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.
We're Not Going Back
The Housemartins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
An empty stomach and a tear-stained face
Do you remember how it used to be?
The walking dead in the factory
I won't talk because
It's not as it was
You don't want the sack
Then don't doff your cap
{we are not going back} don't back pedal down a broken track
{we are not going back} "I'm alright jack" is an easy trap
{we are not going back} no more need for wearing all black
{we are not going back} "I'm alright jack" is an easy trap
Do you remember the dail pain
Of walking arouhnd with a ball and chain?
Do you recall when it was hard buyt fair?
You got your share on a line of a prayer.
Please put in my box
Some money for socks
Don't turn back the clocks
It's not as it was
{we are not going back} don't back pedal down a broken track
{we are not going back} "I'm alright jack" is an easy trap
{we are not going back} no more need for wearing all black
{we are not going back} "I'm alright jack" is an easy trap
The Housemartins song, We're Not Going Back, reflects the struggles of the working class in the UK during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The lyrics speak of hardships and inequality that workers faced in factories and mines. The opening lines, "Do you remember the good old days? An empty stomach and a tear-stained face," paint a picture of a time when people were struggling to make ends meet, living with the daily pain of poverty.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of defiance against the system that keeps people trapped in poverty. The lines, "Don't back pedal down a broken track" and "I'm alright jack is an easy trap" speak to this defiance. Despite the challenges faced, the singer of the song is determined not to give up and not to go back to the way things were.
The song also touches on themes of solidarity and unity. The line, "Please put in my box some money for socks," suggests that everyone is in the same boat, and we need to support each other to get through tough times. The chorus, "We are not going back," is a rallying cry for people to come together and fight for a better future.
Overall, the Housemartins song, We're Not Going Back, is a powerful anthem for working-class struggles and the fight for a more equitable society. Its lyrics speak to the struggles of the past, but also to the ongoing fight for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you remember the good old days?
Do you recall a time when things were better?
An empty stomach and a tear-stained face
A memory of being poor and struggling to survive.
Do you remember how it used to be?
A question to remind us of how things used to be.
The walking dead in the factory
The memory of working in a soul-crushing job that drains all your energy.
I won't talk because
I will remain silent because...
It's not as it was
Things have changed and are not the same as they were.
You don't want the sack
You don't want to lose your job.
Then don't doff your cap
Don't act subservient or obedient to your boss.
{we are not going back} don't back pedal down a broken track
We should not regress or make the same mistakes we made in the past.
{we are not going back} "I'm alright jack" is an easy trap
The temptation of only caring about oneself without regard for others is a dangerous trap that should be avoided.
{we are not going back} no more need for wearing all black
Referring to the traditional black clothes worn by the working class in the industrial era.
{we are not going back} "I'm alright jack" is an easy trap
A repetition of the previous warning to avoid only concerning oneself with personal comfort and well-being.
Do you remember the daily pain
Do you recall the struggle and hardships faced in daily life?
Of walking around with a ball and chain?
The metaphorical burden of inequality and oppression.
Do you recall when it was hard but fair?
A question asking if the past was difficult but just.
You got your share on a line of a prayer.
A reference to the belief in religion as a means of hope and comfort in difficult times.
Please put in my box
A request to be given something.
Some money for socks
The specific request for money to buy socks.
Don't turn back the clocks
Do not revert to the past and its ways.
It's not as it was
A reminder that things are not the way they used to be.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IAN PETER CULLIMORE, PAUL HEATON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sandi Wood
Oh man this band is just the greatest...........there isn't a single song they recorded that I didn't love.
Graham
Totally agree. Been into a few bands but never enjoyed any of them as much as The Housemartins. A great time to be young
karla malcolm
I loved the Housemartins so much then, and I think alllll of their music totally holds up. Never stopped listening
Paul Richardson
Such an underrated band 🤔 Paul Heaton at his best in my opinion ✅️
Great sound & lyrics & I'm a massive fan of all his work 🙌 ❤️
pursey2
Fantastic song!
clburillo71
una de las mejores canciones que he escuchado
The Onex
The best song of the 80's Brit Pop!
Black Pigeon Speaks
A classic to be sure.
unbroken1010
And now we are right back.. Hold your ground people
Ben Duffy
This song fucking slaps. That is all.