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.
Brainchild
The Auteurs Lyrics
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To make you howl out at the moon and blush...
I think you'd better look around
There's a genius in every town
Keep your ear down to the ground
No mothers son will ever forget it
Brainchild - you stole away my life for a while
Stole away my time
Stole away...
You're a thief with style
Your faithful servants calling you
In and out of your blind spot out of view
I think you'd better turn a leaf
The poet is the only thief
What Patti says Patti does
No mothers son will ever forget it
Brainchild
Style - meticulous and gaunt
Style - articulate!
Style - preoccupation
Great lost albums no outakes
You're getting older and past your peak
I think you better look around
There's a genius in your home town
No mothers son will ever forget it
Brainchild
You're a thief with style
The Auteurs' song Brainchild is centered around the idea of the creatives and geniuses that are lost in obscurity. The lyrics detail how the world often overlooks the brilliant minds that can be found in every town, much like cowboys who do strange things to evoke howling and blushing in people. The song is a reminder to keep our ear to the ground and look around, for there is always a genius in hiding waiting to be discovered. The lyrics suggest that such geniuses should not go unnoticed, and that they are capable of stealing someone away with their brilliance, just like a thief with style.
The notion of theft runs throughout the song - a genius is a thief, and their intelligence can rob someone of precious time and life. The mention of "faithful servants" refers to those who work tirelessly for their genius, doing what they can to bring them to the spotlight. However, in reality, most remain hidden and out of view, like a thief in one's blind spot. The only way to uncover a genius is to seek them out and turn over a new leaf, to pay attention to what they say and do. The chorus of "Brainchild" repeating over and over again is an urgent call to take note of these overlooked geniuses.
Line by Line Meaning
Some of the things a cowboy does
To make you howl out at the moon and blush...
Cowboys do things that are exciting and romantic.
I think you'd better look around
There's a genius in every town
Keep your ear down to the ground
No mothers son will ever forget it
Look around and you'll find a genius in every town. Keep listening for them because they're memorable.
Brainchild - you stole away my life for a while
Stole away my life
Stole away my time
Stole away...
You're a thief with style
The idea behind the song (Brainchild) took up a significant amount of time and effort from the artist, making the song's idea a thief that took time away with style.
Your faithful servants calling you
In and out of your blind spot out of view
I think you'd better turn a leaf
The poet is the only thief
What Patti says Patti does
No mothers son will ever forget it
You have people supporting you that you're not aware of. You should change your ways because only poets are allowed to take creative ideas. Be true to what you say you're going to do because people will remember it.
Style - meticulous and gaunt
Style - articulate!
Style - preoccupation
Describing the style of the artist's creation as being careful, thin, clear in message, and a preoccupied focus.
Great lost albums no outakes
You're getting older and past your peak
I think you better look around
There's a genius in your home town
No mothers son will ever forget it
Brainchild
You're a thief with style
Great music albums without any bad songs. The artist is getting older and past their best time. Look for a creative person in your hometown because they're memorable. Again, the song's idea is praised for stealing time away with style.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LUKE MICHAEL HAINES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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You're a thief with style