Classed as a Britpop band, given that their appearance and initial huge success with songs such as Slight Return coincided synchronously with the Britpop explosion, their debut record Expecting To Fly appeared in 1996.
As time has gone by, the band have actually become a more conventional 'indie' band - whilst notching up hits such as Marblehead Johnson, If... and Keep the Home Fires Burning they have struggled to replicate the success of their debut. After seven singles reaching the UK Top 20 in total, they are now well out of the public eye, but unlike almost all of the fellow 'Britpop' bands, they continue to release new material and tour.
Following two further albums on major, A&M/Universal (1998's Return to the Last Chance Saloon and 2000's Science & Nature), they signed to the big indie, Cooking Vinyl in 2003 for Luxembourg and 2006's The Bluetones.
Vocalist Mark Morriss released a solo EP under the alias Fi-Lo Beddow in 2006, which eventually bloomed into a full solo record under his real name. Memory Muscle was released in June 2008, and received a surprising amount of critical acclaim, given the music press' frosty attitude to Bluetones material. It included new versions of the songs which made up the Fi-Lo Beddow EP, and featured strings arrnaged by film score composer David Arnold.
The band released their final album, A New Athens, in 2010, and completed their farewell tour in September 2011.
It was announced on 13 April 2015 that the band was reforming for a tour and have subsequently toured on further occasions, including a headline slot on the 2017 Star Shaped Festival tour.
Carry Me Home
The Bluetones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the dark and the rain
Carry me home
'Cos I've overdone it again
I'm counting the cost
So please carry me home
I fought and I lost
And I can't face being alone
And I still haven't learnt my lesson yet
And I won't till I find out just how low I can get
No remorse, no mistake, no regret
Scoop me up in your arms
Force me up into the light
I've been told I'm too old
And I know I'm not too bright
I demand to be bathed
Gimme the attention that I crave
Won't you carry me home
Won't you carry me home
Carry me home
And I don't wanna beg
Carry me home
'Cos I've lost control of my legs
I need your support
So please carry me home
And I'm just the sort
Who cannot face being alone
And I still haven't learnt my lesson yet
And I won't till I find out just how low I can get
No remorse, no mistake, no regret
Scoop me up in your arms
Force me up into the light
I've been told I'm too old
And I know I'm not too bright
I demand to be bathed
Gimme the attention that I crave
Won't you carry me home
Won't you carry me home
And I still haven't learnt my lesson yet
And I won't till I find out just how low I can get
No remorse, no mistake, no regret
Scoop me up in your arms
Force me up into the light
I've been told I'm too old
And I know I'm not too bright
I demand to be bathed
Gimme the attention that I crave
Won't you carry me home
Won't you carry me home
Won't you carry me home
"Carry Me Home" by The Bluetones is a song about a person who has overdone it again, and wants to be carried home through the dark and the rain. They are counting the cost of their actions and know that they have lost, and cannot face being alone. The singer has not yet learned their lesson and can only learn by finding out just how low they can get. They demand to be bathed and crave attention, and need someone to force them up into the light.
The lyrics could be interpreted as a plea for help from someone who struggles with addiction or destructive behavior. The repetition of the phrase "carry me home" could symbolize a need for a helping hand or support system to guide them back to safety. The singer expresses a sense of helplessness and lack of control over their actions, and is looking for someone to take charge.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's desire for attention and care. They demand to be bathed and want to be forced up into the light, indicating a need for someone to take charge and help them get back on their feet. The repetition of the lyrics "won't you carry me home" serves as a reminder that they cannot do it alone and need someone to help them.
Line by Line Meaning
Carry me home
The singer is asking someone to take them home.
Through the dark and the rain
The singer wants to be taken home despite the bad weather.
Cos I've overdone it again
The singer has overindulged and needs help getting home.
I'm counting the cost
The artist is realizing the consequence of their actions and needs help.
So please carry me home
The artist is pleading with the person to take them home.
I fought and I lost
The singer tried to handle the situation themselves but failed.
And I can't face being alone
The singer does not want to be alone and needs someone to help and comfort them.
And I still haven't learnt my lesson yet
The artist has not learned from their past mistakes.
And I won't till I find out just how low I can get
The artist feels the need to hit rock bottom before learning from their mistakes.
No remorse, no mistake, no regret
The artist has no remorse or regret for their actions.
Scoop me up in your arms
The singer wants to feel cared for and held.
Force me up into the light
The artist wants someone to help them out of their dark moment.
I've been told I'm too old
The singer has been criticized for their behavior, but still needs help.
And I know I'm not too bright
The singer is aware of their own lack of judgment and decision-making skills.
I demand to be bathed
The singer wants the person to take care of them and give them attention.
Gimme the attention that I crave
The artist wants to feel important and taken care of.
And I don't wanna beg
The artist is still ashamed and does not want to beg for help.
Cos I've lost control of my legs
The singer is physically unable to walk or stand due to their overindulgence.
I need your support
The singer needs someone to lean on for help and support.
And I'm just the sort
The artist is the type of person who needs help and cannot handle things on their own.
Won't you carry me home
The artist is asking, pleading for the person to help them get home.
Contributed by Violet Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.