MacLean and Hornsey began collaborating musically while still in school, after MacLean saw that Hornsey had written the name of the band Felt on his pencil case. The band formed in 1991, with the current lineup along with Innes Phillips, who shared singing and songwriting duties with MacLean. The band recorded an album's worth of material but failed to get any label interest. Innes left the band (and would go on to found The Relict); the rest of the group re-formed in 1997, and they released a number of singles that were eventually collected on Suburban Light (2000). The Violet Hour (2003) was their first album proper, which again saw great acclaim, but, as yet, little commercial success. August 2005 saw the release of their second full album, Strange Geometry. Draisey joined the band in 2006 just in time for band's second tour of the States.
The band is more successful in America, where they are signed to Merge Records, home of bands such as Lambchop and Spoon, than in their native Britain.
Their music is noted for its reverb-rich production and MacLean's distinctive breathy vocals and jangly guitar playing. Their lyrics take a strong inspiration from surrealist literature and art from the early 20th century. "We Could Walk Together" quotes a line ("like a silver ring thrown into the flood of my heart") from a 1928 poem by French surrealist Joe Bousquet; the song "What Goes Up" quotes the poem "Stupidity Street" by Ralph Hodgson in its entirety.
The song "I Can't Seem To Make You Mine" from their album "Strange Geometry" is used in the movie "The Lake House" (2006).
Their album 'God Save The Clientele' was released on May 8th 2007. 'Bonfires on the Heath' followed in 2009, and 'Minotaur' in 2010. Their last one, 'Music For The Age Of Miracles' was released on september 22th.
http://www.theclientele.co.uk/
Tonight
The Clientele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Reflected in your eyes
The evening was so warm
Still I am not satisfied
The moon
Shining up above
Telling me that everything
'Cause tonight, we have no time arguing about facts
We have no time arguing about love
Time is far too precious to be wasted
On this night with you
With you
With you
With you
Even though
You're questioning my role
I am all that I can be
Tonight
Please forget
All those mistakes I made
All those steps I went wrong
All those things that you hate me for
'Cause tonight, we have no time arguing about facts
We have no time arguing about love
Time is far too precious to be wasted
On this night with you
With you
With you
With you
The Clientele's song Tonight is a melancholic yet hopeful track about spending a precious moment with a loved one. The opening lyrics describe the warm evening and the light that is reflected in the other person's eyes, indicating a sense of comfort and familiarity. However, there is an underlying dissatisfaction that is hinted at, possibly due to unresolved issues or doubts about the relationship. The moon serves as a symbol of hope, suggesting that everything will eventually be alright in the end.
The chorus speaks to the urgency of the moment and the need to put aside any disagreements or negative emotions. The singer recognizes that time is precious and chooses to focus on being present with their partner, rather than dwelling on past mistakes or misunderstandings. There is a sense of reconciliation and a willingness to let go of the past, making way for a new beginning.
Overall, the song captures the bittersweet nature of relationships - the highs and lows, the moments of connection and disconnection, and the ultimate value of being present with the ones we love.
Line by Line Meaning
The light
The brightness coming off from something that is reflected in your eyes
Reflected in your eyes
The light from something reflected and coming off from your eyes
The evening was so warm
The night air of the evening was warm and pleasant
Still I am not satisfied
However, I am not content with what is happening
The moon
The big round white celestial body in the sky that we call the moon
Shining up above
Giving off a bright reflection from above us
Telling me that everything
Giving me a sense that everything is going to be alright
Is gonna be fine
That everything is going to turn out okay
'Cause tonight, we have no time arguing about facts
Because tonight is a night where we don't have enough time to argue about the facts of a situation
We have no time arguing about love
We also don't have time to argue about our feelings for each other
Time is far too precious to be wasted
Tonight is too special for us to waste our time on anything else
On this night with you
We only have this one night together, so let's make the most of it
With you
Together with you, I can find peace and contentment
Even though
Despite the fact that
You're questioning my role
You may be unsure or doubting my position or purpose here
I am all that I can be
But I am trying my best to be everything that I can be
Please forget
Please let go of
All those mistakes I made
All the errors I've committed in the past
All those steps I went wrong
All the times I made the wrong decision or did the wrong thing
All those things that you hate me for
All the things you despise me for
With you
But with you here beside me, I can forget all of that and focus on us
With you
Being with you is all that really matters tonight
With you
I wouldn't rather spend this special evening with anyone else but you
Contributed by Julia P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Wally Salem
So happy The Clientele are back - a band of consistent quality and taste!
Daniel Willis
Been listening to some of the Clientele lately once again and I'm so happy to see they're releasing new stuff. You guys are great. Never stop!
Pete Wolf
Everything that I have heard from this band has a beautiful melodic core. The drums and bass are always fantastic.
Even on this track----though I prefer 'Everyone We Meet' of the new songs.
Esther Y
Great intro, loving the new sound on this. Also, anyone familiar with the Chi-lites' Have You Seen Her will recognize what I hear a minute into the song and throughout. I can't wait for this release.
weswally1
Love this tune
MJmcnult
This is dream pop and I love it.
Hope Lines
The Pet Shop Boys with a beautiful dose of mysticism! Take a breath, step back and love living again courtesy of the Clientele!
zasddsaf
wow, new sound!
晓禾依树
wonderful
Kye Merkett
I'm hearing Roger Waters. Love it.