Their first release (January 1978) was the single "14th Floor / Oxford Street W1". Their second release, the EP Where's Bill Grundy Now? features one of their best-known songs, "Part Time Punks".
The Television Personalities' first album And Don't the Kids Just Love It was released in 1981. It set the template for their subsequent career: neo-psychedelia, an obsession with youth culture of the 1960s, a fey, slightly camp lyrical attitude, and the occasional classic pop song. Their second album Mummy Your Not Watching Me [sic] demonstrated increased psychedelic influences. Their third album, ironically entitled They Could Have Been Bigger Than The Beatles showed Treacy's sense of irony: the TVPs (as they are affectionately known) were never to have any major commercial success. The first three albums featured Treacy and schoolmate Ed Ball; Ball left the band to found The Times, but rejoined in 2004.
The 1985 album The Painted Word was unexpectedly dark in content, reflecting Treacy's despair at Thatcherite Britain and his personal circumstances.
Various line up changes prevented their next album (Privilege) from appearing until 1990. Their next album Closer to God was a combination of fey sixties style pop and darker material, similar in tone to The Painted Word.
The album Don't Cry Baby, It's Only a Movie was released in 1998. Since then Treacy has battled mental health problems, and his addictions to heroin, amphetamine and alcohol. He has been homeless on various occasions and was briefly arrested and imprisoned in 2003/2004. However, since his release, Treacy has attempted to get his life back together and in February 2006 a new TVPs album My Dark Places was released. Despite their small sales the TVPs were very influential on British music in the 1980s, especially the so-called C86 generation and many of the bands on Creation Records.
In an article in The Guardian on April 24 2006, it was implied that Dan Treacy is in some way behind the Arctic Monkeys, although this is based on little more than a perceived similarity between their lyrical style and that of Treacy, and the fact that the lead singer of Arctic Monkeys is mysteriously not credited with their songwriting.[1]
The Glittering Prizes
Television Personalities Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never got amongst the glittering prizes
I put it down to confidence
Or something trendy
Like an emotional complex
Thinking to myself that I've got something to prove
Waiting for the chance to accept my point of view
Glittering prizes for me
Glittering prizes for me
I wear a clean shirt every day
I quite enjoy my job as an office boy
The novelty begins to fade
I never get the chance
To play with executive toys
Thinking to myself that I've got something to prove
Waiting for the chance to accept my point of view
Pretty soon you won't recognize me
Glittering prizes for me
Glittering prizes for me
The lyrics to Television Personalities' "The Glittering Prizes" depict a protagonist who, in the past, struggled to attain success and the accolades that come with it. He expresses his belief that his lack of confidence or emotional complexities hindered him from achieving his goals. However, he maintains a sense of hope and perseverance, convinced that he has something to prove and waiting for his chance to have his point of view recognized. The singer takes pride in his job as an office boy, but he still yearns for the opportunity to play with "executive toys" and attain the "glittering prizes" that have previously eluded him.
The song's lyrics are reflective of a broader cultural phenomenon in the Western world during the 1970s, as portrayed in the 1976 BBC television drama series "The Glittering Prizes," from which the song takes its name. The series reflects a generation of ambitious, intellectually gifted young people attempting to succeed in academia and other fields, reflecting the mindset of the young protagonist in the song. The show was written by Frederic Raphael, a noted British screenwriter who also wrote the script for the acclaimed film "Eyes Wide Shut."
The lyrics to "The Glittering Prizes" reflect themes of class mobility, ambition, and the quest for success, which were prominent during the 1970s. The song also speaks to the universal human desire to be recognized for one's talents and achievements, and the feeling of being unfulfilled without that recognition. Ultimately, the song suggests that it is not enough to be content with one's current status, and that one must continue to work towards greater success in order to attain the "glittering prizes" that are just out of reach.
Line by Line Meaning
In the past I always tried
I put effort into achieving success in the past
I never got amongst the glittering prizes
But I never achieved the rewards or recognition that come with success
I put it down to confidence
I blamed it on a lack of self-assurance
Or something trendy
Or perhaps some fashionable excuse
Like an emotional complex
Such as a psychological hurdle
Thinking to myself that I've got something to prove
I have the mindset that I need to prove myself
Waiting for the chance to accept my point of view
Anticipating the opportunity for my ideas to be recognized
Pretty soon you will recognize me
I am confident that I will be acknowledged for my abilities
Glittering prizes for me
I will finally attain the prestigious prizes of success
I wear a clean shirt every day
I put effort into presenting myself well for work
I quite enjoy my job as an office boy
I take pleasure in my position as a junior employee
The novelty begins to fade
However, the excitement of my job is starting to wear off
I never get the chance
I am not given the opportunity
To play with executive toys
To enjoy the perks of higher-ranking employees
Pretty soon you won't recognize me
I fear that I will become just another face in the crowd
Glittering prizes for me
But I am still hopeful that my hard work will pay off with success
Glittering prizes for me
And that I will finally achieve the recognition and rewards that I deserve
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DANIEL TREACY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
captiveww
Thank you. Still love this album so much and I always thought this song would make a nice video.
Thomas Berry
Interesting version. Give the bass a chance to shine over such infectious guitar riffs
Edward Thomas
An eternally underrated album. I don't often go in for pitchfork's preferences, but kudos to them for championing this.
steve hewitt
One of my all time fave LP"s, with this on it. Classic.
Nick Perkins
You did such a terrific job with this video, of a great TV personalities song. I've been looking for this THANKS!!
TBMwally
Great cover - Many more TVP covers on the beautiful music tributes - a few are included on the free label sampler on the website
Escapism
whoa i've been using this footage as part of a found footage film! goes great with this tune
Leach
I always wondered why with hooks this strong and songwriting this concise, the Television Personalities never achieved the heights of the Beatles.
Thomas Berry
KomackinoA
Production
AirwavesOfficial
"Beautiful Day" by The Airwaves uploaded originally from "Falling Uphill" - features previously unreleased tracks by Television Personalities, Jowe Head and Angel Racing Food & Barbara Manning. If you have a listen; hope you enjoy it!