Described as "classic UK rock delivered with whiskey vocals", the band have been summarised as possessing a sound akin to the genres of alternative rock and "British traditional rock". Stereophonics' debut album, Word Gets Around, was released in August 1997 and charted at number six in the UK, aided by the singles "Local Boy in the Photograph", "More Life in a Tramps Vest" and "A Thousand Trees". The band reached mainstream success with the release of Performance and Cocktails (and its promotional singles "The Bartender and the Thief", "Just Looking" and "Pick a Part That's New") in 1999 and have achieved a total of ten top-ten singles as well as one number one: "Dakota" (2005). Having sold around 10 million copies worldwide by 2016, Stereophonics are one of the most successful Welsh rock acts. Upon their release of Pull the Pin, they achieved five consecutive UK number one albums.
The band have also been praised for their live performances, which have landed them headlining slots at many of the UK and Ireland's most high-profile music festivals, including Reading and Leeds in 2000, Glastonbury in 2002, V Festival in 2002, the Isle of Wight in 2004 and 2009, Oxegen in 2010, Tramlines Festival and TRNSMT in 2018, and Latitude in 2019. The band is part of the Cardiff music scene.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereophonics
Studio albums
Word Gets Around (1997)
Performance and Cocktails (1999)
Just Enough Education to Perform (2001)
You Gotta Go There to Come Back (2003)
Language. Sex. Violence. Other? (2005)
Pull the Pin (2007)
Keep Calm and Carry On (2009)
Graffiti on the Train (2013)
Keep the Village Alive (2015)
Scream Above the Sounds (2017)
Kind (2019)
Oochya! (2022)
Just Looking (Live Acoustic
Stereophonics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's things I think I want
There's things I've had,
There's things I wanna have
Do I want the dreams?
The ones we're forced to see
Do I want the perfect wife?
Shopping every day,
Take it back the next break
They say the more you fly,
The more you risk
Your life
I'm just looking,
I'm not buying
I'm just looking,
It keeps me smiling
A house I've seen,
Another coulda' been
You drenched my head
And said what I said
You said that life is what
You make of it
Yet most of us just fake
I'm just looking
I'm not buying
I'm just looking
It keeps me smiling
I'm just looking
I'm not buying
Well I'm just looking
It keeps me trying
And I'm just looking
I'm not buying
Well I'm just looking
It keeps me smiling
There's things I want,
There's things I think I want
There's things I've had,
There's things I wanna have.
They say the more you fly,
The more you risk
Your whole life
I'm just looking,
I'm not buying
I'm just looking,
It keeps me smiling
The song "Just Looking" is a track by the Welsh rock band Stereophonics, released in 1999 as part of their second studio album "Performance and Cocktails." The lyrics tackle the universal theme of materialism and consumerism, and the struggle to find happiness and meaning in life. The song expresses how people are constantly searching for something more, chasing their unfulfilled desires and wants, yet often failing to find satisfaction even when they have acquired and achieved what they had wanted.
The opening lines appear to emphasize the inner conflict between what one wants versus what one has: "There's things I want, There's things I think I want, There's things I've had, There's things I wanna have." The lyrics also touch on the societal pressure to conform to preconceived notions of what constitutes a fulfilled and happy life, represented by the lines "Do I want the perfect wife? But perfect ain't quite right, Shopping every day, Take it back the next break." The chorus emphasizes the singer's contentment in only looking without necessarily buying anything: "I'm just looking, I'm not buying, It keeps me smiling."
The last verse hints at the realization that life is ultimately what we make of it; but, most of us are merely pretending, living a life that is predetermined and not our own: "You said that life is what, You make of it, Yet most of us just fake." However, the chorus that follows suggests that the singer will continue to look without buying, keep smiling, and keep trying.
Overall, the song's catchy melody and lyrics express the feelings of many individuals who, despite having everything they thought they wanted, continue to search for something more or different. Stereophonics' "Just Looking" reminds us to reconnect with what matters most in life and to be content with just looking, instead of buying.
Line by Line Meaning
There's things I want,
I desire to obtain certain things
There's things I think I want
I'm not certain of everything I desire
There's things I've had,
I've already obtained some of the things I wanted
There's things I wanna have
There are more things I aim to achieve
Do I want the dreams?
Are my desires simply imaginary?
The ones we're forced to see
Or are they just illusions propagated by society?
Do I want the perfect wife?
Do I need a flawless partner?
But perfect ain't quite right
There's no such thing as perfection
Shopping every day,
Buying material things every day
Take it back the next break
And returning them soon after
They say the more you fly,
The more you take risks in life,
The more you risk your life
The greater the danger of losing everything
A house I've seen,
I've seen a desirable home before
Another coulda' been
But I missed another opportunity
You drenched my head
You made me think for a long time
And said what I said
And I communicated my thoughts
You said that life is what
You mentioned that life is
You make of it
What you choose to make of it
Yet most of us just fake
But most of us just pretend
I'm just looking,
I'm only observing
I'm not buying
I'm not committing yet
It keeps me smiling
But it still makes me happy
Well I'm just looking
I'm still just observing
It keeps me trying
But it motivates me to keep aiming higher
Contributed by Allison K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mark Chapman
It's extremely hard to play the riff on the guitar and sing at the same time takes immense coordination. Love this guy. đđđ
MountainSpeaksFire
It's that one song that, for me, is so awesome to play, but a nightmare to try and sing at the time, glad to learn I'm not the one! Vin x â„ïž
thegreatlowellgeorge
Kelly's voice is just amazing
Kevin Falconer
Seen him in the Stereophonics about half a dozen times! Like Ronseal-does exactly what it says on the tin! I'd loved to listen to him on a small stage just like that! Favourite chanter off all time! Keep it going my Welsh compadre
sophiesgem
I'm Welsh..what's Welsh got to do with anything..regardless of where he comes from..respect him for his talent...handbags down ppl...Respect him as the great artist he is..
Paul Young
sophiesgem Iâm Scottish and heâs the main man makes all songs look effortless what a guy what a band đ
Nicky Jones
totally agree im welsh and always cringe when people bang on about how the phonics are a welsh band
Nickyboi612
and gladrags too ppl!
The Fap Controller
This dudes amazing
maria don
I love Kelly Jones.seeing stereophonics ten years ago was one of the best gigs ever!