In summer 1994 they released their first single Caught By The Fuzz which had Strange Ones on the B side, on a small local record label called Backbeat, run by Makating bass guitarist Dave Norland from his bedroom in a house in the Cowley Road area of Oxford. The song was successful and it didn't take much time when the Parlophone label signed them and few months later re-released Caught By The Fuzz again. In the spring of 1995 was released another single Mansize Rooster followed by Lenny right before they released debut album I Should Coco in May 1995. It was their only album that made an impact in the USA.
In 1997, they released their second album, In It For The Money which got them even more acclaim, but slightly darker sound confused many of their fans. Still, it was a success, both critically and financially.
The third album, released in 1999, Supergrass (or the X-Ray Album, as the fans like to call it because of the cover) was more of a continuation of In it for the money, and was not received as well as the former albums.
After the three-year-pause, Supergrass returned with Life On Other Planets (2002), which was again not succesful financially, but the critics loved it. It was also the first Supergrass album where Rob Coombes was named as the official member of the band.
After the best-selling 2004 greatest hits compilation Supergrass is 10, they released Road to Rouen, their fifth album in 2005, after some delays. It was well received but it's new direction was a surprise to many fans.
The band recorded their sixth studio album Diamond Hoo Ha between January and November 2007 in Berlin and New York. It was released in March 2008 and although criticised as formulaic, displayed strong song writing.
In 2010 they announced they would disband and played a handful of farewell shows in June. The unfinished 7th studio album Release the Drones remains unreleased.
In 2019, Supergrass reformed to play a series of gigs. However, the band does not plan on releasing new material.
Outside
Supergrass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's something happening here
Outside in the darkness
Speeding out to the universe
Hot fear in a heartbeat
Standing face to face
Red light in the distance
Outside in the darkness
There could be nothing for days
Outside in the darkness
I can hear the devil walk about
Fire over the rock-face
And though the city's in flames
Red light in the distance
It's getting cold and the air is running out
In some old TV screen
I'm not a static machine
In some old TV screen
I'm not a static machine
In some old TV screen
I'm not a static machine
The lyrics to Supergrass's song "Outside" paint the picture of a dark and eerie world where something curious is unfolding. The song begins by describing the outside as a place of darkness, but something is happening there. Suddenly, there is a sense of urgency as the song describes a "hot fear in a heartbeat" and the feeling of being "face to face" with something unknown. There is also mention of a "red light in the distance" which highlights the danger that is present.
The next verse paints a picture of chaos, as the city is in flames and there is "fire over the rock-face." The ending lines of the song provide an interesting twist as they talk about being on an old TV screen and not being a "static machine." This could suggest the idea that the person singing the song is not really in the situation they describe, but are instead observing it from a safe distance. Alternatively, it could be interpreted as a comment on the media's portrayal of events such as these.
Overall, the song seems to be describing a world where danger is present, and things are happening that are beyond the control of the singer. The use of imagery such as "hot fear" and the "red light" help to create a sense of urgency and danger, while the final lines of the song suggest that the singer may be observing these events from a distance, rather than experiencing them directly.
Line by Line Meaning
Outside in the darkness
The setting is outside at night and it is dark.
There's something happening here
There is some type of action or event occurring in the darkness.
Outside in the darkness
The setting is still outside at night and it is still dark.
Speeding out to the universe
Whatever is happening in the darkness may be moving out into the universe at a fast pace.
Hot fear in a heartbeat
There is a strong and sudden feeling of fear.
Standing face to face
The person is confronting someone or something that is in front of them.
Red light in the distance
There is a signal or an alert in the distance.
It's getting cold and the air is running out
The surroundings are becoming colder and the air supply is running low.
Outside in the darkness
The setting is still outside at night and it is dark (repeated from line 1).
There could be nothing for days
There is a possibility of having nothing around for a long period of time.
I can hear the devil walk about
The person can hear a sinister presence around them.
Fire over the rock-face
There is a fire burning over the face of a cliff or rock wall.
And though the city's in flames
Even though there is destruction occurring in the city.
Red light in the distance
The alert or signal from line 7 is becoming more prominent or urgent.
It's getting cold and the air is running out
The surroundings are becoming colder and the air supply is running low (repeated from line 8).
In some old TV screen
The person is observing something in an old television screen.
I'm not a static machine
The person is not a lifeless or unchanging machine like what's viewed on TV.
In some old TV screen
The person is observing something in an old television screen (repeated from line 16).
I'm not a static machine
The person is emphasizing that they are not robotic or unfeeling, as to contrast with what's on the TV screen (repeated from line 17).
In some old TV screen
The person is observing something in an old television screen (repeated from line 16 and 18).
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DENIZ TEK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind