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.
The Fountainhead
The Bluetones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've tried to be me and time after time I've lied
Just to say the things you wanted to hear
Look, look what I've done, look what I do
I'm starting to pull myself through
Hell could feasibly freeze, but in your eyes I'll always be
The fountainhead, the boy whose thoughts keep running away
Wasn't it you who said
That when looking to open the eyes in my head
And now I can see from your mistakes
You're as blind as me
God knows I've tried, god knows I try
To be something more than I am
Hell could feasibly freeze, but in your eyes I'll always be
The fountainhead, the boy whose thoughts keep running away
And you know I'm right
What can I say about being a fount?
It's a game that we play it goes round and around
I shall stick to the rules but I won't suffer fools
And I won't lose the plot and I won't lose my cool
Can't you see what I've done, can't you see what I do
It's not really unique and it's hopelessly crude
But these are my decisions, these are my mistakes
And I'll fall down again if that's what it takes
The song "The Fountainhead" by The Bluetones speaks of the struggles of a person who tries to bridge the gap between perceptions of themselves and others, especially someone they love. The person has tried to be true to themselves but has lied just to say the things the other person wants to hear. The individual feels like they are always running away from something and can never be their true self. In the eyes of the other person, the singer will always be "the fountainhead," a source of inspiration, and a person whose thoughts keep running away. However, the singer's frustration shows in lines such as "And now I can see from your mistakes, you're as blind as me," where they use the other person's mistakes to call out their hypocrisy.
The song may touch on the idea that people's perceptions of others may not always be accurate, and those perceptions can place pressure on a person to act a certain way. In the end, the individual must make their own decisions and live with the consequences. The line "Can't you see what I've done, can't you see what I do" highlights this idea that they have to live with their choices, even if they are mistakes.
Overall, the song gives us an insight into the pressure people feel to fit into others' perceptions of themselves, and the struggles they face trying to be true to their own selves in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
God knows I've tried to bridge the gap
I have attempted to reconcile our differences.
I've tried to be me and time after time I've lied
I have tried to be true to myself, but I have also lied to appease you.
Just to say the things you wanted to hear
I have said what you wanted to hear, even if it wasn't honest.
Look, look what I've done, look what I do
Take a look at my actions and behaviors.
I'm starting to pull myself through
I am beginning to overcome my struggles and challenges.
Hell could feasibly freeze, but in your eyes I'll always be
No matter what, in your opinion, I will always be seen as
The fountainhead, the boy whose thoughts keep running away
Someone who is the source of ideas, constantly creating new ones and unable to carry them out.
And you know I'm right
You believe that I am correct.
Wasn't it you who said
Did you not previously mention
That when looking to open the eyes in my head
You advised me to broaden my perspective.
And now I can see from your mistakes
I have learned from your errors.
You're as blind as me
You are also unable to see the bigger picture.
God knows I've tried, god knows I try
I have and will continue to work hard.
To be something more than I am
To surpass my current abilities and limitations.
What can I say about being a fount?
What else can I say about being a source of ideas?
It's a game that we play it goes round and around
It's a cycle of ideas and inspiration that repeats itself.
I shall stick to the rules but I won't suffer fools
I will follow the guidelines, but I will not tolerate foolishness.
And I won't lose the plot and I won't lose my cool
I will remain focused and composed.
Can't you see what I've done, can't you see what I do
Can't you observe and acknowledge my achievements and efforts?
It's not really unique and it's hopelessly crude
It's not particularly innovative, and it's poorly executed.
But these are my decisions, these are my mistakes
These are the choices I have made, and the missteps I have taken.
And I'll fall down again if that's what it takes
I am willing to experience setbacks in order to learn and grow.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ADAM PATRICK DEVLIN, EDWARD DANIEL CHESTER, MARK JAMES MORRISS, SCOTT EDWARD MORRISS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
theMasterYehudi
ive only met two people in real life who've heard of them in my weird little corner of the us but in high school i wore this band out. and now all my friends love them
Colatron
Seeing them in September for the farewell tour - it'll be such a happy, yet sad night. Amazing band and one I hope are still listened to in 30 years
Gray Wilson
The most underrated band of the 90's.
Master Debater
Great great song. I love the way it kicks off near the end
Della Fenton
Up there in my list of greatest debut albums along with Arctic Monkeys and The Libertines
lunkymunky1
timeless quality great underated band
bennyfinlay
brilliant album
skauwt
got to be one of the best tunes they have :D
Dylan Dunne-watkins
o.c.s ,bluetones ,stones ,mondays , seahorses , charlatans , 1990s were fkin awesome
Feo Lender
yup yup yup, I was there, it was like the 60 but without the liars