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.
Subculture
The Auteurs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kept uneven bars in some rented house
And then tried to send them back
All to no fixed abode
Could not hail a taxi, not for want of trying
They can't find him
And they can't find him
And they can't find him
Jesus, what a jerk, how did I get into this?
Been cornered by some freak show
Talking through the gloom of that tower
Hide your Christmas in some smoking shack
Check it out, oracle horoscope for you
And they can't find him
And they can't find him
And they can't find him and they can't
Need to see, subdivide, change your life
I won't let it bring out the worst in me
And then I'll give it up, pack it up, go on
You know you can do it
Five-year plan, go back to college
You can't find me and they can't find me
And they can't find me and they can't
The opening lines of The Auteurs' song Subculture paint a picture of someone trying to navigate their way through life with only half of themselves. The metaphorical 'uneven bars' in the rented house represent a sense of imbalance and instability. The inability to hail a taxi could be seen as a metaphor for not being able to find a way out of this state of unrest. The repetition of 'they can't find him' could suggest feelings of being lost and invisible, searching for a sense of purpose or belonging.
The following lines introduce a tone of frustration and annoyance. The singer refers to themselves as being 'cornered by some freak show' - perhaps being surrounded by people who they feel do not understand them. The 'tower' that is mentioned could represent a place of power, such as a workplace or social hierarchy where people feel pressure to conform. The line 'hide your Christmas in some smoking shack' may suggest a need to hide or repress one's true self, even in moments of joy or celebration.
The final lines of the song offer a sense of hope and determination. The singer speaks of the need to 'subdivide' and 'change your life', but also acknowledges the importance of not letting this process bring out the worst in oneself. The reference to a 'five-year plan' and going back to college suggests a desire for growth and improvement. The repeated line 'you can't find me' could be interpreted as a declaration of independence and self-determination, a refusal to be lost or invisible.
Line by Line Meaning
It's because you tried to be half a person
You were incomplete and couldn't live up to your own expectations
Kept uneven bars in some rented house
You held onto your past and kept reminders of it
And then tried to send them back
You wanted to let go of your past but couldn't
All to no fixed abode
You were wandering aimlessly with no stable place to call home
Could not hail a taxi, not for want of trying
You were unsuccessful in moving on to the next chapter of your life
They can't find him
The authorities cannot locate the person they are searching for
And they can't find him
The person is still evading the authorities
Jesus, what a jerk, how did I get into this?
Expressing frustration about being involved in a difficult situation
Been cornered by some freak show
Feeling trapped and surrounded by strange people
Talking through the gloom of that tower
Communicating in a difficult and grim situation
Hide your Christmas in some smoking shack
Keeping your happiness hidden in a dark and gloomy place
Check it out, oracle horoscope for you
Sarcastically referring to a supposed fortune-teller
Need to see, subdivide, change your life
It's important to analyze and make changes to your life
I won't let it bring out the worst in me
Determined to stay positive and not let difficult situations bring them down
And then I'll give it up, pack it up, go on
Eventually, the person will move on and leave their past behind
You know you can do it
Encouraging oneself to keep going forward
Five-year plan, go back to college
Setting goals for the future and considering education as a way to move forward
You can't find me and they can't find me
The person has successfully disappeared from those searching for them
Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC.
Written by: LUKE MICHAEL HAINES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@NEZTOOT22
1.15 just class, best song on album
@rtbyrne300
It is the best song on the record.
@diskochimp
Does anybody know the lyrics to this?
p.s. GREAT album.
@NBjam77
you dont???it s on the album,just wait 30 seconds at the end of the last song :)
@CareFreeWherever
aight i'll have a listen. cheers, dude
@shrew972
pre-Valentino Valentino :/
@CareFreeWherever
why is this hidden??? i wish i had it on my version of the album
@flashingturtle6505
peter could you try to be half a person