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.
OFFICIAL MYSPACE PRESS RELEASE: http://www.myspace.com/thefixx
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/
Subterranean
The Fixx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Work and play, live and die in corridors
People are turning subterranean
And digging in, digging in for the fall
There's a flag arms to call a nation
Make the break from school to dole queue
People are turning radioactive
Come on
Let's escape this cold world comfort
Make the break, I'll meet you on the surface
Let's escape this cold world comfort
Make the break, I'll meet you on the surface
Way on up
There's a mood but no legislation
No guarantee it's a tabloid reality
People are making good connections
Write, write, write it up for us all
Come on
Let's escape this cold war comfort
Make the break, I'll meet you on the surface
Let's escape this cold war comfort
Make the break, I'll meet you on the surface
Way, way on up
Way on up
No more cold subterranean
No more cold at all
Lock the door
Let's escape this cold war comfort
Make the break, I'll meet you on the surface
Let's escape this cold war comfort
Make the break, I'll meet you on the surface
Way, way on up
The Fixx's song "Subterranean" is a commentary on the suffocating, monotonous nature of modern society. The opening lines, "There's a clash of tunnel vision, Work and play, live and die in corridors" suggest that people are trapped in a kind of tunnel vision, going through the motions of daily life without really living. The repetition of "digging in" and "making good connections" further emphasize the idea of people being trapped, both physically and socially. The mention of a "tabloid reality" suggests that people are being fed a distorted view of the world, which contributes to their sense of hopelessness and disillusionment.
The chorus, "Let's escape this cold war comfort, Make the break, I'll meet you on the surface," indicates that the singer wants to break free of this suffocating existence and find a way to truly live. The use of the phrase "cold war comfort" suggests that people have become comfortable with this way of life, even though it is ultimately unsatisfying. The repeated "way, way on up" at the end of the song suggests that the singer wants to rise above this way of life and reach something better.
Overall, "Subterranean" is a powerful commentary on the state of society and the need for individuals to break free from the constraints placed upon them.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a clash of tunnel vision
There is a conflict of narrow-mindedness and lack of perspective
Work and play, live and die in corridors
Life is confined to repetitive routines and lacks spontaneity
People are turning subterranean
Individuals are becoming trapped or isolated from society
And digging in, digging in for the fall
Preparing themselves for a negative outcome or failure
There's a flag arms to call a nation
A symbol to rally and unite people behind a specific cause or belief
Make the break from school to dole queue
Transitioning from education to unemployment or poverty
People are turning radioactive
Becoming dangerous or toxic to others around them
Beep beep the sensor beeps it out.
The warning signs are present but often ignored
Come on
Encouragement to take action and make a change
Let's escape this cold world comfort
Breaking free from the mundane and predictable
Make the break, I'll meet you on the surface
Emphasizing the need to leave behind the negative and reach for something more fulfilling
There's a mood but no legislation
A feeling or trend exists but there are no official laws or regulations surrounding it
No guarantee it's a tabloid reality
Not everything reported in the media is necessarily true or accurate
People are making good connections
Forming positive relationships with others
Write, write, write it up for us all
Documenting the positive experiences and spreading them to others
No more cold subterranean
Leaving behind the negative and isolating aspects of life
No more cold at all
Complete freedom from negative and oppressive situations
Lock the door
Sealing off the negative aspects of life and moving forward
Way on up
Striving for something better and more fulfilling in life
Way, way on up
Emphasizing the need to reach for the stars and never settle for less
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ADAM TERENCE WOODS, CYRIL JOHN CURNIN, DANIEL KINGSMILL BROWN, JAMES WEST ORAM, PETER JOHN GREENALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vìölėt Råvn
Well, look who it is. I just want to say Now, that I was distinctly and deliberately NOT stalking you today, which I'm not very good at because you show up everywhen. In fact, this is time travel, we haven't even met yet.
I'm off to the Underworld, for the Equinox. Maybe I'll bring you back water from the Phlegathon, or find the centaur in the 7th circle. Or maybe I'll find the Lethe and forget.
Figured I'd listen to this first as a good luck charm, and my lucky card and corvid is here too.
I'll meet you on the surface (so we can play cake or death).
Do you still have the $50?
Don't pay Charon with it.
Serapis
I'm sure Spring-breaker's were thinking, "Oh my god, these guys ROCK! Why the hell are they not played on the radio more?" Ah, Calm Animals... I saw them on this tour. It was absolutely mind-blowing. Another completely over-looked album was "Element." I can listen to it over and over and over. What a incredible band. Absolutely incredible. I got the chance to say that to them once. We were hanging out back stage. I said, "Thank you. Your songs have really put my feelings to music."
Daniel Marquis
This is a perfect example of WHY The Fixx are such a GREAT LIVE BAND!!! The Fixx are in my top five favorite bands of all time. Unfortunately, I was only six when they came out with "Reach the Beach," but appreciate how much more sophisticated they were compared to their New Wave counterparts at the time. I'm not going to lie, 80's Music Rules.
Also, Subterranean is one of my favorite Fixx Songs. The keyboards and guitar are my favorite sections of the song. Of course, Cy Curnin has a great voice and is an AWESOME Frontman. His lyrics are INCREDIBLY SMART!!!
22ndWave
Holy crap! Jamie at 1:23! That is how you PLAY a guitar. Music is putty in his hands and 2:19... What can be said. Rupert knows his keys. Lives and breathes the synthesizer. These guys are sooo good and their videos don't have nearly enough views!
Nelson Patino
The Fixx was an incredible New Wave Rock Band in the 80's! I still listen to them today. They will always be a Great Rock Band. Long live The Fixx!!!
chad boula
... I've played , listened to guitar for 40 yrs . ...Jamie is one of the best rhythm guitar players in rock history. There are many great artists , bands who get ,have gotten little or no airtime ..besides the Fixx , Conjure One , Balligomingo , are just 2 of them ...play on
Zero Channel Zero
Damn! Back then and to this day, one of the best live bands I've ever seen. Each one of them is spot on, and Cy is one of the few vocalists who pulls off live everything he did on the album AND MORE. I had the thrill of meeting them all after the show (very cool, approachable cats). All I had for them to autograph was a $50 bill I had. Got all their signatures. As I left, Cy yelled not to spend it all in one place XD
Vìölėt Råvn
Well, look who it is. I just want to say Now, that I was distinctly and deliberately NOT stalking you today, which I'm not very good at because you show up everywhen. In fact, this is time travel, we haven't even met yet.
I'm off to the Underworld, for the Equinox. Maybe I'll bring you back water from the Phlegathon, or find the centaur in the 7th circle. Or maybe I'll find the Lethe and forget.
Figured I'd listen to this first as a good luck charm, and my lucky card and corvid is here too.
I'll meet you on the surface (so we can play cake or death).
Do you still have the $50?
Don't pay Charon with it.
Stacey Carmody
That's awesome that you met them, and what Cy said, LOL! They do have that witty, dry British sense of humor!
Chris Murphy
Amen. Dig more up from this show if you have it. They sound great. Outdoor shows do these guys justice. They can crank it up a few notches. They sound very tight still.
C Murp
I've seen the Fixx about 5 times over the last 10 years but never in an outside venue like this where they can turn up their volume. This sounds so much like the album cut that it's scary. Having seen them so much, you get a real appreciation for their great musicianship and how they seriously they take their craft.