In 1981, a fan of the Clean founded the Flying Nun label to release their first single, "Tally Ho." A follow-up track off one of their early EPs, "Beatnik", also achieved success, as did the second single, "Getting Older". The Flying Nun label went on to be New Zealand's biggest independent record company, championing the Dunedin Sound, a loosely-connected style of music largely produced by bands from this southern city. Others on the label included The Chills, The Verlaines, The Bats, and Sneaky Feelings.
During much of the 1980s, The Clean disbanded, and during this time the Kilgour brothers worked together on an experimental album and EP using the deliberately punning titles "The Great Unwashed" and "Clean Out of Our Minds". Reforming in the late 1980s, the band explored a slightly poppier vein of music while still retaining their experimental edge.
In June 2008 a live album recorded during the 2007 New Zealand tour was released in New Zealand on Arch Hill Records, entitled "Mashed". A new studio album, titled Mister Pop was released on September 7, 2009 on Arch Hill, and on September 8 in the United States on the Merge label.
In December 2009, The Clean announced their first European dates in more than 20 years, supporting the cult U.S band Pavement at Brixton Academy on the 10th of May. They also played at the Pavement curated ATP at Butlins Minehead on the 14th of May. Other dates on the tour included Amsterdam (May 22), Hamburg (May 23), Berlin (May 25) and Barcelona's Primavera Sound festival May 29).
Thumbs Off
The Clean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
cause he knows just what's inside him
he's never been put to the test
cause he knows just where to find them
all his life he's had it easy
you know he's never had no problems
the house he lived in was so sleazy
and who's gonna pay your bills today
and who's gonna turn the girls away
and who's gonna make you feel ok
and who's gonna take your pills today
and you know it can't be me
yea you know it can't be me
sometimes I just feel too much
and i dont' want to feel at all
He said to his mother one day, you know,
"Mum I really think I'm different"
she said, "son, you'll have to go,
you know, it's costing too much to keep you."
the day was wet as he walked down the road
you know his head was full of sorrow
little did he know he'd never see
his own home again
and who's gonna pay your bills today
and who's gonna turn the girls away
and who's gonna make you feel ok
and who's gonna take your pills today
and you know it can't be me
yea you know it can't be me
sometimes I just feel too much
and i dont' want to feel at all
he said to his friends, "come on, let's go
I'll take you to the show now
they said, "no no, look here my friend,
you make me feel much older.
they left him alone sitting on the road
you know, his head was full of bourbon
little did he know they'd never see
The ones he knew so well
and who's gonna pay your bills today
and who's gonna turn the girls away
and who's gonna make you feel ok
and who's gonna take your pills today
and you know it can't be me
yea you know it can't be me
sometimes I just feel too much
and i dont' want to feel at all
The Clean's song Thumbs Off tells the story of a young man who thinks he is different from others and has never been put to the test. He has had an easy life, never facing any troubles, despite growing up in a sleazy house. However, the young man's mother decides to send him away as it's costing too much to keep him. He leaves his home that day and never sees it again. He asks his friends to go to a show, but they refuse, leaving him alone on the road with his head full of bourbon.
The song touches upon various themes such as identity, displacement, loneliness, and substance abuse. The young man seems lost and struggles with his emotions. He doesn't want to feel too much and sometimes wishes to feel nothing at all. The lyrics depict a bleak and depressing picture of a young man's life, and the chorus repeatedly asks who will take care of him now that he's alone.
Overall, The Clean's Thumbs Off is a sad and moving song that reinforces the idea that life can be tough and sometimes we are left to fend for ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
this little boy's like all the rest
The singer of the song is just like any other person.
cause he knows just what's inside him
The singer is aware of his own emotions and thoughts.
he's never been put to the test
The singer has never been in a challenging situation.
cause he knows just where to find them
He knows where to find challenges if he ever needs them.
all his life he's had it easy
The artist has never faced difficulties in his life.
you know he's never had no problems
This line repeats that the singer has never had problems.
the house he lived in was so sleazy
He lived in a shabby house.
but he still kept 'em coming
Despite his living conditions, he still managed to continue his life.
and who's gonna pay your bills today
The artist is asking who is going to pay for his expenses today.
and who's gonna turn the girls away
He wonders who is going to reject girls for him today.
and who's gonna make you feel ok
The singer is asking who will console him today.
and who's gonna take your pills today
He's probably dependent on some kind of medication and wonders who will give him the pills today.
and you know it can't be me
The singer cannot rely on someone to fulfill these things for him.
sometimes I just feel too much
The singer has a lot of emotions.
and i dont' want to feel at all
Sometimes he doesn't want to feel anything.
He said to his mother one day, you know,
The artist told his mother one day.
"Mum I really think I'm different"
He expressed his thoughts of being different from others to his mother.
she said, "son, you'll have to go,
His mother tells him that he will have to leave.
you know, it's costing too much to keep you."
The cost of supporting him might be too high for her.
the day was wet as he walked down the road
It was raining when he left home.
you know his head was full of sorrow
He was feeling sad as he was walking.
little did he know he'd never see
He didn't realize that he would never see his home again.
his own home again
He won't see his home again.
he said to his friends, "come on, let's go
He invites his friends to go with him somewhere.
I'll take you to the show now
He's going to the show with them.
they said, "no no, look here my friend,
His friends refuse to go with him.
you make me feel much older.
He asks them again but they refuse again and imply that he makes them feel old.
they left him alone sitting on the road
His friends leave him behind on the road.
you know, his head was full of bourbon
The artist is drunk.
little did he know they'd never see
He didn't know that he'd never see his friends again.
The ones he knew so well
He won't see his close friends again.
Contributed by Carter O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.