Friction with the band's label, EMI, resulted in legal action and countersuing. Webb departed, and the band switched to Polydor for their final studio album, 1991's Laughing Stock, but split soon afterwards. Singer Mark Hollis released one solo album in 1998 before retiring from the music industry; he died in 2019. The band's founding bass player and drummer, Paul Webb and Lee Harris, played in several bands together; long-term collaborator Tim Friese-Greene continued in the business as a musician and producer.
Discography
The Party's Over (1982)
It's My Life (1984)
The Colour of Spring (1986)
Spirit of Eden (1988)
Laughing Stock (1991)
Candy
Talk Talk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or I can call collect
And watch the cars go slippin' by
It's a manner of affection
To walk the kind of walk
That you would want to see
From the cotton candy sky
To the alabaster sea
and how's it supposed to feel?
Like you were watching from above?
Like the wagon came off the wheel?
Oh it's close enough to taste
In the corner of some house
Mama's are callin' papa's mama's are callin'
Home was you
Ringing my bell
Oh, you come too
And I want say a thing
Dreams come swift and true
Stealing pennies from the well
Oh, oh you come too
My spooky little thing
I'm just a little pill, take me twice a day
We'll find a little tree where we'll carve our name
And drive to lose the road, drive to stay awake
An honor and a curse, I can't complain
In the great beyond
It could be so clear
Like silence just before the dawn and all the nothing surrounds us dear
Oh it's close enough to taste
In the corner of my mouth
Listen it's calling mama, listen it's calling
In the great beyond
It could be so clear
And I'll talk the kind of talk
I'll bring it close to home
I'll make it worth the while
Year after ever loving year
Home was you
Ringing my bell
Oh you come too
And I won't say a thing
Dreams come swift and true
Stealing pennies from the well
Oh, oh you come too
My spooky little thing
In the song "Candy," Talk Talk sings about an intense infatuation, one that is akin to being lost in a dreamlike state. The singer of the song is a person who is caught up in the rush of love and the euphoria that comes with it. The opening lines, "Who can spare a dime, Or I can call collect, And watch the cars go slippin' by," allude to a sense of loneliness, the desperation to connect with someone, to have someone to confide in. The singer is so caught up in their feelings that they're willing to do anything to connect with their crush, even if it means calling them collect.
The song's key image is that of a cotton candy sky and an alabaster sea, which the singer desires to share with their lover. The image of the candy-colored sky is an example of synesthesia where two different sensations are connected by imagination. The singer wants their lover to see everything that they see, to feel everything that they feel. They are so swept up in their emotions that they can't imagine sharing them with anyone else.
The song's overall message seems to be one of romantic longing and a sort of wistful nostalgia for a time when love was new and exciting. It is about the desire to experience that feeling again, even if it is fleeting. The song's final lines, "Dreams come swift and true, Stealing pennies from the well, Oh, oh, you come too," suggest that the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to be with their lover, even if it means risking everything.
Line by Line Meaning
Who can spare a dime
Does anyone have any money to lend?
Or I can call collect
If I can't borrow money, can I call someone and have them pay for the call?
And watch the cars go slippin' by
Observing the cars go by in a detached, carefree way.
It's a manner of affection
This is one way to express affection.
To walk the kind of walk
To conduct oneself with a certain kind of confidence and charm.
That you would want to see
Acting in a way that inspires admiration or respect in others.
From the cotton candy sky
Sky the color of cotton candy, usually pink and blue.
To the alabaster sea
Sea that looks like it is made of white marble.
Simulate my love
Emulating or mimicking the feeling of love.
and how's it supposed to feel?
Trying to figure out what true love should feel like.
Like you were watching from above?
As though observing love from an objective or outside perspective.
Like the wagon came off the wheel?
A metaphor to describe feelings of chaos or instability.
Oh it's close enough to taste
The feeling of being close to something you desire or want, but can't quite attain it.
In the corner of some house
Describing a moment that was both intimate and hidden from view.
Mama's are callin' papa's mama's are callin'
Perhaps a sense of longing for family or community.
Home was you
Describing someone as a home or safe place.
Ringing my bell
A metaphor for someone being persistent at trying to get your attention.
Oh, you come too
Invitation for someone to join you in a vulnerable, intimate state.
And I want say a thing
Describing a moment of feeling vulnerable and exposed.
Dreams come swift and true
In this moment, dreams feel vivid and real.
Stealing pennies from the well
A metaphor for taking small but fulfilling moments or opportunities in life.
Oh, oh you come too
Repeated invitation for someone to join you in a moment of vulnerability and intimacy.
My spooky little thing
A term of endearment for someone whom you feel a deep connection with.
I'm just a little pill, take me twice a day
An expression of being small and insignificant, perhaps even feeling like medication.
We'll find a little tree where we'll carve our name
A romantic gesture of wanting to leave one's mark on the world or create a lasting memory.
And drive to lose the road, drive to stay awake
A sense of freedom and restlessness, wanting to explore and experience life to the fullest.
An honor and a curse, I can't complain
Describing a bittersweet feeling of being grateful for life, but also experiencing its hardships.
In the great beyond
A reference to the unknown or spiritual realm.
It could be so clear
Everything could easily make sense or be resolved.
Like silence just before the dawn and all the nothing surrounds us dear
A moment of peace and solitude, perhaps before something big or important happens.
In the corner of my mouth
A moment so personal and private that it is only experienced alone.
Listen it's calling mama, listen it's calling
A possible reference to a maternal figure or a call back to the previous mention of 'mama'.
And I'll talk the kind of talk
Describing one's ability to speak and express themselves in a certain way.
I'll bring it close to home
Bringing the conversation or moment to a more personal, intimate level.
I'll make it worth the while
Making sure to make the most of the moment or the conversation.
Year after ever loving year
Forever and always, expressing a deep, unending love.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Oliver Pierce
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind