The band continue to turn out promising independent artists under their cult record label Chemikal Underground.
Their first commercial release came with the inclusion of their track "Liquidation Girl" on the compilation album Skookum Chief Powered Teenage Zit Rock Angst from Nardwuar the Human Serviette. Neglecting to go the traditional route of signing to a record label, the band instead started their own, Chemikal Underground, with which to release not only their records but also those of other local bands. Chemikal Underground's first release was naturally The Delgados first single Monica Webster / Brand New Car. Despite being greatly overshadowed by the Blur/Oasis race, the single caught the attention of veteran BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel and the band quickly became one of his favourites, going on to play more than ten sessions for his show.
The cost of Chemikal Underground's second release, the single Disco Nation 45 by Bis, left the cash-strapped label unable to afford another release by The Delgados, so their next release Lazarwalker came from the London based Radar Records. Tempted by Radar to a five album deal, the band declined, instead poaching their A&R contact, Graeme Beattie, for work at Chemikal Underground.
Another single, Cinecentre followed in early 1996 as the band juggled work at the label (made all the more hectic with Bis' appearance on Top of the Pops) with several tours, and recording their debut album. The band released two more singles, this time taken from their album Domestiques released on October 28, 1996. Both singles and the album were critically lauded, with the song "Under Canvas, Under Wraps" being voted number three in John Peel's Festive Fifty.
The band released their second album in 1998. Peloton - also a cycling reference - which saw the band begin to broaden their musical palette. Including a wider range of styles and more complex arrangements the record proved a critical success. It did not sell in huge numbers, however, though the single Pull the Wires From the Wall gave the Delgados their first UK chart hit, reaching number 69. The band's close relationship with John Peel continued, with Pull the Wires From the Wall voted to number one in the Festive Fifty (it would also make the all time chart made in 2000) and other entries at 9 and 38.
The Delgados' evolution continued with The Great Eastern in 2000. The record, produced by Dave Fridmann, was heavily orchestrated and contained shifting time signatures. Again, the record was lauded by the critics but failed to significantly expand the band's following. The first single, American Trilogy, reached number 61 in the UK charts. The record was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and four of its songs reached the Festive Fifty, two in the top ten.
This pattern was extended for their fourth album, Hate, which was released on Mantra rather than the band's own Chemikal Underground label. The album's epic songs were popular among critics and festive fifty voters but a wider public still proved elusive. The song The Light Before We Land was used as the opening music for the anime Gunslinger Girl, bringing the band to a new audience.
The band returned to their own label for 2004's 'Universal Audio' - which marked something of a move away from the orchestrated sounds of its two predecessors, towards a simpler, poppier approach.
The band announced they were disbanding in April 2005 due to the departure of bass player Stewart Henderson who found it difficult "to pour so much of my energy and time into something that never quite seemed to get the attention or respect I felt it deserved". The four friends will continue to run Chemikal Underground together. Songwriters Emma Pollock and Alun Woodward are pursuing individual projects, while drummer Paul Savage will continue production duties at the band's Chem19 Studios in Hamilton and in a new studio.
The members recently announced that they've secured the rights for their BBC session performances. A double-disc containing 29 tracks was released on June 12th 2006 in Europe. A release in the USA is expected before the end of 2006.
In June 2022, the band announced that they were reforming.
Woke From Dreaming
The Delgados Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was shaking screaming I was still alive
And you were picking strangers by the side of roadways
Little little let the danger unfold
You can do what you do if you think you'll take it
You can do what you do if you are that way inclined
Suffer with silk ass the pressure's tighter
You have skin pale as milk with the pressure on
My heart is getting heavy and my hand are weak now
Hatred lifting and I'll start to weep now
You can do what you do if you think you'll take it
You can do what you do if you are that way inclined
Just for a moment can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment can we make this moment mine
I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say
Take a day take them all now
Just for a moment can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment can we look inside this mind
We try to control but we never quite know what's there
We will kill if we need to
The Delgados’ “Woke From Dreaming” explores themes of vulnerability, control, and insecurity. The opening lines “Woke from dreaming / But it took convincing / I was shaking screaming / I was still alive” establish the dual nature of the song: one of coming to grips with reality (waking from a dream) and recognizing one’s own mortality (shaking and screaming, but still alive). The singer seems to be struggling with the idea that they are not entirely in control, represented in the line “You can do what you do / If you think you'll take it,” but trying to reconcile that with their own sense of agency.
Throughout the song, the singer is grappling with feelings of insecurity, particularly around the idea of control. They reference someone (“you”) picking up strangers by the side of the road, a situation that feels dangerous and beyond their control. Similarly, they describe their own body as being under pressure (“Suffer with silk / As the pressure's tighter”), but also as fragile (pale skin) under that pressure. These images contrast with the singer’s attempts to affirm their own sense of agency and control in phrases like “You can do what you do / If you are that way inclined.”
The song ends on a somewhat ambiguous note, with the singer questioning their own understanding of themselves and humanity as a whole. The line “We will kill if we need to…” evokes a sense of danger and violence, juxtaposed with the earlier request for a moment of introspection and vulnerability. Overall, “Woke From Dreaming” suggests a tension between control and vulnerability, and the sometimes dangerous consequences of trying to assert too much power over our own lives and those of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Woke from dreaming
I woke up from a dream
But it took convincing
I had trouble realizing that I wasn't still dreaming
I was shaking screaming
I was terrified and screaming
I was still alive
I was relieved to find out that I wasn't dead
And you were picking strangers by the side of roadways
You were picking up strangers on the side of the road
Little little let the danger unfold
You were taking risks and letting danger unfold slowly
You can do what you do
You have the ability to do what you want
If you think you'll take it
As long as you believe you can handle it
If you are that way inclined
If you have a natural inclination to do it
Suffer with silk
You're suffering in luxury
As the pressure's tighter
As the pressure increases
You have skin pale as milk
Your skin is very pale
With the pressure on
Under pressure
My heart is getting heavy and my hands are weak now
I'm feeling very emotional and weak
Hatred lifting and I'll start to weep now
My hatred is fading and I'm starting to cry
Just for a moment
Just briefly
Can we take a little time
Can we take some time to do something
Just stop for a moment
Just pause for a moment
Can we make this moment mine
Can we make this moment special for me
I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say
I've tried to move on but I don't have much to say about it
Take a day take them all now
Take all the time you need
Can we look inside this mind
Can we examine what's going on in my mind
We try to control but we never quite know what's there
We try to control things but we can't always know what's going to happen
We will kill if we need to...
We are capable of extreme actions if necessary
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bulldog6776
Lyrics:
Woke from dreaming but it took convincing
I was shaking, screaming, I was still alive
And you were picking strangers by the side of roadways
Little, little let the danger unfold
You can do what you do
If you think you'll take it
You can do what you do
If you are that way inclined
Suffer with silk as the pressure's tighter
You have skin pale as milk with the pressure on
My heart is getting heavy and my hands are weak now
Hatred lifting and I'll start to weep now
You can do what you do
If you think you'll take it
You can do what you do
If you are that way inclined
Just for a moment can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment can we make this moment mine
I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say
Take a day, take them all now
Just for a moment can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment can we look inside this mind
We try to control but we never quite know what's there
We will kill if we need to
Just for a moment can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment can we make this moment mine
I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say
Take a day, take them all now
Bulldog6776
Lyrics:
Woke from dreaming but it took convincing
I was shaking, screaming, I was still alive
And you were picking strangers by the side of roadways
Little, little let the danger unfold
You can do what you do
If you think you'll take it
You can do what you do
If you are that way inclined
Suffer with silk as the pressure's tighter
You have skin pale as milk with the pressure on
My heart is getting heavy and my hands are weak now
Hatred lifting and I'll start to weep now
You can do what you do
If you think you'll take it
You can do what you do
If you are that way inclined
Just for a moment can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment can we make this moment mine
I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say
Take a day, take them all now
Just for a moment can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment can we look inside this mind
We try to control but we never quite know what's there
We will kill if we need to
Just for a moment can we take a little time
Just stop for a moment can we make this moment mine
I've tried to let go but I've never had much to say
Take a day, take them all now
Ahlamkin
Thank you so much, but I have a question maybe you can solve? What are the foreign, I think Italian?? Lyrics in between the bridge and next lines?? Ive been trying to find it, and cant seem to. Also, do you by any chance know what it translates to?
Bulldog6776
your welcome.
Nicolás -
thank you, really
manco82
I have to admit, I'm a dirty peasant who only discovered The Delgados through Gunslinger Girl.
Castor Klapaucius
same here, it's all good
gunslinger girls is a good show
Hyouga Waganakimaru
same here
demor shiffer
To be honest, there is nothing wrong with that. I would have found my favorite music from randomly coming across them, and I don't look down on any of them for it. Regardless of how I found them good stuff is good stuff. If you like Delgatos, you may enjoy XX or Satillo (though the latter less likely).
Cesar
such a amazing band...
ZESSRIN
I love this song, it's somehow peacefully. A great band.