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.
When I Needed You
Supergrass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe someone's watching over you
All the shit that we face everyday
It somehow works itself out anyway
In the back of a stolen car
Doing 80 with the headlights off
It's when I needed you
Maybe someone's watching over you
When the ground is falling fast beneath
You somehow find yourself back on your feet
In the middle of a shady bar
Broken bottles flying through the air
It's when I needed you
Out of my sorrows
Living out hollow still
I look through old photos
For hours and hours
In the back of a stolen car
Doing 80 with the headlights off
It's when I needed you
It's when I needed you
Ever wondered how we all get through
Maybe someone's watching over you
All the shit that we face everyday
It somehow works itself out anyway
In the back of a stolen car
Doing 80 with the headlights off
It's when I needed you
It's when I needed you
The song When I Needed You by Supergrass discusses the feeling of helplessness and the idea that maybe there is someone watching over us when we are facing difficulties in life. The lyrics explore the tough times that everyone goes through and how things have a way of working themselves out in the end. Whether it is driving in a stolen car with the headlights off or being in a shady bar with flying broken bottles, the idea is that when we feel most vulnerable is when we may need someone the most.
The repetition of the phrase "Ever wondered how we all get through, maybe someone's watching over you" reinforces the idea that there may be a higher power or someone looking out for us when things get tough. The references to the stolen car and shady bar create a sense of danger and recklessness which further underline the vulnerability of the singer. The chorus "It's when I needed you" hammers home the point that the lyrics are about someone seeking support and reassurance during a difficult time.
Overall, the song When I Needed You by Supergrass is an introspective piece that examines the human condition and the idea that there may be someone or something guiding us through the tougher times in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever wondered how we all get through
Have you ever wondered how people manage to survive?
Maybe someone's watching over you
Perhaps there is someone looking after you, guiding you through life.
All the shit that we face everyday
The many hardships we encounter on a daily basis
It somehow works itself out anyway
Somehow, things always seem to resolve themselves
In the back of a stolen car
In a car that was unlawfully taken
Doing 80 with the headlights off
Driving at a high speed without the headlights turned on
It's when I needed you
This was the moment when I needed help the most.
When the ground is falling fast beneath
When you feel as if you are losing your footing and control over circumstances.
You somehow find yourself back on your feet
Despite feeling hopeless initially, you manage to regain balance.
In the middle of a shady bar
At a sketchy location or establishment.
Broken bottles flying through the air
People are engaged in violent behavior, and objects are being thrown.
Out of my sorrows
Rising out of a state of immense grief.
Living out hollow still
Despite trying to move on from difficult experiences, one still feels empty inside.
I look through old photos
Looking back at images of the past.
For hours and hours
Spending a considerable amount of time doing this.
It's when I needed you
This was the moment when I needed support the most.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL ROBERT GOFFEY, GARETH MICHAEL COOMBES, MICHAEL QUINN, ROBERT JOSEPH COOMBES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind