nature of superficial relationships and the compromises people make to maintain them. The song's poetic lyrics express a sense of disillusionment with the world and a search for truth and authenticity. The opening line, "I know too well, I know these lines, I've seen them smothered, In sleek ridicule," suggests a familiarity with the empty platitudes that people exchange in order to maintain social connections. The idea of "cheap honesty" is introduced as a way of describing the half-truths and empty promises that people make to one another.
The chorus of the song is a statement of defiance and a refusal to participate in this kind of behavior: "So what can I do, with cheap honesty, You're giving me more than I can see, But I'm too cool to say, that I want it all my way, Get blasted by this sincerity." The singer is rejecting the notion that honesty is something that can be traded like currency and is instead embracing a more authentic and open way of being.
Line by Line Meaning
I know too well, I know these lines, I've seen them smothered,
I am familiar with these patterns of behavior and I have witnessed them being suppressed by societal expectations.
In sleek ridicule. A seedy smile, they think they've scored,
People often use insincere humor to make light of situations and feel like they have gained some sort of advantage over others.
But I know morning comes & babes alone again, too alone again
Despite others' attempts to cover up their insecurities with humor, they will still wake up feeling empty and alone.
So what can I do, with cheap honesty,
I am unsure of how to navigate situations with blunt honesty without coming off as too brash or unkind.
You're giving me more than I can see,
You are revealing more about yourself and your vulnerabilities than I initially realized or expected.
But I'm too cool to say that I want it all my way,
I am trying to play it cool and not come across as overly demanding or needy, even though I secretly desire things to go in a certain way.
Get blasted by this sincerity.
Although it can be shocking and uncomfortable, I value sincerity and honesty above all else.
I wish I had the streets full view,
I yearn for a broader perspective on life and the experiences of others.
These people screaming, through their settled loves.
Despite the appearance of being content and stable, these individuals may be unhappy or unfulfilled in their relationships.
So I pretend, so mellowed out, too teasing,
I try to mask my true feelings and come across as carefree and playful, even though I am actually quite serious.
Weak enough to long for, home again, lovely home again
At times, I feel vulnerable and crave the comfort and familiarity of home and the people I love.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEBORAH ANN DYER, LEN ARRAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@demetra1728
I know too well, I know these lines, I've seen them smothered,
In sleek ridicule. A seedy smile, they think they've scored,
But I know morning comes & babes alone again, too alone again
So what can I do, with cheap honesty,
You're giving me more than I can see,
But I'm to cool to say, that I want it all my way,
Get blasted by this sincerity.
I wish I had, the streets full view,
These people screaming, through their settled loves.
So I pretend, so mellowed out, too teasing,
Weak enough to long for, home again, lovely home again
@suziezurfreiheit6825
This song helped me survive my teenage years. How many times may I have listened to this song?
@obainag
Hundreds ❤
@philmatthews2155
I saw these guys in concert last week. Simply Phenomena!l! Skin has the most incredible voice and stage presence and the guys are just masters of their class. The bass, the drums and the guitar just so powerful yet so controlled. Was an amazing show topped off by Skin crowd surfing the length of the floor. Now that is a show!
@suziezurfreiheit6825
Exactly! And it never gets old.... Seen them 3 times already and a fouth time nect year.
@fewhavestrength
absolute beautiful song and album, her voice is incredible. my first love C.
@michaelsmith3053
This is a beautiful song.....I'm only sad that it took me 17 years to stumble across this wonderful music. What a voice!!
@ragdoll2309
They are still touring in 2019, worth seeing live!
@demetra1728
I know too well, I know these lines, I've seen them smothered,
In sleek ridicule. A seedy smile, they think they've scored,
But I know morning comes & babes alone again, too alone again
So what can I do, with cheap honesty,
You're giving me more than I can see,
But I'm to cool to say, that I want it all my way,
Get blasted by this sincerity.
I wish I had, the streets full view,
These people screaming, through their settled loves.
So I pretend, so mellowed out, too teasing,
Weak enough to long for, home again, lovely home again
@pamelachiara1489
my goodddddnesss this music is greeeeat!!! good morning!!!
@user-dg6pr4pw8u
My Heart to Skunk!