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.
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The Housemartins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can put it down to lack of sleep
But it's in my head to stay in bed
Tucked under the sheets
They said if you try to get on I'd get on
They said there were chances
But now my chance has gone
And I know what you think
What you think about me
Thoughts like that sink home
To you we're not deep
Now it may be a sad reflection
On the way young people feel
But early Monday morning
Is losing its appeal
I open my curtains at 7a.m.
Just so you think I'm up with the rest of the men
And I know what you think
What you think about me
Thoughts like that sink home
To you we're not deep
You'd do yourself a favor if you gave yourself a break
But that's one risk you'd never take
The evenings yours, the mornings mine
But don't knock me, I'm doing fine
You'd do yourself a favor if you gave yourself a rest
But just for now you know what's best
And I know what you think
What you think about me
Thoughts like that sink home
To you we're not deep
The Housemartins' song “We’re Not Deep” is a criticism of the ideology that one must work hard to succeed. The lyrics suggest that the singer is not interested in conforming to society’s expectations of him. Instead, the singer prefers to stay in bed rather than joining the rat race. He/she is fully aware of what others think of him/her and they are not bothered by it. The phrase “to you we’re not deep” is a direct response to the criticism he/she receives from others.
The singer suggests that society’s early-morning routines are mundane and unattractive. He/she also acknowledges that the grind of the workweek is draining: “early Monday morning is losing its appeal”. However, the singer seems to have found a balance in his/her life. He/she appreciates the mornings while others are at work, and the evenings belong to him/her.
Overall, the lyrics in “We’re Not Deep” are a commentary on the pressures society places on individuals to work hard and achieve material success. The singer rejects this ideology and chooses to live life on his own terms.
Line by Line Meaning
You can put it down to lack of patience
My lack of patience may be the reason for my behavior
You can put it down to lack of sleep
My lack of sleep may be the reason for my behavior
But it's in my head to stay in bed
I feel like staying in bed and I can't get the thought out of my head
Tucked under the sheets
I am comfortable and cozy under the sheets
They said if you try to get on I'd get on
People told me that if I tried hard, I could achieve my goals
They said there were chances
They gave me hope that there were opportunities available to me
But now my chance has gone
But unfortunately, I missed my chance
And I know what you think
I am aware of what you think about me
What you think about me
Your thoughts about me
Thoughts like that sink home
Your thoughts affect me deeply
To you we're not deep
You don't think of us as complex or profound individuals
Now it may be a sad reflection
This may be a negative observation
On the way young people feel
About the way young people perceive the world
But early Monday morning
On Monday mornings
Is losing its appeal
Is becoming less attractive to me
I open my curtains at 7a.m.
I make it look like I wake up early
Just so you think I'm up with the rest of the men
So that you don't think I'm lazy or unproductive
You'd do yourself a favor if you gave yourself a break
You would benefit from taking a break and relaxing a bit
But that's one risk you'd never take
But you are not willing to take that risk
The evenings yours, the mornings mine
I choose to stay up late and wake up late
But don't knock me, I'm doing fine
Please don't criticize me, I am doing well
You'd do yourself a favor if you gave yourself a rest
You would benefit from taking some time off to relax
But just for now you know what's best
But for the time being, you know what is best for you
And I know what you think
I am aware of what you think about me
What you think about me
Your thoughts about me
Thoughts like that sink home
Your thoughts affect me deeply
To you we're not deep
You don't see us as complex or profound individuals
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IAN PETER CULLIMORE, PAUL HEATON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joebaumgart1146
Love The Housemartins
@maoaflo
love it
@gaieta2
❤❤❤
@dannffc
The only video i've seen on YouTube with NO do dislikes - 5/10/19 - Love Housemartins
@robinbowie8093
6/18/20, still nothing
@elorn9566
@@robinbowie8093 24/09/2021 two dislikes. Probably misses
@slacker37
There were two things that resulted in the world becoming a worse place. One was Joe Strummer dying, the other was the Housemartins disbanding.