Beginning as a big-haired, black-clad garage punk outfit and soon morphing … Read Full Bio ↴Beginning as a big-haired, black-clad garage punk outfit and soon morphing into something more experimental, the Horrors featured singer Faris Badwan, bassist Tom Furse, guitarist Joshua Hayward, drummer Joe Spurgeon, and keyboardist Rhys Webb. The Horrors formed in the summer of 2005 and quickly gained notoriety around London for their look, sound, and brief but frantic live shows. Loog soon signed them, and the Horrors released their official debut single, "Sheena Is a Parasite/Jack the Ripper," in spring 2006. That summer the Horrors released their second single, Death at the Chapel. They also reissued "Sheena Is a Parasite" as a limited-edition DVD single. The song's startling video was directed by Chris Cunningham and featured actress Samantha Morton as Sheena. Late that summer, the band signed to Stolen Transmission in the U.S. and released a self-titled EP that fall. They also issued the Count in Fives single in the U.K. around that time.

The Gloves single arrived early in 2007, heralding the release of the Horrors' full-length debut, Strange House, which arrived in the U.K. that March and in the U.S. in May. In 2008, Webb and Furse formed the analog synth project Spider & the Flies, and released the album Something Clockwork This Way Comes. For 2009's Primary Colours, the band worked with Cunningham and Portishead's Geoff Barrow as co-producers, opting for a very different sound that mixed shoegaze, post-punk, and goth; the album was released by XL that spring and earned several critical raves, including NME's Album of the Year. In between albums, Badwan teamed with Canadian opera singer Rachel Zeffira for the hazy pop project Cat's Eyes, which released its self-titled debut in early 2011. The Horrors self-produced their follow-up, 2011's Skying, which featured a lighter yet still atmospheric sound that drew comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and the Psychedelic Furs. In 2012, they released the remix companion album Higher and embarked on an extensive tour. In 2013, they began recording new material with producer Craig Silvey. Early the following year, the single "I See You" reflected the more expansive direction of their fourth album, Luminous, which arrived in May 2014. The Horrors began work on their next full-length with Paul Epworth at London's Church Studios in 2015, and forged a darker, rawer yet still danceable sound that borrowed from '80s post-punk, synth-pop, and '90s dance. The result was V, which arrived in September 2017.

Biography by Heather Phares

There are other artists with the same name:

2) A garage rock/punk band from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which formed in 1997 and broke up in 2003. They released two albums, The Horrors (2000) and Vent (2003). Singer/guitarist Paul Cary recently released his debut album, Ghost of a Man, on Candy Dinner Records in 2010.

3) An American psychedelic rock group active in the 1960s, best known for their single "Briar Patch".

For much more information, go to the band's official forum, "The Horum", and official Myspace.

I Can't Control Myself
The Horrors Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Across the pathless sands
Through jungle, blind I run
No guide taken in hand
And no idea where to turn

No sanctuary found
I tear myself in two
I pray for scarlet fields to save me

Whole and white and pure

I can't control myself
Lend one of your hands 'cause I
I can't control myself

I dream of lost desires
Fingers run through fur
I drive myself insane
The rain cascades onto the dirt

And in the throes of love
Where the shadows burst in flames
I cast myself abandoned
With a cry I call your name

I can't control myself
I try and I try but I
I can't control myself

I can't control myself
Lend one of your hands 'cause I
I can't control myself
Or hold myself in though I try

I can't control myself

Deliver me from the fire
I can't control myself

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Horrors' song I Can't Control Myself describe a sense of being lost and lacking direction. The imagery of running through a pathless jungle and tearing oneself in two highlights the confusion and desperation of trying to find a way out of a difficult situation. The plea for "scarlet fields to save me / Whole and white and pure" suggests a desire for simplicity and purity in a world that seems overwhelming.

The second verse introduces a theme of desire and obsession, with the singer dreaming of "lost desires" and becoming "insane" with longing. The rain and flames add to the intensity of the emotions being described. The reference to "casting oneself abandoned" suggests a willingness to give in to these feelings even if it means being alone.

Despite the repeated admission of "I can't control myself," the singer continues to try and hold back their desires, but ultimately recognizes that they need help: "Lend one of your hands 'cause I / I can't control myself / Or hold myself in though I try...Deliver me from the fire."

Overall, the lyrics of I Can't Control Myself convey a sense of being overwhelmed and in need of assistance. The imagery of being lost in a jungle and rain-soaked dirt reveals a sense of confusion and despair, while the theme of desire and obsession adds a layer of intensity.

Line by Line Meaning

Across the pathless sands
I am lost and wandering aimlessly without direction.

Through jungle, blind I run
I am blindly trying to find my way out of a confusing and complex situation.

No guide taken in hand
I have no help or support to guide me through my struggles.

And no idea where to turn
I am completely directionless and without a plan.

No sanctuary found
I am unable to find any safe haven or refuge.

I tear myself in two
I am struggling within myself and feel like I am being pulled in opposite directions.

I pray for scarlet fields to save me
I hope for something pure and perfect to rescue me from my troubles.

Whole and white and pure
I want to be saved and transformed into something new and untainted.

I can't control myself
I feel powerless and out of control, unable to manage my emotions or actions.

Lend one of your hands 'cause I
I am asking for help and support from someone else.

I dream of lost desires
I have past aspirations and longings that remain unfulfilled.

Fingers run through fur
I have a sensual and tactile need for pleasure and physical sensation.

I drive myself insane
My thoughts and emotions are overwhelming me and causing me to feel crazy.

The rain cascades onto the dirt
I am using imagery of nature to convey feelings of sadness and despair.

And in the throes of love
I am deeply in love and experiencing intense emotions.

Where the shadows burst in flames
Even in the midst of passion, there is a darkness or danger lurking.

I cast myself abandoned
I am surrendering completely to my feelings and letting go of all control.

With a cry I call your name
I am calling out to someone for help and comfort.

Or hold myself in though I try
I am unsuccessfully attempting to restrain myself from giving into impulses.

Deliver me from the fire
I am pleading for someone to rescue me from my own passionate and uncontrollable emotions.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: FARIS BADWAN, JOSEPH SPURGEON, JOSHUA HAYWARD, RHYS WEBB, TOM COWAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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