At its formation the band consisted of Paul Heaton (vocals), Stan Cullimore (guitar), Ted Key (bass) and Chris Lang (drums). The band's membership changed frequently throughout its existence. Ted Key was replaced by Norman Cook (who later became internationally famous as big beat musician Fatboy Slim) and drummer Chris Lang was replaced by Hugh Whitaker, former drummer with The Gargoyles, who in turn was replaced with Dave Hemingway. The band split in 1988.
The band often referred to themselves as "the 4th best band in Hull," referring to Kingston upon Hull, the city in England where the band formed in 1983. (The three bands that were "better" were Red Guitars, Everything but the Girl, and The Gargoyles.)
In 1986, the band broke through with the single Happy Hour, which reached No. 3 in the UK charts helped by a claymation animated pop promo of a type that was in vogue at the time. At the end of the same year, they had a No. 1 single with a cover version of Isley Jasper Isley's Caravan of Love.
The band released three albums: London 0 Hull 4, The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death, and the greatest bits compilation Now That's What I Call Quite Good. A new collection, Best of the Housemartins, was released in 2004, and was available in a expanded edition with a DVD collecting their music video clips.
The Housemartins lyrics were an odd mixture of Marxist politics and born-again Christianity, reflecting Paul Heaton's beliefs at the time.
The band split in 1988, but the members have since remained friends and worked on each other's projects. Norman Cook has enjoyed significant success with both Beats International and then as Fatboy Slim, while Heaton, Hemingway and roadie Sean Welch formed The Beautiful South. Stan Cullimore has become an author of children's books. Despite repeated requests from fans, they have never reformed.
In 1993, former drummer Hugh Whitaker was convicted of assault after attacking his business partner James Hewitt with an axe. Whitaker was subsequently released from prison and now resides in Leeds, where he occasionally drums with local band Percy. Whitaker is also a member of The Malkies fronted by Alistair Hulett.
Build
The Housemartins Lyrics
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Housemartins
Now That's What I Call Quite Good...
Clambering men in big bad boots
Dug up my den, dug up my roots.
Treated us like plasticine town
They build us up and knocked us down.
From Meccano to Legoland,
Here they come with a brick in their hand,
Men with heads filled up with sand,
It's build.
Chorus:
It's build a house where we can stay,
Add a new bit everyday.
It's build a road for us to cross,
Build us lots and lots and lots and lots.
Whistling men in yellow vans
They came and drew us diagrams.
Showed us how it all worked out
And wrote it down in case of doubt.
Slow, slow, quick, quick, quick,
It's wall to wall and brick to brick,
They work so fast it makes you sick,
It's build.
Chorus.
Down with sticks and up with bricks,
In with boots and up with roots,
It's in with suits and new recruits,
It's build...
The Housemartins' song Build, taken from their album Now That's What I Call Quite Good..., is a political protest song that expresses the band's anger towards the destruction of traditional communities and their replacement by soulless modern architecture. The lyrics refer to the act of building, but the tone is ironic, highlighting how building is portrayed as a positive force in society, even when it destroys established communities.
The song opens with the lines "Clambering men in big bad boots, Dug up my den, dug up my roots." By describing the builders as "clambering" and "big bad boots," the song paints them as insensitive and aggressive. The image of them "digging up roots" reinforces this idea, suggesting that they are destroying organic, traditional ways of life. The second verse describes the builders as having "heads filled up with sand," suggesting that they are short-sighted and ignorant.
The chorus repeats the phrase "It's build" several times, emphasizing that the building process is ongoing and never-ending. The song also speaks to the vastness of the destruction, with lines like "It's build us lots and lots and lots and lots." The final verse shifts from destruction to creation, suggesting that the old ways of life can be rebuilt, but only through a rejection of modernity and an embrace of traditional values.
Line by Line Meaning
Clambering men in big bad boots
The construction workers, with their rough and heavy attire, were carelessly accessing and removing things from the singer's residence.
Dug up my den, dug up my roots.
The people involved in the renovation project had disturbed the singer's peace and altered their surroundings.
Treated us like plasticine town
The construction workers treated the place like a cheap, insignificant piece of architecture that was easy to mold and bend.
They build us up and knocked us down.
As the workers were building and improving the place, the same place was also being destroyed and leveled by them.
From Meccano to Legoland,
From a toy construction set brand to a toy town in Denmark, which is known for its colorful and unique architecture. The songwriter is implying that the construction site is a reflection of a child's toy town or plaything.
Here they come with a brick in their hand,
The construction workers approached with the main building material in hand.
Men with heads filled up with sand,
The construction employees are oblivious to the negative impacts of their actions on the building's occupants and the environment.
It's build.
The workers continue to construct and revamp the architecture surrounding the artist despite any negative impacts.
Chorus:
The recurring theme throughout the song is building and constructing.
It's build a house where we can stay,
The construction workers are building a new house for the artist and fellow residents to live in.
Add a new bit every day.
The workers were making modifications to the construction site on a daily basis.
It's build a road for us to cross,
The workers have now extended the project beyond the construction site to accommodate the residents' need for transportation.
Build us lots and lots and lots and lots.
The workers were building continuously, and the multiple sorrows of the reiterated 'lots' emphasizes the sheer quantity of construction happening.
Whistling men in yellow vans,
The workers in their vehicles were joyfully motivated and bustling with energy, providing a positive outlook to their occupation.
They came and drew us diagrams.
The workers provided the residents with visual aids such as blueprints or schematic diagrams to explain what they were constructing.
Showed us how it all worked out
The workers weren't just informing the residents of the projects they were constructing but making them understand the process of creation as well.
And wrote it down in case of doubt.
The workers had documented everything for clarification purposes in the future.
Slow, slow, quick, quick, quick,
Despite all the motivation previously explained, the construction process was inefficient and sometimes time-consuming.
It's wall to wall and brick to brick,
The workers were making improvements by constructing and changing things in the most basic way possible.
They work so fast it makes you sick,
The construction workers' speed drastically increased, which took the observer by surprise.
It's build.
The workers' inclination towards construction is unchanged, and they continue to build and build.
Chorus.
The recurring theme of building and construction is reinforced.
Down with sticks and up with bricks,
The workers disposed of the outdated resources and began concentrating on brick constructions, which were deemed more reliable.
In with boots and up with roots,
People began to wear boots to provide more protection for their feet during challenging portions of the project. Additionally, people began working on the roots of trees, most likely to pave the way for necessary construction.
It's in with suits and new recruits,
The project was now employing well-dressed individuals and new recruits to complete a professional appearance.
It's build...
The inclination of construction continues with a gradual intensification of the sound of the word build.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IAN PETER CULLIMORE, PAUL HEATON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind