When an advertising campaign saw Driver's Seat top the Dutch charts in 1991 Roberts took Sniff 'n' the Tears out on the road in the Netherlands and Germany, followed by a new album No Damage Done. Since then Roberts put out one more record, 2001s Underground, and is currently working on new material.
Driver's Seat was featured on the soundtrack to the 1997 movie Boogie Nights.
The band has had plenty of musicians, but the original member is lead singer and songwriter Paul Roberts.
Looking For You
Sniff 'n' the Tears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The servants had turned all the lights off and left for the day
What could I do
The limousines gone with the wealth and the fame
Of the people who lived with a view from their window
That we never knew
We all know that the time for the wealthy is through
People like me - people like you
Come on out if you're hiding in there
I'm looking for you
To follow the call to a masquerade ball
Where the players would never be seen with their masks off
A place in the sun
A legacy there for the whole world to share
A splendour to pamper the eyes of the rich
Paid with a gun
We all know that the time for the wealthy is through
The key to the future is held by the people like you
People like me - people like you
Come on out if you're hiding in there
I'm looking for you
So look to the east from the ruins of the feast
From the builders who built in the pay of the Roi Soleil
Say that you knew
That the cause of Danton was not truly won
That the hearts of the people cried out for an empire and who?
Napoleon.
We all know that the time for the wealthy is through
The key to the future is held by the people like you
People like me - people like you
Come on out if you're hiding in there
I'm looking for you
The lyrics to Sniff 'n' the Tears's song Looking For You are quite poignant as they reflect on the downfall of wealth and power. The first stanza describes a scene where all is quiet in a once luxurious setting. The tables are clean, servants have left, and the limousines are gone. The people associated with wealth and fame have left, leaving behind an emptiness. However, the singer realizes that the key to the future, the power to change the course of things, is not in the hands of those who once held wealth and fame. Rather, it is the common people who have the power to make a difference. The singer is calling out to those people, urging them to come out of hiding and take charge.
The second stanza describes a masquerade ball, where people put on masks to hide their true selves. It is a place of opulence, where the rich are pampered and paid with guns, indicating that their power and wealth were maintained through force. However, as the singer points out, the time for the wealthy is through. The future lies in the hands of people like you and me, not those living on lavish lifestyles. The final stanza describes the ruins of a feast and the builders who built in the pay of Roi Soleil, or King Louis XIV. The cause of Danton, who was a leader in the French Revolution, was not truly won as the people still cried out for an empire. In the end, it wasn't Danton who claimed power but Napoleon, who rose to power through his association with the people.
Overall, the lyrics suggest that power and wealth aren't the keys to the future. Rather, it's regular people who have the power to create change and shape the future.
Line by Line Meaning
The tables were clean where the fine foods had been
The fancy dinner party was over and everything had been cleaned up.
The servants had turned all the lights off and left for the day
The staff had finished their work and had gone home.
What could I do
The singer was left alone and didn't know what to do next.
The limousines gone with the wealth and the fame
The rich and famous people who came to the party had left.
Of the people who lived with a view from their window
These guests were probably wealthy enough to enjoy scenic views from their homes.
That we never knew
The singer was not familiar with these wealthy guests.
We all know that the time for the wealthy is through
The era of the rich and powerful ruling everything is coming to an end.
The key to the future is held by the people like you
Regular people have the power to shape the future.
People like me - people like you
The artist and the listener are both 'regular' people.
Come on out if you're hiding in there
The artist is encouraging the listener to take action and not be afraid.
I'm looking for you
The singer wants to find like-minded people who are ready to make a difference.
To follow the call to a masquerade ball
The artist is suggesting a metaphorical journey or adventure to make change happen.
Where the players would never be seen with their masks off
The singer is saying that the people in power always hide their true faces and intentions.
A place in the sun
A position of power or influence (reference to a film title) is desired.
A legacy there for the whole world to share
The singer wants to create something that will benefit everyone and be remembered for generations.
A splendour to pamper the eyes of the rich
The artist is aware that the wealthy love to indulge in opulent displays of wealth.
Paid with a gun
The artist is saying people in power got where they are through violence and threats.
So look to the east from the ruins of the feast
The singer is suggesting looking in a new direction (east) after seeing the decay of old ways (ruins).
From the builders who built in the pay of the Roi Soleil
The singer is referring to French architects who worked for Louis XIV, known as the 'Sun King'.
Say that you knew
The artist is suggesting the listener say they were aware of the unpopular decisions of the wealthy.
That the cause of Danton was not truly won
The artist is referencing Georges Danton, a leader of the French Revolution whose aims were not fully realized.
That the hearts of the people cried out for an empire and who?
The artist is wondering who will step up to be the next powerful leader to fill the void left by a disintegrating system of government.
Napoleon.
The singer is suggesting that Napoleon is a possible choice for a new leader.
Contributed by Aiden F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
hotrods woodshed
Paul, I just want to convey how this ENTIRE collective album, fickle heart, means to me. In 1979 when i bought it new... I was 12 yrs of age... digging into every word... (first time I'd heard the word apathy)... now that I'm 55 yrs old..it STILL is a FANTASTIC production!... all the musicians NAILED IT... every track... is a top ten song in my world. I own 3 copies and a picture disc from Germany. Fickle heart contains a element of Sophistication that other productions Never achieve. I have well over a 1000 record albums and fickle heart and The game is up, is definitely in my top 5 favorites. Thank you for creating them. (I was even inspired to dig out and obtain a 1975 "moon" album. By loz netto.)
Ray Plotecia
Album was brilliant, especially "Looking for You" which timely. They never got enough recognition.
Sam Cassa
Such a wonderful song
Rocio Obregon
Una banda magnifica.
gary roman
love it. best version. i had it recorded too but it got erased. i am so happy to see it again
Mats Frånlund
Easily one of their best songs! Steely Dan meets... Dylan?
po18guy
Pretty much the classic lineup (same as Driver's Seat), with Loz and Mick. Nice slide work there by Loz (who has his own YouTube channel, BTW).
Tom Callanan
Even more timely now.
Nicky
Tolle Besetzung und klasse Lied . Paul ist immer so traurig.
Carl Bishop
Brings back good memories of me in the AF in Panama