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)
Give It Up
Talk Talk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the land that is openly free
Watching rivers run black
By the trees that are vacant to greed
Gotta give it up
Gotta get a second chance
Gotta give it up
And the jokes just started
Gotta give it up,
Give it up,
Give it up
Gotta give it up
Or tell me why I'm so wrong
Where does love come from
If you've sold your reasoning out
How can I learn
If I don't understand what I see
If I'm giving this mess
Take a walk through a nightmare so real
Gotta give it up
Gotta get a second chance
Gotta give it up
Gotta get a second chance
And the jokes just started
Gotta give it up,
Give it up,
Give it up
Gotta give it up
Or tell me why I'm so wrong
Where does luck come from
When you've never been without
Give it up,
Give it up,
Give it up
Gotta give it up
Give it up,
Give it up
Gotta give it up
Tell me if I'm so wrong
Where does love come from
If you've sold your reasoning out
Or tell me if I'm so wrong
Where does luck come from
When you've never been without
Can do it
You can do it
You can do it
Gotta give up
The lyrics of Talk Talk's song, Give It Up, are a commentary on the destructive nature of humanity's greed and disregard for nature. The opening lines describe the singer's observation of the destruction wrought by humans on the environment. He sees rivers running black (presumably due to pollution) and trees that are "vacant to greed" - stripped of their natural resources in service of human consumption.
The chorus, with its repeated refrain of "Gotta give it up, gotta get a second chance," seems to be a call to action - an exhortation to stop our current path of destruction and try again to build a better world. However, the lines that follow suggest a sense of futility and disillusionment. The singer asks where love and luck come from when one has "sold [their] reasoning out" - implying that the singers feel that humanity has already doomed itself through its shortsightedness and greed.
The final lines of the song - "You can do it / Gotta give up" - suggest that the singer still has hope that things can change. However, it's not clear whether this is a call to action or a resigned acknowledgement that the task ahead is daunting.
Line by Line Meaning
From the place that I stand
The singer is observing the environment around them.
To the land that is openly free
The singer is observing a place that is supposed to be free.
Watching rivers run black
The singer is witnessing polluted rivers.
By the trees that are vacant to greed
The trees are being exploited by greedy people.
Gotta give it up
The artist is acknowledging that they need to give up something.
Gotta get a second chance
The singer needs a chance to do something again.
And the jokes just started
The situation is unpleasant and the singer is not amused.
Or tell me why I'm so wrong
The artist is seeking clarification of their understanding.
Where does love come from
The artist is questioning the source of love.
If you've sold your reasoning out
The artist believes it is possible to give up your reasoning.
How can I learn
The singer is asking how they can learn something.
If I don't understand what I see
The artist is acknowledging that they need to understand what they are seeing.
If I'm giving this mess
The singer is referring to themselves as being involved in a mess.
Take a walk through a nightmare so real
The singer is implying that their situation is like a nightmare.
Where does luck come from
The singer is questioning the source of luck.
When you've never been without
The artist is acknowledging that they have not been without luck.
Give it up
The artist is emphasizing the need to give up something.
Tell me if I'm so wrong
The singer is asking for feedback on their understanding.
Can do it
The singer believes they can accomplish something.
You can do it
The artist is encouraging someone to accomplish something.
Gotta give up
The artist is acknowledging the need to give something up.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARK DAVID HOLLIS, TIMOTHY ALAN FRIESE-GREENE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Willy Dafoe
The most underrated band ever. Everybody should know this band.
twotinstony
You know your stuff Willy brilliant 😁
777pusher
Willy Dafoe - RU the Willy Dafoe? No!
Lol!!
You like Concrete Blonde, so you are worthy!! God bless!!
Forentalk
Mi K So I suppose you are a simple mind
Forentalk
Mi K 🤣
Forentalk
Mi K Good try
MerckxFactor
Still makes my eyes water. Rest in peace Mark Hollis.
DARKKISS
Had no idea he was gone.
Patrick Leslie
Very sad I was so deverstated when I heard the news of his passing so soon 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭
Patrick Leslie
He'd been very ill 🤒 for some time