Following the group's formation in 1985, singles such as "I Could Be in Heaven", "Happy All the Time" and "Shimmer" established the band as a successful indie band but The Flatmates disbanded in April 1989 before releasing a proper studio album.
The group's core members were Martin Whitehead (guitar) and Debbie Haynes (vocals). Initially, the band also included Kath Beach (bass guitar) and Rocker (drums). Prior to recording their first single, Beach left the band and was replaced by Sarah Fletcher.
The line-up of Haynes, Whitehead, Fletcher and Rocker recorded the first two Flatmates singles, 1986's "I Could Be in Heaven" and 1987's "Happy All the Time", both Whitehead compositions. Rocker left the band prior to their third single, November 1987's "You're Gonna Cry", and was replaced by Joel O'Bierne. Ironically, "You're Gonna Cry" was a Rocker composition, the only A-side he would pen for the band.
"Shimmer", released in March 1988 as the fourth Flatmates single, was the band's biggest hit, produced by Chris Allison reaching No. 2 on the UK Indie Chart. Shortly after the single was released, Tim Rippington was added as a second guitarist. Bassist Fletcher then left The Flatmates prior to their fifth and final single "Heaven Knows". She was eventually replaced by Jackie Carrera; however it was Whitehead who played bass on "Heaven Knows", while Rippington handled all the guitar.
The group split up in 1989, with Carrera joining The Caretaker Race and Whitehead and O'Bierne forming The Sweet Young Things. Whitehead later formed the short-lived band Shrimptractor in 1992.
Two collections of Flatmates material have been released on CD, Love and Death (1989) and Potpourri (Hits, Mixes and Demos '85 - '89) (2005).
The group were reformed by Whitehead in 2013, featuring Lisa Bouvier on vocals, and released a single called "You Held My Heart" on Archdeacon of Pop Records. In August 2015, Bristol-based indie label Local Underground released a second new Flatmates single, featuring covers of "When You Were Mine" by Prince, and "Comedian" (originally titled "Comedienne") by Cinerama. The band’s first full studio album, “The Flatmates” was released in March 2020.
Shimmer
The Flatmates Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'cause you realize
nothing's meant to last
You're going way too fast
Count to ten, I'm turning back again
and my life has gone too fast
If your heart is going to crack,
fall apart like that
someone could keep this mess
No, you can't have it back
See me shimmer in the night
like a firefly, burning bright
shimmer, baby, shimmer
for your love
Well, I say
there's one more every day
But you think it doesn't pay
to treat you in that way
So you'll laugh it up and turn away,
Try to make the most of it
I see you'll never appreciate
the truth that is in play
See me shimmer in the night
like a firefly, burning bright
shimmer, baby, shimmer
for your love
See me shimmer in the night
like a firefly, burning bright
shimmer, baby, shimmer
for your love
On a night that's made for love,
look up to the stars above
There's one, they say, for everyone
that comes out when the day has gone
But there'll never be a star for you
because of what you put me through
no, there'll never be a star for you
'cause God knows what you put me through
See me shimmer in the night
like a firefly, burning bright
shimmer, baby, shimmer
for your love
See me shimmer in the night
like a firefly, burning bright
shimmer, baby, shimmer
for your love
for your love.
The Flatmates' Shimmer is a song that speaks to the fragility of relationships and how easily they can fall apart. The lyrics open with a warning, "Don't act surprised, 'cause you realize nothing's meant to last." The singer of the song is turning away from someone who wanted to come back into their life, but they're not sure whether it's the best idea. The lyrics express concern that this person is moving too quickly and they're not willing to explore the potential for something real. The singer decides to walk away to protect their heart from being "cracked" and "falling apart" again.
The chorus features the lines, "See me shimmer in the night - like a firefly burning bright - shimmer, baby, shimmer - for your love." Here the singer is saying that they will shine and stand apart from the person who broke them apart. They will live their life to the fullest and search for someone who's worth the effort. The bridge of the song is a reminder that love is something that's worth waiting for and that true love is worth fighting for.
In summary, Shimmer is a song about walking away from someone who has hurt you in pursuit of something more genuine. It's a warning to be cautious about moving too fast and to consider the consequences of your actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't act surprised
I am not surprised by your actions
'cause you realize
you already know what you're doing
nothing's meant to last
nothing is permanent
You're going way too fast
you're moving too quickly
Count to ten, I'm turning back again
I need to take a step back and reassess the situation
and my life has gone too fast
I feel like my life is passing me by
If your heart is going to crack,
if you're going to be vulnerable
fall apart like that
you might as well break down completely
Did you ever guess
did you ever imagine
someone could keep this mess
someone could handle this dysfunctional situation
No, you can't have it back
you can't take back what you've done
See me shimmer in the night
watch me shine in the darkness
like a firefly, burning bright
like a firefly glowing with beauty
shimmer, baby, shimmer
shine, baby, shine
for your love
to please you
Well, I say
my opinion is
there's one more every day
there are more like you every day
But you think it doesn't pay
but you believe it's not worthwhile
to treat you in that way
to handle you like that
So you'll laugh it up and turn away,
so you'll pretend it's a joke and walk away
Try to make the most of it
try to get the most out of the situation
I see you'll never appreciate
I see that you'll never understand
the truth that is in play
the reality of the situation
On a night that's made for love,
on a romantic night
look up to the stars above
gaze at the sky
There's one, they say, for everyone
they say there's a star for everyone
that comes out when the day has gone
that appears at night
But there'll never be a star for you
there will never be a star for you
because of what you put me through
because of the pain you caused me
no, there'll never be a star for you
there will never be a star for you
'cause God knows what you put me through
because God is aware of what you did to me
for your love.
to make you happy
Contributed by Wyatt D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
howard fuller
I still have this and a couple of other records by this band. Saw them live three times, the last being when one of the band walked off and quit. The others continued to perform to their credit. Sadly broke up just as they began breaking out.
Phil Huw Lewis
A shimmering indie classic..
James G
incredible track
Everton Forever
Absolutely pitch perfect indie pop...
colin johnson
long time no hear. Love this song
BuddhaBoy
Wondrous indie ...
colin johnson
first heard it on John Peel's show
Melvin Mainwaring
John peel record great pop record
steve hewitt
Fab !
Peter Healy
Love it!!