"That opening dialogue was nicked off the tele, w… Read Full Bio ↴Mark Burgess says:
"That opening dialogue was nicked off the tele, we were randomly taping off the TV in the afternoon and just punching the track in and out at various points. People asking me where it came from, I’m like, '[How the fuck] do I know?'"
Guitarist Reg Smithies says:
"I can’t remember how Don’t Fall came about but we’d usually start with a tape recorder in the middle of the room and just play until something sparked."
Don't Fall
The Chameleons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Comes Mans' last mad surge of youth.
What on earth are you talking about?" (spoken sample)
Don't fall!, don't fall!
Alone in a room
I've been here once before
Shapes in the hall, I'm barricade the door
I hear my name above everything else
Mark, Mark above everything else
Don't fall!
See this, freak out
Nothing's familiar
And nothing seems to fit into the scheme of things
Seeing faces where there shouldn't be faces
No-one's really certain what tomorrow brings
Don't fall my friend
Oh, this nightmare never ends
Hiding inside, a room that's running red
The place to be, exists only in your head
And the focus of fear
Within the creases of a dress, a female dress
How did I come to be drowning in this mess?
Oh, fucking mess!
See this, freak out
Nothing's familiar
And nothing seems to fit into the scheme of things
Seeing faces where there shouldn't be faces
No-ones really certain what tomorrow brings
Don't fall
I know your back's against the wall
But this roaring silence won't devour us all
Freak out, nothing's familiar
Some things re-arrange the scheme of things (repeat)
Don't fall...
The lyrics to The Chameleons' song "Don't Fall" appear to be a snapshot of a moment in time. The opening lines allude to the idea that as the season changes from autumn to winter, people have a last surge of youth before they settle into a more subdued time of life. The spoken sample of "What on earth are you talking about?" serves as an interruption, as if someone is questioning or dismissing the singer's thoughts.
The rest of the lyrics explore themes of isolation, fear and uncertainty, with the repeated refrain of "Don't fall" serving as a warning or reminder to the subject of the song. There is a sense of being lost or disoriented, with the references to shapes in the hall, seeing faces where there shouldn't be faces, and the focus of fear within the creases of a female dress. The line "The place to be, exists only in your head" suggests that the situation may be a hallucination or a dream, adding to the sense of unreality.
Overall, the lyrics to "Don't Fall" are haunting and cryptic, capturing a mood of unease and impending danger.
Line by Line Meaning
In his Autumn 'fore the Winter
As a man reaches middle age, before he enters the winter of his life
Comes Mans' last mad surge of youth.
He experiences one final outburst of youthful energy
What on earth are you talking about? (spoken sample)
Confusion and disbelief at the previous lines
Don't fall!, don't fall!
Don't give up or succumb to despair
Alone in a room
Isolated and disconnected from the outside world
I've been here once before
Having experienced this feeling or situation in the past
Shapes in the hall, I'm barricade the door
Hallucinations or delusions causing paranoia and fear
I'm out on the edge, but I'm not defeated yet
Feeling close to the brink, but not giving up hope
I hear my name above everything else
Being hyper-aware of oneself and one's thoughts
Mark, Mark above everything else
The repetition of a name emphasizing the obsession or fixation
See this, freak out
Shock and disbelief at the situation
Nothing's familiar
Feeling like an alien in one's own surroundings
And nothing seems to fit into the scheme of things
Feeling like everything is out of place and disordered
Seeing faces where there shouldn't be faces
Hallucinations or delusions disrupting reality
No-one's really certain what tomorrow brings
The future appears uncertain and unpredictable
Don't fall my friend
Encouragement to not lose hope or give in to despair
Oh, this nightmare never ends
The feeling of being trapped in an endless cycle of fear and anxiety
Hiding inside, a room that's running red
A room tainted with blood symbolizing danger and violence
The place to be, exists only in your head
The ideal place or situation is imagined or unattainable
And the focus of fear
The source of anxiety and panic
Within the creases of a dress, a female dress
The object of fear takes a specific form, a dress representing femininity
How did I come to be drowning in this mess?
Feeling overwhelmed and suffocated by the chaotic and uncontrollable situation
Don't fall
Repeated encouragement to not give in to despair
I know your back's against the wall
Acknowledging the difficulty and challenges faced
But this roaring silence won't devour us all
The overwhelming sensation of silence in the midst of chaos will not defeat us completely
Freak out, nothing's familiar
Repeating the earlier lines of shock and confusion
Some things re-arrange the scheme of things
Accepting that some events disrupt the expected order and structure of life
Don't fall...
Final repetition of the refrain, emphasizing the importance of not giving up
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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