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.
Idiot Brother
The Auteurs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For grim life
They were clutching
at straws
They were sure
That the ship was at port
As it sailed far from shore
They were keen on hurt
They were like
A pair of dumb dogs
Rolling in the dirt
(That's) you and
Your idiot brother
Waiting in the wing
Which one holds up the other
Which one pulls the string
One bite of the apple
One chop at the tree
Is your word
as good as your bond
Your stammer, your honesty
You could have it for free
Because nothing works
For no-one at all
No-one works for free
We were
getting on famously
I was doing my bit
They got no claim on me
So send me a writ
I was walking
Around your house
In the middle of the night
Home medicine erotica
Is you prescription right?
I want to kill your sister
With some business advice
Never doubt your loyalty
On the telephone line
And what about
our fat friend
With the golden ears
Upped and left
Turned down
your best shot
Now you're in arrears
The lyrics of The Auteurs's song Idiot Brother show a story of two brothers who are hanging on for dear life, grasping for any hope they can find. They have convinced themselves that the ship they were on is at port, even though it has sailed far from shore. The brothers are portrayed as keen philosophers, but also as two "dumb dogs" rolling in the dirt, suggesting they are not as intellectual as they believe themselves to be. The lyrics ask the question of which brother is holding the other up, as they both seem to rely on each other in some way.
The song continues to talk about how one's word might not always reflect their honesty, and how nothing works for anyone for free. The writer mentions that they were getting along well with someone, but they received a writ showing that they were being sued. The writer then talks about walking around someone's house in the middle of the night, with the suggestion of some kind of erotic influence. The writer then mentions a desire to kill the sister of the person they are addressing with business advice, while also reminding them to stay loyal on the telephone line. The song ends with a reference to their "fat friend" who has turned down their best shot, leaving them in arrears.
Line by Line Meaning
They were hanging on
They were struggling to survive
For grim life
The struggle was a matter of life or death
They were clutching
They were desperately holding on to
at straws
any possible solution, no matter how unlikely
They were sure
They were certain
That the ship was at port
That they had arrived at their destination
As it sailed far from shore
Even though they were actually moving away from their goal
They were keen philosophers
They liked to think about deep, intellectual concepts
They were keen on hurt
They enjoyed causing pain to others
They were like
They acted just like
A pair of dumb dogs
Two unintelligent animals
Rolling in the dirt
Playing around in the mud
(That's) you and
The same thing applies to you and
Your idiot brother
Your unintelligent sibling
Waiting in the wing
On the sidelines, waiting for their turn
Which one holds up the other
Which one is supporting the other's mistakes or bad behavior
Which one pulls the string
Which one is in control of the situation
One bite of the apple
One small mistake
One chop at the tree
One single action that could have negative consequences
Is your word
Do you keep your promises
as good as your bond
Are you trustworthy
Your stammer, your honesty
Your hesitation or nervousness might reveal how truthful you are
You could have it for free
It's not worth anything
Because nothing works
Because nothing ever goes according to plan
For no-one at all
Nobody is successful
No-one works for free
Everyone wants something in return for their efforts
We were
We used to be
getting on famously
We used to be getting along very well
I was doing my bit
I was contributing my fair share
They got no claim on me
They have no right to ask anything of me
So send me a writ
So they can take legal action against me
I was walking
I was moving around
Around your house
In the area near your residence
In the middle of the night
During the darkest hours
Home medicine erotica
Possibly referring to the use of drugs or other forms of self-medication to achieve a desired state
Is you prescription right?
Are you following the correct course of action to solve your problems?
I want to kill your sister
I want to give you some advice to help your sister
With some business advice
About business-related matters
Never doubt your loyalty
Always remain committed to your goals
On the telephone line
Even when communicating over long distances
And what about
What can be said about
our fat friend
Our overweight acquaintance
With the golden ears
Who appears to have good ideas or insight
Upped and left
Suddenly left
Turned down
Rejected
your best shot
Your most promising opportunity
Now you're in arrears
Now you owe money or are otherwise in a difficult position
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LUKE MICHAEL HAINES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind