Television was one of the most creative bands to emerge from New York's und… Read Full Bio ↴Television was one of the most creative bands to emerge from New York's underground scene of the mid-'70s, creating an influential new guitar vocabulary. While guitarists Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd liked to jam, they didn't follow the accepted rock structures for improvisation — they removed the blues while retaining the raw energy of garage rock, adding complex, lyrical solo lines that recalled both jazz and rock. With its angular rhythms and fluid leads, Television's music always went in unconventional directions, laying the groundwork for many of the guitar-based post-punk pop groups of the late '70s and '80s.

In the early '70s, Television began as the Neon Boys, a group featuring guitarist/vocalist Tom Verlaine, drummer Billy Ficca, and bassist Richard Hell. At the end of 1973 in New York City, New York, the group reunited under the name Television, adding rhythm guitarist Richard Lloyd. The following year, the band made its live debut at New York's Townhouse theater and began to build up an underground following. Soon, their fan base was large enough that Verlaine was able to persuade CBGB to begin featuring live bands on a regular basis; the club would become an important venue for punk and new wave bands. Television was the first punk/new wave bands to play at CBGB. That year, Verlaine played guitar on Patti Smith's first single, "Hey Joe"/"Piss Factory," as well as wrote a book of poetry with the singer.

Television recorded a demo tape for Island Records with Brian Eno in 1975, yet the label decided not to sign the band. Hell left the band after the recording of the demo tape, forming the Heartbreakers with former New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders; the following year, he began a solo career supported by the Voidoids, releasing a debut album, Blank Generation, in 1977. Hell was replaced by ex-Blondie bassist Fred Smith and Television recorded "Little Johnny Jewel," releasing it on their own Ork record label. "Little Johnny Jewel" became an underground hit, attracting the attention of major record labels. In 1976, the band released a British EP on Stiff Records, which expanded their reputation. They signed with Elektra Records and began recording their debut album.

Marquee Moon, the group's first album, was released in early 1977 to great critical acclaim, yet it failed to attract a wide audience in America; in the U.K., it reached number 28 on the charts, launching the Top 40 single "Prove It." Television supported Blondie on the group's 1977 tour, but the shows didn't increase the group's following significantly.

Television released their second album, Adventure, in the spring of 1978. While its American sales were better than those of Marquee Moon, the record didn't make the charts; in Britain, it became a Top Ten hit. Months later, the group suddenly broke up, largely due to tensions between the two guitarists. Smith rejoined Blondie, while Verlaine and Lloyd both pursued solo careers; Lloyd also played on John Doe's first solo album, as well as joined Matthew Sweet's supporting band with the 1991 album Girlfriend.

Nearly 14 years after their breakup, Television re-formed in late 1991, recording a new, self titled album for Capitol Records. The reunited band began its comeback with a performance at England's Glastonbury summer festival in 1992, releasing Television a couple months later. The album received good reviews, as did the tour that followed, yet the reunion was short-lived — the group disbanded again in early 1993. In 2001, Television again reunited for a handful of shows in the U.K., as well as an appearance at the Noise Pop Festival in Chicago.

Carried Away
Television Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Last night I drifted down to the docks
The water, glittering and black.
The snow fell lightly and disappeared.
I felt the old ropes grow slack.

I thought I'd dissolve when the beacon revolved.
I just get carried, so carried, carried away.
Once I had a ship, yes I had a map

I had the wind like a tree has sap

I sank into these banks of clay
I just get carried, so carried, carried…
Those rooms were freezing and always dark but where we were never mattered
Your head was golden

There was lightning in your arms and then the glass shattered.
It was noon at midnight., the day that never ends

The lamp it whispers and makes amends - everything was more than I took it for.
I just get carried, so carried, carried away.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Television's song Carried Away narrate a dreamlike experience where the singer finds himself adrift in a port. The scene is set on a snowy night, and the water is described as "glittering and black," painting an eerie atmosphere. As the singer drifts towards the docks, he finds his old ropes have grown slack, and he's being carried away by the water. With the revolving of the beacon, he expects to dissolve but instead finds himself carried away, which serves as a metaphor for being lost in thought or carried away by one's emotions.

The lyrics in the next verse move towards a reflection of the past when the singer had a ship and a map with the wind beneath his sails. But he slowly sank into the banks of clay, and the rope grew slack; he became distant, and the wind lacked the fervor it once had. The lyrics in the final verses paint a beautiful scene with the singer remembering a moment where he was with someone - where everything was right, and the moment seemed like it would never end. However, the lamp-whispers that everything was indeed more than he took it for, and he was just carried away by the moment.

Line by Line Meaning

Last night I drifted down to the docks
I went to the docks last night

The water, glittering and black.
The water was black and shiny

The snow fell lightly and disappeared.
It snowed lightly and the snow melted away

I felt the old ropes grow slack.
The ropes felt loose

I thought I'd dissolve when the beacon revolved.
I felt like I would disappear when the beacon spun around

I just get carried, so carried, carried away.
I easily get lost in my thoughts

Once I had a ship, yes I had a map
I used to have a ship and also a map

I had the wind like a tree has sap
I used to have the wind on my side, like how a tree has sap

I sank into these banks of clay
I was stuck in these muddy banks

Those rooms were freezing and always dark but where we were never mattered
The rooms were always dark and cold, but our location didn't matter

Your head was golden
You were like gold to me

There was lightning in your arms and then the glass shattered.
You held me tightly and then the glass broke

It was noon at midnight, the day that never ends
It felt like it was always daylight and the day never ended

The lamp it whispers and makes amends - everything was more than I took it for.
The lamp was making peace and everything was more meaningful than I realized

I just get carried, so carried, carried away.
I tend to get lost in my thoughts easily

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: TOM VERLAINE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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