The band originally consisted of Bobby Wratten (vocals, guitar) and Michael Hiscock (bass), but for most of their lifespan also included Harvey Williams (guitar), Annemari Davis (keyboards), and Mark Dobson (drums). The band split up in 1991 after an unctuous tour to promote the For Keeps album, during which lead singer/guitarist Bobby Wratten announced he was leaving. He then, along with Davis and Dobson, formed Northern Picture Library. In 1995, Wratten founded Trembling Blue Stars.
Their first EP, Emma's House was released in late 1988, but it was with their 2nd single Sensitive that they first received significant critical attention with a subsequent placing in John Peel's 1989 Festive 50.
Over a three year career the band were often dogged with the reputation of having a post C86 indie pop or generic Sarah Records sound despite producing tracks with numerous styles and influences. Early singles and even their sleeves harked back to early Factory Records bands such as New Order and The Wake, with many tracks often featuring sequencers and samples. Many of the group's recordings, notably Triangle and their epic seven-minute swan song, Missing the Moon, displayed a strong influence from the popular dance music of the time. Most of the group's records were produced by Ian Catt, who later went on to perfect the pop dance sound of Missing The Moon with Saint Etienne and many other British bands of the early to mid 1990s.
A double-album compilation of the long-deleted Field Mice releases, Where'd You Learn To Kiss That Way?, was released in 1998 on the Shinkansen label and sold more copies than any Field Mice record ever sold at the time. Their entire back catalogue was reissued on CD for the first time by LTM Records in 2005.
A Wrong Turn and Raindrops
The Field Mice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
London Bridge before
Catching the last train home,
The last train home.
Sharing spring
Evening kisses taking
Pictures, throwing stones,
The nightingale and the rose.
I've never been more lonesome,
Life's never been less fun.
She's no longer here--
She's gone.
Empty station, a wrong turn and raindrops, swinging
Her around as the sun goes down,
As the sun goes down.
Of her perfumed,
Her perfumed body, oiled
The bedclothes smell,
The bedclothes smell.
And I'm sleeping well.
I've never been more lonesome,
Life's never been less fun.
She's no longer here--
She's gone.
She's no longer here--
She's gone.
The Field Mice's song "A Wrong Turn and Raindrops" is a poignant depiction of a heartbroken individual's struggle to come to terms with the loss of a significant other. The song starts with the singer killing time on London Bridge before the last train home, which sets the tone for the melancholic theme that runs through the song. The lyrics further describe memories of spring evenings spent with his lover, taking pictures, and throwing stones. The nightingale and the rose become a metaphor for the transience of life and love. The singer realizes how alone he feels now that his love is gone, and life has become less fun. The lyrics take a turn, centering on a wrong turn that led to an empty station with raindrops. Despite the gloomy weather, the singer reminisces about his lover's scent lingering on the bedclothes and how he is now sleeping well. The song concludes with a repetition of the stark reality that his love is gone.
The song is a representation of the dark side of love seen through the lens of nostalgia. It's a reminder that even the most beautiful moments in our lives are fleeting, leaving behind a trail of painful memories. The imagery used in the song is potent, in particular, the nightingale, and the rose act as a powerful metaphor. The nightingale is famous for its melodious songs, which fade away into the darkness. The rose, on the other hand, symbolizes a temporary beauty that will eventually wither and die, echoing the idea that all things come to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
Killing time on
London Bridge before
Catching the last train home,
Wasting time on a bridge in London before catching the final train home
The last train home.
Sharing spring
Evening kisses taking
Pictures, throwing stones,
The last train home. Spending a spring evening kissing, taking pictures, and throwing stones
Throwing stones.
The nightingale and the rose.
Throwing stones. The nightingale and the rose
I've never been more lonesome,
Life's never been less fun.
She's no longer here--
She's gone.
I've never been lonelier, I've never had less fun. She's not here anymore, she's gone.
Empty station, a wrong turn and raindrops, swinging
Her around as the sun goes down,
As the sun goes down.
An abandoned station, taking a wrong turn and getting caught in the rain. Swinging her around as the sun sets.
Of her perfumed,
Her perfumed body, oiled
The bedclothes smell,
The scent of her perfumed, oily body lingers on the bedclothes
The bedclothes smell.
And I'm sleeping well.
The bedclothes smell like her and I'm sleeping soundly
I've never been more lonesome,
Life's never been less fun.
She's no longer here--
She's gone.
She's no longer here--
She's gone.
I've never been lonelier, I've never had less fun. She's not here anymore, she's gone. She's no longer here, she's gone.
Contributed by Carson N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.