The Duke Spirit is a 4 piece band based in London, UK. Their sound incorpor… Read Full Bio ↴The Duke Spirit is a 4 piece band based in London, UK. Their sound incorporates elements of blues-rock, post-punk and the early noise rock and grunge bands of the late 80s and early 90s such as The Pixies. The band was formed in London in 2003 by Liela Moss (vocals/tamborine/piano/harmonica), Luke Ford (guitar/organ), Toby Butler (bass) and Olly Betts (drums).

Dan Higgins has since left the band, amicably. He has not been permanently replaced, instead the band have worked with various close friends on their '08 - '09 tours. Currently Marc Sallis is the touring bass player.

Sweet Bitter Sweet
The Duke Spirit Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm gonna beat you running or not
How is this easy, well you are coming last?
Whoa, whoa,
Only obsession, keep me occupied
My kingdom repetition protects me from my mind
Whoa, whoa,

You make the colors speak and

You light the lights
Oh, you make me wonder
Are they taking your place?
Uhu, uhu, uhu, uhu,
Oh, whoa, oh,

Sweet bitter sweet, my favorite flavor
Sweet bitter sweet, my favorite flavor
Sweet bitter sweet, my favorite flavor

This ... is in order
Now we walk on round
But I'm coming with you
There's nobody else

Sweet bitter sweet, my favorite flavor

Sweet bitter sweet, my favorite flavor
Sweet bitter sweet, my favorite flavor.

Overall Meaning

The Duke Spirit's "Sweet Bitter Sweet" is a song that touches on themes of competition, obsessions, and the internal struggle against one's own mind. The opening lines of "I'm gonna beat you running or not, how is this easy, well you are coming last?" set the tone for the song's focus on competition. The repetition of the phrase "whoa, whoa" in the chorus adds to the sense of urgency and intensity.

The second verse shifts focus to the object of the singer's obsession, who has the power to "make the colors speak" and "light the lights." The lyrics suggest a fear of being replaced by this other person, adding to the tense and competitive atmosphere of the song. The repetition of "uhu, uhu, uhu, uhu" creates a sense of unease and uncertainty.

Despite all of this tension, the chorus provides the song's title and a moment of sweetness amidst the bitterness. The singer declares that "sweet bitter sweet" is their favorite flavor, implying that they crave both the highs and lows of the competitive and obsessive mindset.

Overall, "Sweet Bitter Sweet" is a complex and layered exploration of the push and pull of ambition and anxiety.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm gonna beat you running or not
Whether or not you run, I am still going to beat you.

How is this easy, well you are coming last?
It's not difficult to beat you since you are consistently in last place.

Only obsession, keep me occupied
My obsession is the only thing that keeps me occupied.

My kingdom repetition protects me from my mind
Repeating the same thing over and over again protects me from my own thoughts.

You make the colors speak and
You have the ability to make colors come to life.

You light the lights
You have the power to illuminate the darkness.

Oh, you make me wonder
You make me question everything I know.

Are they taking your place?
I wonder if someone is trying to replace you.

This ... is in order
Everything is going according to plan.

Now we walk on round
We continue to walk around aimlessly.