That single has been included in numerous multi-artist compilation albums and continues to receive major airplay to this day. Other hits include "Red Skies" (also known as "Red Skies (at Night)"), "Stand or Fall", "Saved by Zero", and "Are We Ourselves?". Interestingly, the group is one of the few British artists to have enjoyed significant success outside their country of origin while remaining mostly unknown in their home land, a trait which the Fixx shares with fellow new wave rockers The Outfield and Naked Eyes.
The Fixx regularly tour the U.S., they and recently celebrated a solid twenty-five years of making music together. Curnin, West-Oram, Greenall and Woods are now joined by bassist Gary Tibbs (formerly of Roxy Music, The Vibrators, Adam & The Ants). Cy Curnin can often be found on stage with a glass of wine in his right hand and an egg shaker in the left.
England's the Fixx has always been heralded as one of the most innovative and unique bands to come out of the MTV era. The group's lyrics and melodies are artistic statements of darkness and light, painting aural soundscapes that are cerebral, yet touch the heart. The Fixx's themes are complex, often introspective and thought-provoking, and yet the band's musical legacy has appealed to the masses with three No. 1 hits, five Top-5 hits, a dozen Top-10 hits, millions of albums sold worldwide, and countless sold-out tours.
The Fixx's sound is instantly recognizable. Songs like "One Thing Leads to Another" and "Red Skies (at Night)" remain staples, not just with classic rock radio stations, but on modern-rock formats that have helped break new wave-inspired acts a quarter of a century later.
It is rare for audiences to experience a band that has been together for 25 years. The Fixx were - and still are - Cy Curnin on lead vocals, guitarist Jamie West-Oram, keyboardist Rupert Greenall and drummer Adam Woods, and they bring this unique experience and perspective into the studio and on the road as the Fixx continue making innovative music.
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The band has retained their original lineup since first signing with MCA Records in 1981 and releasing their debut album, Shuttered Room, a few months later. It was the first of five MCA albums containing some of the most original and defining music of the decade. The LP produced two huge hits, "Red Skies" and "Stand Or Fall." Audiences connected with a band that had both style AND substance. The album spent an entire year on the Billboard Hot 100, earning the band their first Gold record.
In 1983, the band released Reach The Beach, their ground-breaking, double-platinum album which included the smash hits "One Thing Leads To Another" and "Saved by Zero." An extensive North American tour opening for The Police earned the Fixx critical acclaim and lifelong fans for their captivating performances.
The band continued with a string of top-selling albums. Phantoms, in 1984, included the hit song "Are We Ourselves," and in 1986, Walkabout produced the hit single "Secret Separation." Another hit on Billboard Magazine's Hot Club Play chart was "Deeper and Deeper" from the soundtrack to the Walter Hill film Streets of Fire.
In 1987 the band departed MCA for RCA Records and Calm Animals, showcased their second No. 1 rock track, "Driven Out," which became Billboard's ..4 Most Played Rock Track of the Year.
At the end of the decade, MCA released a greatest hits package titled One Thing Leads To Another, which has sold more than two million copies.
The '90s represented a turning point in music, and in the Fixx. Ink, released in 1991, showcased themes of struggle, and the song "How Much is Enough?" climbed to No. 10 on the Modern Rock chart. But other melodic and introspective ballads failed to find a place in the then-burgeoning grunge scene.
The band members spent some time apart, to raise families, pursue other interests, and to let the musical world decide where it was going. But there was never any thought of retirement. After the band's hiatus, The Ultimate Fixx Collection was released, showcasing the trademark FIXX sound - ethereal keyboards, an inventive rhythm section, passionate vocals and shattering guitar work - a sound that has produced a variety of memorable hits which remain significant today.
The band returned to the studio for CMC International Records. Elemental, released in 1998, marked a new, contemporary evolution in the group's history, blending the familiar FIXX sound with a fresh, modern feel. It showcased the band's signature rock sound with songs such as "Two Different Views" and "We Once Held Hands." With Elemental, the Fixx reclaimed their place in pop culture. Their creative energy and spirit renewed, the recording sessions yielded too many songs for just one CD, and later a second collection was released entitled Happy Landings and Lost Tracks, including "Mayfly" and "Freeman."
The wonderful acoustic 1011 Woodland, from 1999, was the other CMC release, and featured many of the band's favorite tunes, including "Woman on a Train" and "Cameras in Paris."
The group's unstoppable creative drive bore the 2003 release Want That Life on Rainman Records. Produced by their late collaborator and motivator Martin Rex, and with bassist Gary Tibbs, completing the line-up, it became The Fixx's eighth studio album and featured the haunting and thought-provoking "Touch" and "Are You Satisfied?"
It is the band's unmistakable sound and relevant, accessible songs that keep the Fixx unique among the thousands of artists that fill the airwaves. In concert, the band delivers that same sonic authenticity because they are the genuine article, the real deal. Concert-goers, whether Fixxtures (longtime fans) or those experiencing the Fixx for the first time, are thrilled by the band's dynamic stage presence and trademark sound.
Having celebrated their 25th anniversary with a DVD made by fans, and the imminent release of new songs, the band once again proves that they are constantly evolving, seeking new heights. In March of this year, the band reconvened in London with bassist Dan K. Brown, much to the delight of long-time Fixxtures.
The Fixx, with their combination of classic hits and innovative new music, continues to excite and inspire - both live and on record.
See: http://www.thefixx.com/
Liner
The Fixx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was a bet destined to lose
Across the waves, what was he thinking?
Sea shore, he had a wet foot in the sand
He was holding U.N. plans,
Across the waves. what was he thinking?
All aboard before the storm
They've never seer a place like this before
And with colonial attitude
They took the chance for repossession
Grey skies there were no palm trees in the wind
And when a saint starts hiding sins
It's all aboard whilst peace is sinking
All aboard before the storm
Crossing swords before the dawn
Seen before, back in an infant's dream
Like a rubber duck, floating in the bath
So I sailed away on their time, Liner!
Taking young lives in their prime, Liner!
Harbor, I saw a flag waving goodbye
I saw a soldier's baby cry
What's it all for, that's what I'm thinking
Inside, I must he lacking true insight
Because I always sleep at night
Across the waves whilst men are .
All aboard before the storm
Crossing swords before the dawn
Seen before back in an infant's dream
Like a rubber duck, floating in the bath
So I sailed away on their time, Liner!
Taking young lives in their prime, Liner!
Liner! To a distant shore
All Aboard before the storm
In the song "Liner" by The Fixx, the lyrics describe a fantasy sea cruise where the main character takes a bet that is destined to lose. He finds himself on a boat holding U.N. plans, wondering what he was thinking as he crosses the waves. When they arrive at an island in a forgotten latitude, they encounter a colonial attitude and take a chance for repossession. However, grey skies and no palm trees signify that this is not the paradise they expected. As they sail away, the main character witnesses a soldier's baby crying as they leave the harbor, wondering what it was all for and why he is lacking true insight.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of questioning and loss of innocence. The main character takes a chance on this cruise, but it ultimately leads to disappointment and a loss of clarity. The lyrics also touch on themes of colonialism, greed, and war, with the U.N. plans and the soldier's baby representing larger political issues. The line "crossing swords before the dawn" also alludes to conflict and the need for resolution.
Line by Line Meaning
Liner, it was a fantasy sea cruise
The Liner was a make-believe sea voyage
It was a bet destined to lose
The gamble of the Liner's journey was doomed from the start
Across the waves, what was he thinking?
The ship's captain made questionable decisions for the voyage
Sea shore, he had a wet foot in the sand
The captain was careless and negligent while on land
He was holding U.N. plans,
The captain was carrying important United Nations documents
All aboard before the storm
Everyone needed to board the ship quickly before a looming storm hit
They've never seen a place like this before
The passengers on the Liner were in unfamiliar territory
Island in a forgotten latitude
The Liner arrived at a remote island in an unknown location
And with colonial attitude
The passengers and crew had a mindset of entitlement and domination
They took the chance for repossession
The colonial mindset led them to claim the island as their own
Grey skies there were no palm trees in the wind
The island was not the idyllic tropical paradise they imagined
And when a saint starts hiding sins
Even those who are perceived as good can be corrupted by power
It's all aboard whilst peace is sinking
The Liner continued on its journey despite the loss of peace and morality
Crossing swords before the dawn
Conflict and violence began even before the sun rose
Seen before back in an infant's dream
The violence and chaos of the Liner's journey was reminiscent of the nightmares of childhood
Like a rubber duck, floating in the bath
The Liner's journey seemed pointless and insignificant, like a child's toy in a bathtub
So I sailed away on their time, Liner!
The artist was forced to participate in the journey of the doomed Liner
Taking young lives in their prime, Liner!
The Liner's journey resulted in the tragic loss of youthful lives
Harbor, I saw a flag waving goodbye
The singer witnessed the departure of a ship from the safety of harbor
I saw a soldier's baby cry
The artist witnessed the human cost of war and conflict
What's it all for, that's what I'm thinking
The artist questions the purpose of the violence and chaos they witnessed
Inside, I must be lacking true insight
The artist doubts their own understanding of the situation
Because I always sleep at night
The singer is able to sleep peacefully despite the violence and conflict they witnessed
Across the waves whilst men are .
The Liner continued on its journey despite the suffering and loss of life it caused
Liner! To a distant shore
The Liner sailed towards an unknown and distant destination
All Aboard before the storm
Everyone needed to board the ship quickly before a looming storm hit
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ADAM WOODS, ALFRED AGIUS, CYRIL CURNIN, JAMES WEST-ORAM, PETER GREENALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Scott O
All the songs from this band are beyond awesome! This is one of my favorite bands EVER!
Berlin Saint Clair
My fave track on the whole album...
Sounds like a square trying to be circle!
R.I.P. Rupert Hine
Andrew JS
Good description.
fmascare6
I was fortunate enough to have been a fan since the 80s. They have a lyrical depth and musical texture that was rare in their time, and nearly non-existent today.
John Boy
So true, one of my all time favorite bands.....saw them again just this summer and they still sound great!You should see them if you get a chance...you won't be disappointed...Cy is one of the most underrated vocalist out there.......I think he has the best live voice that I ever heard...IMHO
Roy Jones
the bass line on this song is AMAZING!!
Dana Horton
the tuba bass line on the keyboards just adds to it
George Fulmer
I listen to this song 20 times (at least) a year just for that, this is a bass clinic in one song
differentgroove1
I agree ! Hard driven for real !!
Eduardo Bordona
The Fixx. ..One of the 80s fresh & greatest pop bands "Liner" "Red skies" Secret separation" "driven out'"......such a great and beautiful songs.