The one permanent fixture amidst the Fall's ever-changing line-up was Mark E. Smith (1957 – 2018). Smith's lyrics are free, unboxed and unpredictable, touching on an extremely wide range of subjects and places, and caring little for being tied down to easily digestible messages.
Smith's singing could put off some people, but others find it a uniquely expressive instrument. Smith was not a conventionally great vocalist, but his keen sense of rhythm, his energy and personality more than made up for this.
The Fall's music changed depending on the line-up at a given time. Always experimental, Mark E. Smith claimed to invent several musical genres, including house music; "we were doing that years ago" and even the internet. "He told me I didn't understand, that we were from the bleak industrial wastes of North England, or something, and that we didn't understand the Internet. I told him Fall fans invented the Internet. They were on there in 1982." One thing that is for sure is that The Fall (and their fans) always pushed the boundaries, and were never afraid to experiment.
The Fall were a favorite group of DJ John Peel, recording 24 sessions for his BBC1 radio program over the years.
The Fall's back catalogue consists of 29 studio albums, and is very fragmented with a seemingly endless number of compilations and semi-official live albums.
In 2006, British music-critic Dave Simpson published an entertaining account of a journalist's attempt to track down all 43 former members of The Fall in the Guardian. Many previous members have been fired, often with little or no notice. Simpson's ongoing effort was subsequently described at greater length in his book "The Fallen" (2008). His effort to track down the final unaccounted stragglers of at least 50 previous members of The Fall - including drummer Karl Burns - continues in his blog. Having decried Simpson's book as a "hatchet job" in the pages of Pseud. Mag., a Fall fan-mag, Mark E. Smith countered in short order with his autobiography "Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith" (Viking, 2008/Penguin 2009).
Mark E. Smith died on 24 January 2018, aged 60.
Key Albums include:
# Live At the Witch Trials (debut)
# Dragnet
# Totale's Turns (It's Now Or Nevr)
# Grotesque (after the Gramme)
# Perverted By Language
# Hex Enduction Hour
# This Nation's Saving Grace
# Middle Class Revolt
# Bend Sinister
# Extricate
# The Infotainment Scan
# Country on the Click aka The Real New Fall LP
# Fall Heads Roll
# Reformation Post TLC (new)
Compilations/Singles/B-Sides:
# 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong: 39 Golden Greats
# The Complete Peel Sessions 1978-2004
# Totally Wired: The Rough Trade Anthology (disc 1) and Totally Wired: The Rough Trade Anthology (disc 2)
# 458489 A-Sides
# 458489 B-Sides
My New House
The Fall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You should see my house
My new house
You should see my new house
No rabbit hutch about it
I bought it off the baptists
I get the bills
At the damn polyester fills
The interior is a prison unconscious
The interior is a prison unconscious
My new house
You should see my house
My new house
Keep away from my new house
Wash the drawers of pills
It's got window sills
With lead centered in the middle of them
With lead centered in the middle of them
My new house
Is no beatnik hang-out
My new house
You should see my house
That Halifax copter
Sure dropped me a cropper
That Halifax copter
Sure dropped me a cropper
My new house
You should see my house
My new house
You should see my new house
Sometimes I think I'll ring Swine-Tax
And go back to my flat
Sometimes I think I'll ring Swine-Tax
And go back to my flat
But my new house
I do love the mad things about it
According to the postman
It's like the bleeding Bank of England
According to the postman
It's like the bleeding Bank of England
Creosote tar fence surrounds it
Those razor blades eject when I press eject
My new house
You should see my house
My new house
Could easily crack a mortal, it
The spare room is fine
Though a little haunted
By Mr. Reagan who had hung himself at number 13
Mr. Reagan hung himself at number 13
It'll be great when it's decorated
My new house
You should see my house
My new house
You should see my house
"My New House" is a song by British rock band The Fall that was originally released in 1984. The song tells the story of the lead singer's move to a new house and the various aspects of his new home that he is both impressed by and frustrated with. The song has been interpreted as a commentary on the capitalist system, and the line "According to the postman, it's like the bleeding Bank of England" could be seen as a reference to the stark contrast between the wealth of the upper classes and the struggle of the working class.
Throughout the song, the interior of the house is described as a "prison unconscious." This could be seen as a metaphor for the singer's feelings of dissatisfaction and entrapment within the system. He is tied to his new home through mortgage payments and bills, and the "polyester fills" that he complains about could represent the artificial, empty nature of consumer culture. The lead in the window sills with razor blades that eject when the eject button is pressed also adds to the overall tone of the song.
Despite his complaints, the singer admits that he loves "the mad things about" his new house, and it is clear that he is at least somewhat content with his new life. The line about the haunted spare room and the mention of Mr. Reagan, who hung himself at number 13, adds a dark twist to the otherwise lighthearted song.
Overall, "My New House" is a witty and clever commentary on both the joys and the struggles of modern life, and the contradictions of the capitalist system. Its catchy chorus and humorous lyrics have made it a fan favorite among The Fall's extensive discography.
Line by Line Meaning
My new house
The singer is introducing his new house as the subject of the song.
You should see my house
The singer is telling the listener that his new house is worth seeing.
No rabbit hutch about it
The singer is emphasizing that his new house is not small or cramped like a rabbit hutch.
I bought it off the baptists
The artist is revealing that he bought the house from a religious group who were likely looking to sell the property.
I get the bills
The artist is acknowledging that he is responsible for paying the bills associated with his new home.
And I get miffed
The singer gets annoyed when faced with the task of paying bills and other responsibilities associated with owning a home.
At the damn polyester fills
The singer is criticizing the cheap and uncomfortable materials used in the furniture or accessories in his new home that might be filled with polyester.
The interior is a prison unconscious
The artist likes the design of the house, but feels trapped or suffocated by the décor, like the unconscious mind controlling him.
Keep away from my new house
The artist is warning others to not come around his new house.
Wash the drawers of pills
The artist is telling himself to clean up any prescription pills he may have in his drawer, possibly because someone might steal them.
It's got window sills
The house has places for decorative objects to be placed on the edges of the windows.
With lead centered in the middle of them
There is a piece of lead in the center of each window sill, either for decoration or for preventing the windows from opening too far.
Is no beatnik hang-out
The singer is saying his new home is not a place for counterculture artists or 'beatniks' to hang out.
That Halifax copter
A Halifax copter is a type of military helicopter from World War II.
Sure dropped me a cropper
The singer seems to have had a negative experience with one of these helicopters.
Sometimes I think I'll ring Swine-Tax
Swine-Tax is a fictional character, and calling this character is a reference to some other unknown person the artist thinks of calling when he's feeling down.
And go back to my flat
The artist sometimes thinks of moving back into his old apartment.
I do love the mad things about it
Despite the problems and annoyances, the singer still has a fondness for some of the crazy or unusual things about his new house.
According to the postman
The singer is using the likelihood of a statement being accepted when being approached by the host or caretakers to emphasize the grandeur of his home.
It's like the bleeding Bank of England
The artist is exaggerating the grandeur of the house by comparing it to the Bank of England, implying it's just as impressive or important.
Creosote tar fence surrounds it
There is a fence made of creosote tar surrounding the house, possibly for privacy.
Those razor blades eject when I press eject
The artist is making a joke that the razor blades of a booby trap are installed to launch when someone tries to enter the house uninvited.
Could easily crack a mortal, it
The singer is saying that his house is so impressive that it could overwhelm someone to the point of causing them harm.
The spare room is fine
The artist is saying that one of the rooms in the house is suitable for a guest to stay.
Though a little haunted
The singer is joking that the spare room is only slightly haunted by a ghost called Mr. Reagan, who committed suicide in the past at house number 13.
It'll be great when it's decorated
The singer believes that the house will look better once it has been properly decorated.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARK E SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@zetetick395
My New House - The Fall
My new house
You should see my house!
My new house
You should see my new house!
No rabbit hutch about it
I bought it off the Baptists
I get their bills
And I get miffed
At the damn polyester fills
The interior is a prison unconscious
Interior is a prison unconscious
My new house
You should see my new house!
My new house
Keep away from my new house!
Wash the drawers of pills
It's got window sills
With lead centered in the middle of 'em
With lead centered in the middle of 'em
My new house
Is no beatnik hang-out
My new house
You should see my new house!
That Halifax copter
Sure dropped me a cropper
That Halifax copter
Sure dropped me a cropper
My new house
You should see my house!
My new house
You should see my new house!
Somtimes I think I'll ring Swine-Tax
And go back to our flat
Sometimes I think I'll ring Swine-Tax
And go back to our flat
But my new house
I do love the mad things about it
According to the postman
It's like the bleeding Bank of England
According to the postman
It's like the bleeding Bank of England
Creosote tar fence surrounds it
Those razor blades eject when I press eject
My new house
You should see my new house!
My new house
Could easy crack a mortal in it
The spare room is fine
Though a little haunted
By Mr. Reagan who had hung himself at number 13
Mr. Reagan hung himself at number 13
It'll be great when it's decorated
My new house
You should see my new house!
My new house
You should see my new house!
M.E. Smith -1985
@lowbatjr
this whole album is just pure genius
@baldieboo1
I love the Fall but have somehow missed this track until today…. What an absolute banger 😝
@walterwackerhage2460
I saw them so many times playing in our City. This was the best live band i have ever seen. Theaterfabik, Charterhalle, Registratur. Great Gigs here in our boring town , Munich . Always the same- always different. As john peel meant. Yes. R.i.p.to both of them. The Fall
@karlsavage7495
Sheer, unadulterated brilliance. Listening to The Fall is a strange experience now, in the wake of Mark's passing. He was one of those people you genuinely thought would go on forever. I felt similarly when Lemmy died; that's two true original musical mavericks gone within a couple of years of each other. Meanwhile, we still have Cliff fucking Richard...
@walterwackerhage2460
Great Person. It was a honour to meet him...once after a gig - we drank he talked a lot- but i didnot undestand half of what M.e. told me about. Munich 2004 live at registratur .Great Show. The Show was broadcasted by radio bayern 1 and is still available in the net. It is still one of my favourits Bootlegs- and i do own a lot (ca 40) . R.i.p . See you soon .I grief.
@bwoodpop
There will never be another Mark E Smith RIP
@suffern63
50,000 ex band members breath a sigh of relief and disappointment
@brianstockwell4069
Incorrect! There's a Mark E Smith working in our local Co-Op!
@godloveszaza
@@suffern63actually band members make tributes of and for him and speak highly of him while still keeping it real. Nice try loner.
@miki06ist
The beauty of The Fall is that it had (at least) a dozen (if not more) such seminal and iconic tracks ;-) Garden, Tempo House (live version), Winter, Wings, the Classical... Should I go on? Actually, some brothers and sisters may disagree, but I also value Your Future Our Clutter Showcase or even Auto Chip 2014-2016. What Marc and his young band did while playing the last piece in Under the Bridge in 2015 was quite something. "Suffering...", he probably was. And how about Big Prinz? I even like some pieces from "Extricate" and "Shift-work." What a great, truly irreplaceable band and his mind, heart and soul, Marc E Smith. For me he stands as my great music hero, next to Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Eric Dolphy, Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter. He probably would be a bit surprised by being placed in this congregation, but this is my music paradise.