Arguably the most underrated of all of the early 90s rock acts, Fatima Mans… Read Full Bio ↴Arguably the most underrated of all of the early 90s rock acts, Fatima Mansions were a refreshing kick up the backside against corporate mediocrity and musical banality - steered from start to finish by the singular vision of one man's astute and unwavering misanthropy.

In a state of disillusionment, Cathal Coughlan walked out of the wonderful and melodically rich - but lyrically barbed - Microdisney and formed the Fatima Mansions, setting up stall in 1989. His former Microdisney partner, Sean O'Hagan, went off to form the High Llamas and perfected his obsession with 'Smile'-era Beach Boys drenched tunefulness but Cathal had other ideas and there were times when the Mansions' screaming indignation and eclectic belligerence went off the scale.

Underneath it all was his dry and off-centre humour that many may have missed in highlights like the viciously compulsive rant 'n' roll epic 'Blues for Ceausescu' and the truly schizoid 'Angels Delight'. Other tracks veered in all kinds of unpredictable directions and styles - savage electronics, pure dance pop, soaring balladry, scabrous industrial noise, acoustic grandeur, hellish Wagner-esque vaudeville, crazed psychobilly, traditional folk, etc.... The Fatima Mansions at their mightiest were an incredible tour de force that simply refused to be pigeonholed! Indeed, very few bands at the time were in quite the same league.

Aided and abetted by a chillingly intense group of musicicans including Andreas O'Gruama, Nick Allum, Nick Bagnall, and Hugh Bunker, the Mansions captivated, thrilled, provoked and confounded through 3 full albums and a couple of mini albums. Their live gigs were often equally cathartic rituals which met with critical approval and rave reviews. They even scored an unlikely hit [on the back of the Manic Street Preachers' cover of the Theme From M*A*S*H] with their irreverently skewed take on Bryan Adam's eternal number 1 hit Everything I Do (I Do It For You).

Since their demise in 1995/6, Coughlan has been recording and performing solo and, with a much more acoustic and controlled sound allied to his ever caustic lyrics and fantastic voice, remains a true one-off. He is still awaiting a more widespread critical appraisal and overdue recognition that his rare talent truly deserves.

Thursday
The Fatima Mansions Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The windows watch me wait for you
Mirror mirror, mirror mirror
I've seen a world beyond their view
Mirror mirror, mirror mirror
Of course the night times are the worst
Of course I burn with an evil burst
You exist so I am cursed
Mirror mirror, mirror mirror

Mirror mirror, mirror mirror

I'll be good 'till Thursday comes
The world will think I never had
an idea that could drive me mad
I'll be good 'till Thursday comes
then burn all good away

I weed my house, I wash my trees
Mirror mirror, mirror mirror
I cross my legs in front of me
Mirror mirror, mirror mirror
I tingle at the thought of you
Is this what the humans do?
My childish words just don't ring true
See ya later, great dictator
In a while, (nadaphile?)

I'll be good 'till Thursday comes
Well, unless I am misleading you
You shine me up and make me new
I'll be good 'till Thursday comes
and wish I never did say

I'll be good 'till Thursday comes
It's such a lot of fun
to watch the liar I've become
but I'll be good 'till Thursday comes
and burn all good away

Ahh....dream of this, my lover

Ahh....dream of this, my lover
I am your lover now

Overall Meaning

In the first verse of this song, the singer is waiting for a lover to arrive but feels as though they are being watched by the windows and mirrors around them. They emphasize that they have seen a world beyond what the windows and mirrors can provide, perhaps suggesting that they feel trapped or alone in their surroundings. However, the singer also acknowledges that their own negative feelings, such as the burning anger they experience when thinking about their lover, are a curse.

In the second verse, the singer suggests that they are trying to better themselves in preparation for the arrival of their lover. They describe cleaning and grooming themselves as if they are on display for their lover to admire. They also mention feeling "tingly" at the thought of their lover, but express doubt that they can express themselves in a way that feels genuine and honest.

The chorus seems to suggest that the singer is holding back until Thursday arrives. They want to demonstrate to the world that they are not crazy, but in reality, they are holding in their true feelings until they can no longer contain them. By the end of the song, the singer admits that they are now the lover of the person they were waiting for, and they seem to have embraced the chaotic emotions that come with love.

Some potential interpretations of this song could be that it speaks to the idea of societal pressure and expectations to behave a certain way. The singer seems to be trying to conform to these expectations until they cannot any longer. It could also be about the messiness of love and relationships, and how difficult it can be to express oneself honestly and authentically.

Line by Line Meaning

The windows watch me wait for you
I wait for you while gazing out of the window

Mirror mirror, mirror mirror
Reflecting on my actions

I've seen a world beyond their view
I've experienced things that others haven't

Of course the night times are the worst
I struggle the most at night

Of course I burn with an evil burst
I have intense negative feelings

You exist so I am cursed
Your existence is causing me pain

I'll be good 'till Thursday comes
I will try to behave until Thursday

The world will think I never had an idea that could drive me mad
I will hide my craziest thoughts from the world

then burn all good away
Then I will give in to my darkness

I weed my house, I wash my trees
I'm cleaning everything

I cross my legs in front of me
I'm trying to calm myself down