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Welcome to the Last FM page of the swing-hop duo, The Correspondents. MC Mr Bruce and DJ/Producer Mr Chuckles collaborate to make Hip Hop for the 1930s, Big Band music for the 00s. Splicing swing samples with squelchy synths over dusty drum loops they’ve depicted a modern day journey into time of rogues, lust, affordable clowns and foot-tapping toe curling "get your brogues on" dance floor swing beat.
The Correspondents started out in November 2007, when old friends, Mr Bruce and Mr Chuckles, returned to London after a firm schooling at their respective Universities. In Leeds Mr Chuckles had been tinkering with the sounds of Hip Hop, Jazz and Dance music for several years, meanwhile further North in Edinburgh Mr Bruce exerted his vocal dexterity over Drum 'n' Bass, Breaks & Funk. The unlikely pair cut their teeth at a few parties and decided to cement the live performance relationship in their makeshift recording studio. Since then tracks have been recorded, stages have been stomped and knees have hit nipples.
The Correspondents have shared stages with the likes (or unlikes) of Florence & The Machine, Lilly Allen, Mika, Little Boots, VV Brown, Bat For Lashes, Lazy Habits, Daedalus, Bassment Jaxx, Rob Da Bank, Rusko, Kitty Daisy & Lewis, Cuban Brothers, Brass Roots, Jocelyn Brown, Dub Pistols etc... etc...
You might have seen them at Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Bestival, Shambala Festival, Lovebox Weekender, The Big Chill Festival, Camden Crawl, Innocent Village Fete, Scala Amersham Arms, Bungalow 8, Soho Revue Bar, Vibe Bar, Concord 2, Bloomsbury Bowls, Art Car Boot Fair, Last Days Of Decadance, Madame Jojo's, Notting Hill Arts Club, Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, 33 Portland Place, Shepard's Bush Pavillion, 5 Cavendish Sq, Corsica Studios, Proud Camden, Village Underground, The Cobden Club, The Battersea Arts Centre, The Colony Rooms, and Selfridge's.
www.myspace.com/thecorrespondentsmusic
"The Correspondents aren't the first group you'd expect to see at a South London dubstep/fidget house night and yet their performance at Corsica Studios over a year ago had everyone quickly switching their allegience from wobbly basslines to beats over samples from 'The Jungle Book'. The skin-tight trouser clad MC Mr Bruce strode to the stage and began shaking his impossibly long legs to the beats put down by his DJ, Chuckles, and from that point on, everyone was a convert." NME.COM
“Pop also-ran Frankmusik was far more exciting, revealing his 'great voice for a white boy' but also the overly perfect future pop that's thus far prevented him finding fame with a mass audience. One duo who could, however, are the Correspondents, who filled in between sets throughout the weekend. With fast-spit rhymes over twenties flapper tunes, and MC Mr Brogues a gangly enthusiastic dancer with natty threads to match, these two deserve a stage all themselves.” INTHENEWS.CO.UK – BESTIVAL REVIEW
“My fear for the contents of my wallet and the softer parts of my anatomy were quickly replaced by joy at the sights and sounds of The Correspondents. These two dapper purveyors of swing-hop derring-do pretty much stole the show. I’m proper feeling the vaudeville approach to hip-hop (cfThe Anomalies, Krugers passim), and The Correspondents are amongst the most charming to take that approach. Everyone had a sing-a-long with them. Aww. Find them on MySpazz – you’ll be glad you did (and relieved MySpazz still has its uses).” KRUGERS MAGAZINE – DAEDALUS @ CORSICA STUDIOS REVIEW
"A stark contrast with the reaction received by The Correspondents, the Wandsworth duo who wander onto the Great Stage in the middle of the hottest day of the year and through the skatting, scratching and infectious dancing of the Mask-a-like Mr Bruce, managed to persuade everyone to forget their heat induced woes and dance like they had some serious itch to scratch. Forced back on to the stage by a fiery and pumped up crowd demanding more, Mr Bruce and compatriot DJ Chuckles then do it all over again, much to the amazement of them and their newly acquired groupies. Which goes to show the wonder that is Secret Garden Party. Hierarchies are toppled and the unknown underdogs are taken into the bosoms of the crowd while the headlining 80s superstars are made to look like, well, bosoms." LOUD AND QUIET MAGAZINE - SECRET GARDEN PARTY REVIEW
"Sunday starts with a beautifully bizarre moment, as Wandsworth swing-hip-hop duo The Correspondents enthral an unfeasibly huge midday main stage crowd with a rendition of 'I Wanna Be Like You' from The Jungle Book. After that we’re delirious putty in their capable hands and the stunned pair are summoned back for a giddy encore." WWW.VIRTUALFESTIVALS.COM - SECRET GARDEN PARTY REVIEW
Inexplicable
The Correspondents Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think I know what I want but I dont know where to go
And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams
Not in the know, no, not in the know
When I was four i raised my finger to a moving car
It crashed so i assumed i got a superpower
I didn't raise that finger until I was nine
Down I went, my index still low
So convinced that he was just gone
Powerless to make it stop
Powerless to make it stop...
Inexplicably high, inexplicably low
I think I know what I want but I dont know where to go
And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams
Not in the know, no, not in the know
At nineteen, I still just about believed in God
I guess that I was pretty late to shake it off
Faulty magical whispers and a man who could mend
I tricked myself in thinking he could cure my best friend
Two weeks in, his insides gave up
The drugs can't help, why would words bring him love
Powerless to make it stop
Powerless to make it stop...
Inexplicably high, inexplicably low
I think I know what I want but I dont know where to go
And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams
Not in the know, no, not in the know
Now my hands are pulling up a donkey's reins
I feel I've done the wrong move down a dusty lane
The grass could have been greener down the first road I took
I'd give up my happiness just for one look
But that's doing what's beating me up
The game I can't win up against my own clock
Powerless to make it stop
Powerless to make it stop...
Inexplicably high, inexplicably low
I think I know what I want but I dont know where to go
And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams
Not in the know, no, not in the know
The lyrics of The Correspondents' song "Inexplicable" describe the confusion and uncertainty that the singer feels about their life. They start by describing their moods as "inexplicably high" and "inexplicably low." The singer believes that they know what they want but doesn't know how to get there. They feel like they are living in a dream and don't understand the reality of their situation.
The first verse contains two stories that highlight the singer's feelings of powerlessness. The first story recounts an incident from the singer's childhood when they pointed their finger at a moving car, and it crashed. The singer thought that they had a superpower, but they were unable to replicate the experience. The second anecdote involves a schoolboy who attacked the singer's father, and the singer was unable to stop the violence.
The second verse describes the singer's loss of faith. They were a late believer in God and had an experience where they believed that a man could cure their best friend. Unfortunately, the treatment was unsuccessful, and the singer was again powerless to prevent the tragic outcome.
The third and final verse uses a metaphorical story to illustrate the singer's sense of regret. They compare their current situation to "pulling up a donkey's reins" and feeling like they made the wrong choice. The grass might have been greener on the other side, but now the singer is stuck with their decision.
Overall, the song is a poignant exploration of the human experience, where we sometimes feel like we are living in a dream, and we don't know where we are going. We feel powerless to stop the tragedies that befall us, and we regret the choices we made.
Line by Line Meaning
Inexplicably high, inexplicably low
Feeling extreme emotions that are difficult to explain or understand
I think I know what I want but I dont know where to go
Feeling uncertain about the direction of one's life despite having some sense of desire or purpose
And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams
Feeling disconnected from reality or unable to achieve what one desires
Not in the know, no, not in the know
Lacking knowledge or understanding of how to navigate through life
When I was four i raised my finger to a moving car
Recalling a childhood memory of naively believing in one's own power and abilities
It crashed so i assumed i got a superpower
Believing in a false sense of control and influence over the world around oneself
I didn't raise that finger until I was nine
Realizing the limits of one's own power and abilities as one grows older
When a schoolboy attacked father twenty-five times
Experiencing a traumatic event that shakes one's beliefs about the world
Down I went, my index still low
Feeling powerless and defeated in the face of tragedy
So convinced that he was just gone
Struggling to accept the finality and permanence of death
Powerless to make it stop
Feeling unable to prevent bad things from happening
At nineteen, I still just about believed in God
Reflecting on a time when one held onto spiritual beliefs as a way of finding meaning and purpose in life
I guess that I was pretty late to shake it off
Realizing later in life that one's beliefs may not provide the answers one is looking for
Faulty magical whispers and a man who could mend
Disillusionment with the promises of religion and other magical thinking
I tricked myself in thinking he could cure my best friend
Holding onto false hope that someone or something can fix the problems in life
Two weeks in, his insides gave up
Experiencing the sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one
The drugs can't help, why would words bring him love
Questioning the effectiveness of medical treatment and other forms of assistance during times of crisis
Now my hands are pulling up a donkey's reins
Metaphorically describing one's struggle to take control of one's own life
I feel I've done the wrong move down a dusty lane
Regretting past decisions and feeling lost in life
The grass could have been greener down the first road I took
Wondering if life would have been better if one had made different choices
I'd give up my happiness just for one look
Longing for a sense of clarity or purpose in one's life
But that's doing what's beating me up
Recognizing that one's own thought patterns or behaviors may be contributing to feelings of sadness, confusion, or self-doubt
The game I can't win up against my own clock
Feeling like time is slipping away or that one is running out of opportunities to find happiness and fulfillment in life
Powerless to make it stop
Reiterating the feeling of helplessness and inability to prevent negative events from occurring
Writer(s): Ian Bruce
Contributed by Benjamin W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@navix1x
(Don't pay me attention, I'm just writing this for myself)
Inexplicably high, inexplicably low
I think I know what I want but I don't know where to go
And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams
Not in the now, no, not in the now
When I was four I raised my finger to a moving car
It crashed so I assumed I had a superpower
I didn't raise that finger until I was nine
When a schoolboy attacked for the 25th time
Down I went, my index still up
So convinced that he would just drop
Powerless to make it stop
Powerless to make it stop
Inexplicably high, inexplicably low
I think I know what I want but I don't know where to go
And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams
Not in the now, no, not in the now
At nineteen, I still just about believed in God
I guess that I was pretty late to shake it off
Faulty magic whispered to the man who could mend
I tricked myself in thinking he could cure my best friend
Two weeks in, his insides gave up
If drugs can't help, why would words bring him luck?
Powerless to make it stop
Powerless to make it stop
Inexplicably high, inexplicably low
I think I know what I want but I don't know where to go
And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams
Not in the now, no, not in the now
Now my hands are pulling at the donkey's reins
I feel I've gone the wrong route down a dusty lane
The grass could have been greener down the first road I took
I'd give half my happiness just for one look
My lust to win is eating me up
The game I can't win up against my own clock
Powerless to make it stop
Powerless to make it stop
Inexplicably high, inexplicably low
I think I know what I want but I don't know where to go
And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams
Not in the now, no, not in the now
Inexplicably high, inexplicably low
I think I know what I want but I don't know where to go
And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams
Not in the now, no, not in the now
Inexplicably high, inexplicably low
I think I know what I want but I don't know where to go
And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams
Not in the now, no, not in the now
@erdemersayin
Let me deconstruct the song as much as I can. I think this is the story of a man who thought himself as powerful but again and again saw his and therefore human's fragility and feebleness.
Due to some concurrence when he was four, he thought he could move heavy objects by pointing his finger - which implies omnipotence (in 00:39)-. (This omnipotency by the way is a very good example of how a baby makes sense of the world. Until 6 months, it cannot separate itself from mother and assumes that it is omnipotent). Then starts the events. The events which again and again shows him his fragility and feebleness.
He can't stop being bullied and realizes the truth - his finger does not do the thing he thought it would do. (00:54)
He watches his friend dying (which has a deep effect on him and will remind him of his mortality when he will look in the mirror (in 2:45)). He sees that we humans not only are not powerful but fragile and weak. And those who claim power and superiority are deceivers (eg. priest, therefore religion) (Which probably evokes his power claim when he was four which he realized to be non-existent which led him to disregard other power claims which promises supernatural effects).
Once, he thought he was almighty - at least very mighty. But he now realizes he can't even control his own instincts. Even his own instincts have power over him. His lust is eating him up and he is powerless against it (in 2:42)).
(A game I can't win up against my own clock) while looking at mirror and his image (in 2:45) - Mirror is a very good sageway to communicate the idea of death. Our body which is getting disfunctional day-by-day is a very good proof of mortality. So it is for certain the death is coming up. And there is nothing to do which he also knew from his sick friend's destiny. - Just like Gilgamesh learnt his destiny from his friend Enkidu -.
(And all the while it seems that I'm living in my dreams and not in the now) -- (I think I know what I want, but I don't know where to go)
Finally, he is not dreaming and believing but living in the reality and actuality. He knows his fragility and mortality as a human being - . But yet again he does not know what to do with this knowledge.
There are more to tell but you get the point.
Summary: Realization of human impotency and human fragility. Unescapable despair, hopelessness and acknowledgement of upcoming death.
@alack3879
This resonates so darn well. It's this feeling that you think you know what you want but knowledge that you once had unrealistic childlike naivete holds you back.
The blood and pain have taught us to expect punishment every time we move.
What we need to do is let go.
Creativity is the hallmark of our species. They thought grug was a madman when he started banging rocks together.
Grug killed a fucking mammoth and they started singing a different tune.
Creativity. Embrace it. Love it.
The weird and odd are your outlets.
There's nothing wrong with insanity when it is controlled.
Make monsters, justify evil, create worlds and works beyond what most people would call sane.
Make Tolkien look like nonfiction on comparison to the madness and chaos you wrought.
@GazharD
La canción pareciera estar explicando la historia de un hombre que, en un momento clave de su vida, se sintió poderoso, pero luego se daría cuenta de que este sentimiento de omnipotencia que crecía dentro de sí no significa nada. De aquí el precepto "inexplicablemente alto/bajo", haciendo referencia a que, a pesar de sentirse poderoso, su condición es extremadamente pobre en términos de poder. Me refiero aquí a que es eminentemente frágil y débil.
El narrador recuerda un momento de su infancia en el que creyó tener superpoderes, específicamente el de mover objetos con su dedo, al presenciar un accidente de auto producto de una coincidencia. Esta experiencia le hace sentir "inexplicablemente alto", poderoso y capaz de influir en el mundo que le rodea -podríamos intuir que la canción busca extrapolar este fenómeno cómico a la idea de sentirse capaz de hacer grandes cosas en el plano material (mover un auto) sin importar las características propias materiales (ser un niño/humano) debido a la máxima de la conciencia (sentirse poderoso u omnipotente).
Esta sensación de poder dura hasta un punto determinado, donde comienzan los eventos que, una y otra vez, le demuestran su fragilidad y poca incidencia en la vida (inexplicablemente bajo).
El narrador menciona que no levantó el dedo nuevamente sino hasta que, luego de ser atacado reiteradamente, levanta el dedo sólo para darse cuenta de la verdad: su dedo no hace aquello que él piensa.
Quiero detenerme un poco acá para retroalimentar esta metáfora. Esta secuencia de eventos sugiere que el narrador experimentó un cambio de perspectiva, pasando de sentirse poderoso a darse cuenta de que su supuesto poder era ilusorio y no podía protegerle de los desafíos y las dificultades circunstanciales -es decir, lo que nosotros podríamos entender como los desafíos y dificultades de la vida).
Desde una perspectiva meta-filosófica, la canción puede plantear ciertas pregunas sobre la naturaleza del poder y su significado en la existencia humana. Qué es, una ilusión, o una construcción social? Cómo es que se puede posicionar uno sin poder, respecto de otra persona que te ataca 25 veces, con un poder bastante notorio?
Las únicas respuestas concebibles a estas preguntas respecto de la canción es que, el cambio de perspectiva del narrador, no es sino un reflejo de la madurez y crecimiento personal (25 veces bulleado, una sola vez levantó el dedo) en el que nos enfrentamos a las limitaciones de nuestra propia existencia y reconocemos la inevitabilidad de la vulnerabilidad. El cómo el narrador reflexiona sobre sus aspiraciones de poder y control, y el cómo enfrenta sus desafíos de manera inútil frente a las incertidumbres de la vida (creo saber lo que quiero, pero no sé a dónde ir).
Bueno siguiendo con los eventos, el narrador es testigo de cómo su mejor amigo está muriendo (lo cual no sólo es el marco de la estrofa en el incordio de la canción, sino que también está representado con su cabeza en un cuadro que no cambia sino hasta que se refiere a este amigo que tiene) y esto le hará recordar que los seres humanos no sólo no somos poderosos, sino que para peor, somos frágiles y débiles. Este recuerdo de su mortalidad se puede inferir de la escena en la que el narrador habla desde el espejo, sólo para luego mirarse en él con una evidente decepción.
Nuevamente desde una perspectiva metafilosófica, este evento trágico recuerda al narrador sobre la finitud y transitoriedad su vida, pero no sólo de la vida, sino también del poder. A pesar de cualquier ilusión de poder que pueda tener, sigue siendo tan frágil y sujeto a las limitaciones que debe afirmarse, en sus palabras, "más de lo que debería" a la idea de un Dios que, al no ser humano, sí puede ser poderoso.
Y esta idea de Dios también es importantísima para entender lo que siente el narrador.
Este sugiere en la letra que intentó justificarse constantemente de su creencia en Dios, pero no sólo en esta figura retórica sino también en aquellos que dicen detentar su poder. Aquí, la canción dice "faulty magic whispered to the man who can mend", y esto puede interpretarse como el narrador viendo con malos ojos a aquellos que dicen tener poder siendo claramente fraudes. Fraudes al ser no diferentes de su propio amigo, muriéndose.
Es importante aunque no lo parezca mencionar al amigo, quien no sólo no pudo curarse, sino que murió por su propio peso. La canción dice que pasadas dos semanas desde que el narrador depositó su fe en aquellos que decían tener poder
esto para ver si podía curar a su amigosu cuerpo no aguanta más y muere. Y aquí es donde dice que "si las drogas no funcionan, por qué lo harían las palabras". Puede que sea un poco rebuscado pensar que el hecho de que el narrador conozca el funcionamiento o producto de las drogas significa su desesperación por encontrar ese sentimiento de poder que ha perdido hace tanto. No sólo no encontró el poder que buscaba, sino que encontró descontrol en aquella sustancia, que es una referencia metafísica de la esperanza. Y termina el verso diciendo no tener el poder para detener este suceso.Cuando por fin se sentía poderoso por un momento, se dio cuenta de que ni siquiera podría controlar sus propios instintos. O mejor dicho, ahora sus instintos tienen incluso más poder sobre él, más que él mismo sobre su propio destino (y mira el espejo, el cual es una clarísima representación de la idea de la muerte). Aquí entra el verso "un juego que no puedo ganar contra mi propio reloj". Su lujuria le está ganando y él se siente sin el poder suficiente como para detenerlo. Es interesante de hecho que la canción termine en el 4:20, pero debe ser coincidencia.
La última parte importante de toda esta interpretación es el tercer verso. Es interesante que los dos primeros versos, el del auto y el del amigo, lo posicionan como víctima; deposita su fe en cosas que finalmente le decepcionan y las critica por ello. El tercer verso en cambio, desprende un aire de comprensión o aceptación. Trata de desviarse del destino que ve venir (la muerte, o el fracaso, o el volver a sentirse impotente frente a cualquier circunstancia ante la cual debería poder tener el control), pero no porque haya cometido un error. Busca desviarse porque siento que lo que no tiene ha de ser mejor. "The grass could have been freener down the first road I took/I'd give up half my happiness just for one look". No sólo está luchando con sus elecciones, tratando de hacerlas de nuevo, sino que también aparentemente sólo está en la posición que relata porque directamente NO ha tomado una decisión.
El narrador no puede quitarse ese sentimiento de que debe haber una "dirección correcta", y está tan obsesionado con esta idea que no es capaz de sacar provecho de su situación actual; esto es poéticamente otra demostración del poco poder que tiene, no sólo frente a su destino, sino también frente a sus propias herramientas o intenciones. Cada vez que siente que está feliz o en control de algo, en realidad siente que debería estar recibiendo más, ganando más, incluso con la edad o la muerte acechando y la comprensión deq ue el pasado ha quedado atrás, sólo se obsesiona con aquello que ha desperdiciado (inexplicablemente alto -lo que pudo ser-, inexplicablemente bajo -lo que es-) y estar ansioso por prevenir un desastre futuro, en lugar de reconocer aquello que está frente a él.
Para terminar. Los versos que más se repiten "inexplicablemente alto, inexplicablemente bajo"; "creo saber lo que quiero, pero no sé dónde ir"; "y mientras, pareciera que vivo en mis sueños, y no en el ahora".
Estos versos repetitivos enfatizan la experiencia contradictoria y confusa del narrador, quien oscila entre momentos de confianza y momentos de incertidumbre, entre la ilusión y la desilusión. También resaltan la sensación de desconexión con el presente y el desafío de enfrentar la propia fragilidad y mortalidad.
El narrador finalmente no está soñando como dice, sino viviendo con desilusión
que no es igualla realidad y la actualidad. Conoce su fragilidad y su mortalidad como ser humano, pero NO SABE qué hacer con ese conocimiento. Tiene una idea de lo que quiere, pero no sabe cómo llegar a ella con las pobres condiciones escuálidas y humanas que detenta. Esta interpretación subraya la lucha del narrador contra el plano de las ideas, muy ceñido a las ideas de Platón o Sócrates, buscando un sentido y propósito en medio de la complejidad y las limitaciones de la existencia humana. Sabe que no encontrará las respuestas que necesita, no las merece, y no le queda tiempo.Esto está basado en algunos comentarios que leí, más conocimientos personales y mi interpretación.
@Super-cl7qf
Gotta respect the nine year old for holding back on pointing at anyone till someone attacked him 25 times
@Archibaldh1pp0
@DEEPFOXJUDE children sometimes have a fear and respect for death that most adults can't comprehend.
@WENDIGONEMAD
@@elg94 Every single time you don't resolve a situation with violence, you condition yourself to accepting that you can't. Make of this information whatever you want.
@tomfooleryjohn6176
@@WENDIGONEMAD I will no commit animal abuse as now I have justification: I have conditioned myself that empathy exists
@WENDIGONEMAD
@@tomfooleryjohn6176 I don't really understand the root of your argument given that empathy can co-exist with the ability of commiting violence.
@tomfooleryjohn6176
@@WENDIGONEMAD it’s not an argument, just an extreme
@DashingSteel
The bittersweetness of singing a sad song while absolutely V I B I N G with the boys in the void is exactly what art was made for
@hiitheree664
The Boys in the Void - band name, called it
@bneve7963
Me and the boiz at 2:00 am looking for exquisite artwork
@tygonmaster
Many of those are women