The band originally consisted of Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, Daevid Allen and Mike Ratledge, most of whom were former members of The Wilde Flowers in 1966. Later members have included Hugh Hopper, Roy Babbington, Elton Dean, John Etheridge, Karl Jenkins, John Marshall, and Allan Holdsworth.
Soft Machine continued on in name, even after all the original founder members moved on; Mike Ratledge was the last to depart in 1976. Numerous offshoots and side projects have included "Soft" in their names: Soft Heap, Soft Head, Soft Works, and the band Matching Mole, a play on words for the French of Soft Machine ('machine molle'). As of 2005, Soft Machine Legacy is a working concern.
Other musicians in the band during the later period were bassists Percy Jones of Brand X and Steve Cook, saxophonists Alan Wakeman and Ray Warleigh, and violinist Ric Sanders. Their 1977 performances and record Alive and Well: Recorded in Paris were among the last for Soft Machine as a working band. The Soft Machine name was used for the 1981 record Land of Cockayne with Jack Bruce and Allan Holdsworth, plus Ray Warleigh and Dick Morrissey on saxes and John Taylor on electric piano, and for a final series of dates at London's Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in the summer of 1984, featuring Jenkins and Marshall leading an ad-hoc line-up of Etheridge, Warleigh, pianist Dave MacRae and bassist Paul Carmichael.
We Did It Again
Soft Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
I did it again.
''(repeat ad nauseam)''
At a surface level, the lyrics to Soft Machine's song "We Did it Again" seem repetitive and nonsensical. However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the repetition of the line "I did it again" serves a deeper purpose: it highlights the cyclical nature of human behavior. By continually repeating this phrase, the song suggests that we often find ourselves repeating the same mistakes, regardless of how much experience or knowledge we gain.
In addition to this, the song's repeated use of the past tense ("I did it again") suggests a sense of resignation or acceptance. The singer acknowledges that they have made mistakes in the past, and implies that they will likely continue to do so in the future. This creates a sense of fatalism or inevitability, as though the singer is trapped in an endless loop of self-sabotage and repetition.
Overall, the lyrics to "We Did it Again" offer a thought-provoking commentary on the human experience. They suggest that no matter how hard we try to break free from our past mistakes, we are often powerless to do so, and will simply find ourselves repeating the same patterns of behavior over and over again. This creates a sense of existential despair, as though we are all doomed to live out the same cycle of mistakes and regrets ad infinitum.
Line by Line Meaning
Contributed by Kaelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bill Jones
Saw them as the opening act for Jimi Hendrix in ‘68. Wyatt was dressed as Tarzan and the “We Did it Again” chant went on for a good 10 minutes. At the time, we didn’t know what to make of them but enjoyed it just the same.
David Sumtinelse
You jammy bastard. I love you.
david moon
one of the best songs ever!
alejandro fabian Lopez
Love the drums speed towards the end
johnnyhmash
My brother played this all bloody day!
Michele Trevisiol
Fantastic!
MeloLand
Before the jazz fusion...
TelevisedPork
Kinda proto-punk
Jorge Perez
oh, God
no, not proto punk... if anything it's pre krautrock.
mjazzguitar
They didn't want to be known as a tripping band.