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.
Your Gang Our Gang
The Auteurs Lyrics
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Always get your man always get your man
Always get your man your gang our gang
Get your man
They don't know what I want
They don't know what I mean
I was kicking around on a can
Thinking about your gang your gang
Your gang, our gang your gang, our gang
Always get your man always get your man
Always get your man your gang, our gang
Get your man
Well there's gonna be a fist fight
And there's gonna be a bitch fight
And they traced me to a city pub
On a Saturday night, on a Saturday night
Your gang, our gang your gang, our gang
Your gang heart of the mainstream
Our gang nerve of the slipstream
I was thinking aroud the can
Thinking about your gang, your gang
Your gang, our gang your gang, our gang
Always get your man always get your man
Always get your man your gang our gang
Get your man
The lyrics to The Auteurs' song "Your Gang Our Gang" seem to convey a sense of division and belonging. The repeated phrases of "Your gang, our gang" indicate a clear distinction between different groups or cliques. The song begins with the mantra-like repetition of "Always get your man," suggesting a determination to achieve some kind of victory or success. However, there is an ambiguity in the pronouns "your" and "our," leaving us uncertain about the specific identities of these gangs and who they are targeting.
The singer seems to feel misunderstood or underestimated by others, as they proclaim, "They don't know what I want, they don't know what I mean." There is a sense of frustration and a desire to assert oneself within the song's narrative. The image of "kicking around on a can" suggests a feeling of restlessness or being stuck in a stagnant situation, with the individual pondering the influence of the other gang on their own identity.
The lyrics continue with references to potential conflicts taking place – both physical ("fist fight") and verbal ("bitch fight"). The mention of being traced to a city pub on a Saturday night creates a vivid scene of tension and anticipation. The use of the phrase "heart of the mainstream" and "nerve of the slipstream" further emphasizes the contrasting natures of the two gangs, with one being more conventional and the other more unconventional or alternative.
In conclusion, "Your Gang Our Gang" is a song that explores themes of belonging, division, and the desire for identity and recognition. It captures the frustration and determination of an individual navigating their way through different social groups or cliques.
Line by Line Meaning
Your gang, our gang your gang, our gang
Highlighting the idea of separate groups or factions, with a sense of ownership and belonging.
Always get your man always get your man
Emphasizing the determination and success in capturing or achieving a desired target.
Always get your man your gang our gang
Reaffirming the idea of collective effort and support within the respective groups.
Get your man
Encouraging the act of taking action or seizing opportunities to accomplish one's goals.
They don't know what I want
Describing a lack of understanding or awareness regarding personal desires or motivations.
They don't know what I mean
Expressing a sense of being misunderstood or not fully comprehended by others.
I was kicking around on a can
Reflecting on aimlessness or idleness, possibly in a state of contemplation or introspection.
Thinking about your gang your gang
Engaging in thoughts about the dynamics and significance of the group to which one belongs.
Well there's gonna be a fist fight
Anticipating or foreshadowing a physical confrontation or conflict.
And there's gonna be a bitch fight
Anticipating or foreshadowing a heated argument or dispute, potentially involving insults or hostility.
And they traced me to a city pub
Indicating the act of being pursued or tracked down, specifically to a particular location.
On a Saturday night, on a Saturday night
Specifying the timing or occurrence of the mentioned events as happening during a Saturday night.
Your gang heart of the mainstream
Implying that the mentioned group represents the core or essence of popular or mainstream culture.
Our gang nerve of the slipstream
Suggesting that the referenced group possesses boldness or courage within the alternative or countercultural movement.
I was thinking around the can
Engaging in contemplation or reflection while occupying a state of idleness or stagnation.
Your gang, our gang your gang, our gang
Reiterating the sense of affiliation and identity between the mentioned groups.
Always get your man always get your man
Continuing to emphasize the consistent success in capturing or achieving one's desired target.
Always get your man your gang our gang
Reaffirming the notion of collective effort and support in accomplishing shared goals.
Get your man
Encouraging action and assertiveness in order to attain one's objectives or desires.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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