Unfair… Read Full Bio ↴The Auteurs was a British alternative rock band of the 1990s.
Unfairly dismissed as the egotrip of acclaimed songwriter Luke Haines, The Auteurs were one of the unsung bands of the mid-nineties Britpop movement. Releasing their first record, New Wave, in 1993, the Auteurs were compared to Suede, and the resurgent glam-rock movement, and began to amass a reasonable cult following. 1994's second album, and commercial highlight, Now I'm A Cowboy, saw the band embracing at times a more contemporary sound, notably on the single Lenny Valentino, which probably remains Haines' best-known song. Now I'm A Cowboy was marked out by sprawling guitar lines as much as by Haines' inimitable lyrics, a kind of visceral social commentary. While touring this album in 1995, Haines jumped off a fifteen-foot wall, breaking both ankles, resulting in his being in a wheelchair for the rest of that year, recording the starker, angrier third album After Murder Park, most notable for the ballad-like lead single Unsolved Child Murder, released for Christmas at Haines own bidding. Following this, Haines took time out to work on other projects such as Black Box Recorder and Baader Meinhof, reforming the Auteurs in 1999 for the release of the mostly overlooked final album, How I Learned To Love The Bootboys.
While Haines remains widely respected for his lyrical eloquence and eye for the minutae of life, his eccentric, confrontational personality, and habit of styling himself as a louche ne'er-do-well, perhaps impeded the formation of a more affectionate bond with his fans. The Auteurs, similarly, tended to be respected rather more than they were loved.
Bailed Out
The Auteurs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Round here blindly
Tell your dancing daughter
That there's no room
On the wing
We can bitch
But it ain't a tinsel town
Hey! starchild
Left out on a useless limb
This party will start
To drag you down
Slap your face
And pull your hair
Bailed out, bailed out
Bailed out, this skin is shead
Bailed out, bailed out
Bailed out, this thing is dead
I was in traction
Started off smiling
Couldn't help laughing
I was astounded when
They caught you unware
And some missionary said
That this week
We've got to shoot
All the dancing girls
And then replace them
With satellites instead
Bailed out, bailed out
Bailed out, this skin is shead
Bailed out, bailed out
Bailed out, this thing is dead
Like to see something change
Around here, around there
The Auteurs' song "Bailed Out" speaks about the decline of a star, someone who was once adored by many, and now, is no longer as successful as they once were. The title itself, "Bailed Out," refers to the idea that the star has hit rock bottom and someone, likely their record label or a wealthy benefactor, has paid to bail them out of their financial troubles. The lyrics describe how this descent has affected those around them, specifically their daughter who is told there's no longer any room for her on the stage. The song speaks to the inevitable consequences of fame, the party always ends, and the people who once lifted you up will eventually bring you down.
The verses of the song are a meditation on the shallowness of the entertainment industry. It's not the glamorous world that many imagine it to be, but rather, a place where people are constantly jostling for position, and one misstep can be fatal. The line "we can bitch, but it ain't a tinsel town" encapsulates this idea; it's a nod to Hollywood and the movie industry, but also a way of saying that even if you make it, it's not all sunshine and roses.
The chorus is a repetition of the phrase "bailed out." This is a double entendre, meaning that the star has been rescued from financial ruin, but also that they have now abandoned their old life, shed their old skin, and are starting anew. The final line of the song, "like to see something change, around here, around there" is a plea for something new, something better, but it's also a recognition that change is slow and difficult.
Line by Line Meaning
Your star is descending
Your career is fading away
Round here blindly
In this area without any sense of direction
Tell your dancing daughter
Advise your daughter who enjoys partying
That there's no room
That there is no vacancy for her kind here
On the wing
In the sky, without restraint
We can bitch
We can complain and moan
But it ain't a tinsel town
But this is not a glamorous city
Hey! starchild
A nickname for a young performer with potential
Cant dance
Unable to make progress in your career
Left out on a useless limb
Feeling isolated and stuck in an unhelpful situation
This party will start
This situation will start
To drag you down
To hurt you and cause problems
Slap your face
To deal you a humiliating blow
And pull your hair
To cause you excessive stress and pain
Bailed out, bailed out
Giving up or quitting
Bailed out, this skin is shead
Relinquishing a former identity or persona
Bailed out, bailed out
Giving up or quitting
Bailed out, this thing is dead
Giving up on something that is no longer viable
I was in traction
I was stuck, unable to progress
Started off smiling
Began with positive feelings and good intentions
Couldn't help laughing
Found amusement in the situation
I was astounded when
I was amazed when
They caught you unware
They caught you off guard
And some missionary said
And someone with great conviction said
That this week
During this period of time
We've got to shoot
We must eliminate
All the dancing girls
All the young female performers who enjoy partying
And then replace them
And then substitute them
With satellites instead
With something impersonal and artificial
Like to see something change
Hopeful that things will improve
Around here, around there
In this vicinity or that vicinity
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: LUKE MICHAEL HAINES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sir Patrick of Goober
So far ahead of anything at the time, sublime. Super fresh even now. A classic.
TheVariety
i love this band
John Denny
Great song. An old fav of mine
Cora Thornton-Silver
i love this song but unfortunately to young to have seen them
Nizar Zizoune
first time a saw it ! it was 932 ! such an awesome song ! keep it Secret !!!
Julian Martin
New Wave is a matchless album. Every track a winner
Virgin Yesterday
เพลงอะไรจะสวยขนาดนี้
NBjam77
i just peaked ^^
Nerkki Suomalainen
So did Luke hate of being a popstar - or what happened.