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.
Progress
Sparks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
New ways of standing out are tried and tried
Bigger and bigger is your appetite
A sense of progress is in the air
I'm an all new design
With an all synthetic spine
I'm a new shade of pink
Get me wet and I won't shrink
You're so young, so alive
You're so 1985
I'm a scratch-free design
Want to try me, I don't mind
I know my heart can't be broken
I know my will, will not crack
I know my dreams are atomic
And I can take any flack
I know it's progress
When the sun goes up and it's a brand new day
Words are invented to describe the way
Colors you never saw before appear
A sense of progress is in the air
I got a new, tougher skin
Got a whiter, brighter grin
And I think you're so sweet
Yeah, you knock me off my feet
But I bounce back, oo-wee
Got a lifetime guarantee
And I love your design
Such a deep long lasting shine
I know it's progress
You're a taste-tempting treat
Preparation, just reheat
Want to test drive for free
You got a great anatomy
I know it's progress
The lyrics to Sparks's song Progress can be interpreted as a commentary on the obsession with progress and innovation in contemporary society. The song begins with a description of nighttime, a time when people strive to stand out and satisfy their insatiable appetites. The singer of the song represents the latest model of human being, an all-new design with a synthetic spine and a new shade of pink. They are scratch-free, unbreakable, and have dreams that are atomic. The sense of progress is in the air, and the singer feels invincible.
However, amidst all the progress, there is a sense of detachment and an almost robotic quality to the singer. They describe their heart as unbreakable, their will uncrackable, and their dreams atomic. There is an emphasis on their durability and resilience, but little attention is given to their emotions and humanity. The chorus highlights the contrast between the singer and the person they are addressing, who is "so alive" and "so 1985" - essentially, they are more human. The song seems to suggest that the drive for progress has come at a cost, and there is a danger in becoming too detached from our emotions and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
When the sun goes down and it's a brand new night
As the day ends and a new night begins, people start trying new ways to stand out
New ways of standing out are tried and tried
People experiment with various things to gain attention
Bigger and bigger is your appetite
As people gain more attention, they get hungry for more and want to stand out even more
A sense of progress is in the air
There is a feeling of advancement and improvement in the atmosphere
I'm an all new design
The artist is presenting themselves as something new and unique
With an all synthetic spine
The singer refers to themselves as having an artificial backbone, meaning that they are strong and unbreakable
I'm a new shade of pink
The singer has a new identity that is refreshing and unique
Get me wet and I won't shrink
The artist is portraying themselves as resilient and strong
You're so young, so alive
The artist is addressing someone that they find to be youthful and vibrant
You're so 1985
The person being addressed is seen as someone with a retro flair or style
I'm a scratch-free design
The singer refers to themselves as something that is new, perfect and untouched
Want to try me, I don't mind
The artist is open to experimentation or inspection
I know my heart can't be broken
The singer is confident that their emotions will not be easily hurt
I know my will, will not crack
The singer is assured that their resilience and determination will not falter
I know my dreams are atomic
The singer is confident in their aspirations and considers them powerful
And I can take any flack
The artist is prepared to deal with any opposition or resistance
When the sun goes up and it's a brand new day
As the day begins, new words are invented to describe things that people have never seen before
Words are invented to describe the way
People create new language to describe new things they discover
Colors you never saw before appear
People discover new colors that they have never seen before
I got a new, tougher skin
The artist has developed a thick skin and can handle difficult situations more efficiently
Got a whiter, brighter grin
The artist is metaphorically presenting their self with an improved mood and demeanor
And I think you're so sweet
The artist is expressing genuine affection towards someone
Yeah, you knock me off my feet
The singer is taken by surprise or charmed by someone
But I bounce back, oo-wee
The artist is resilient and can easily recover from any setback
Got a lifetime guarantee
The singer is confident in their abilities and considers them unbreakable
And I love your design
The singer is fond of someone's unique qualities
Such a deep long lasting shine
The singer is portraying someone as having a brilliant and long-lasting personality or character
You're a taste-tempting treat
The artist is metaphorically describing someone as enticing or tempting
Preparation, just reheat
The artist is making a playful reference to something that can be experienced again without any extra effort
Want to test drive for free
The singer is open to experimentation or trying something without any commitment
You got a great anatomy
The singer is complimenting someone on their physical features or attributes
I know it's progress
The artist is convinced that their current state of being represents an improvement in their personal growth
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RONALD D MAEL, RUSSELL CRAIG MAEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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.