The band's long career has seen them successfully adopt many different musical genres; including glam pop, power pop, electronic dance music and mainstream pop. Despite these many styles, a recognizable "Sparks sound" remains throughout, and they have enjoyed a large cult following since their first releases. Sparks have been highly influential on the development of popular music, in particular on the late 1970s scene, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and Telex subsequently), they reinvented themselves as an electronic pop duo, and abandoned the traditional rock band line up. In contrast to the esteem in which they are held by such peers as Depeche Mode, New Order, Morrissey and They Might Be Giants, who all cite Sparks as a major influence, their almost constantly changing styles and unique visual presentations have sometimes seen them dismissed as a novelty act.
The 2002 release of Lil' Beethoven, their self-described "genre-defining opus", and 2006's Hello Young Lovers (their 20th studio album) have brought Sparks renewed critical and commercial success, and seen them continue to "steer clear of pop conventions."
The 2021 documentary film 'The Sparks Brothers', directed by Edgar Wright, has renewed interest in the band for a new audience.
Goofing Off
Sparks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause the weekend is beginning
So grab anything that moves and bring some cash
Yeah, I'm looking at your body
And I think I need your body
Yeah, the whole entire body, bring it here
And we've got two days to try to forget
And we've got two days, so get over here
We're gonna goof off good
Goofing off, goofing off
I can do it, do it, do it perfectly
Goofing off, goofing off
It's the only thing I gladly do for free
I'm goin' non-stop for 48 hours
Then I'll collapse right here
Then I'll be scooped up and carried to work
And propped up in a chair
Goofing off, goofing off, goofing off
Plough your way through Monday morning
Plough your way through Tuesday morning
Plough your way through Wednesday, Thursday, Friday too
Then the world begins to spin and spin and spin
And spin and spin and I become a raving, raving, ranting fool
We're in the weekend, don't blow it, oh no
Don't blow that two day pass
We're in the weekend, so get up and go
Don't sit down on your ass
Goofing off, goofing off
I can do it, do it, do it perfectly
Goofing off, goofing off
It's the only thing I gladly do for free
I'm goin' non-stop for 48 hours
Then I'll collapse right here
Then I'll be scooped up and carried to work
And propped up in a chair
Goofing off, goofing off, goofing off.
The song "Goofing Off" by Sparks is a celebration of the weekend and all of the potential for fun and leisure that it brings. The song opens with the singer acknowledging that the world has started spinning because the weekend has begun. The upbeat, bouncy music and playful lyrics encourage listeners to grab anything that moves and bring some cash because they're about to have a great time. The lyrics express a desire to forget the week of crap and crud that came before the weekend and to focus on enjoying oneself.
The chorus of the song encourages goofing off, with the singer proclaiming that they can do it perfectly. Goofing off, according to the song, is the only thing that the singer gladly does for free. They plan to go non-stop for 48 hours before collapsing and being propped up in a chair at work. The song encourages listeners not to blow their two-day pass and to get up and go instead of sitting down on their ass.
Throughout the song, the upbeat, playful tone encourages listeners to let loose and have fun over the weekend. The lyrics are mostly lighthearted, with a touch of humor and a clear recognition of the importance of taking a break from the weekday grind. Ultimately, the song serves as an ode to the weekend and a reminder to take advantage of the time off to goof off and enjoy ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, the world has started spinning
The weekend has arrived, and we are excited to forget about the week's responsibilities.
'Cause the weekend is beginning
The start of the weekend is the reason for our excitement.
So grab anything that moves and bring some cash
We are ready to party and willing to spend money.
Yeah, I'm looking at your body
I am admiring your physical attractiveness.
And I think I need your body
I am interested in engaging in physical intimacy with you.
Yeah, the whole entire body, bring it here
I desire to engage in physical intimacy with you in its entirety.
And we've got two days to try to forget
We have two days to stop thinking about our responsibilities.
A week of crap and crud
The previous week was full of unpleasant and challenging experiences.
And we've got two days, so get over here
We should make the most of the time we have by spending it together.
We're gonna goof off good
We are going to have a great time lazing around and enjoying ourselves.
Goofing off, goofing off
We plan to relax and have fun without any commitments.
I can do it, do it, do it perfectly
I am skilled at wasting time and enjoying myself.
It's the only thing I gladly do for free
I am willing to waste time without expecting any rewards.
I'm goin' non-stop for 48 hours
I plan to have fun for the entire duration of the weekend.
Then I'll collapse right here
After the weekend, I will be exhausted and need rest.
Then I'll be scooped up and carried to work
Back to work after the weekend will be a struggle.
And propped up in a chair
I will struggle to stay awake and remain focused while at work.
Plough your way through Monday morning
Returning to work on Monday will be challenging.
Plough your way through Tuesday morning
The first few days after the weekend are challenging to adjust to.
Plough your way through Wednesday, Thursday, Friday too
We must return to our responsibilities and work hard for the remaining days of the week.
Then the world begins to spin and spin and spin
As we approach the weekend, our excitement grows.
And I become a raving, raving, ranting fool
Our excitement becomes overwhelming, and we feel like we cannot contain it.
We're in the weekend, don't blow it, oh no
We need to make the most of the weekend and not waste our time.
Don't blow that two day pass
We should not waste this opportunity to relax and enjoy ourselves.
We're in the weekend, so get up and go
We should start having fun and not waste any time.
Don't sit down on your ass
We should not be lazy and waste the weekend sitting around.
Goofing off, goofing off
We plan to relax and have fun with no commitments during the weekend.
It's the only thing I gladly do for free
We are willing to spend our time without receiving anything in return.
I'm goin' non-stop for 48 hours
We plan to make the most of the weekend and have fun for the entire time.
Then I'll collapse right here
After the weekend, we will be exhausted.
Then I'll be scooped up and carried to work
Going back to work after the weekend will be tough.
And propped up in a chair
It will be difficult to stay awake and stay focused when we return to work.
Goofing off, goofing off, goofing off.
We plan to make the most of the weekend and relax with no commitments.
Contributed by Julian V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Philip Kassabian
on Scheherazade
A great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Aeroflot
This song is amazing.
Philip Kassabian
on Irreplaceable
Sparks is an absolutely fantastic band.
Philip Kassabian
on It's Educational
An absolutely great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on The Calm Before the Storm
A great and fantastic Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Perfume
A very catchy and great Sparks song.