Beginning in 1987 in London, England, Bill Drummond (alias King Boy D) and Jimmy Cauty (alias Rockman Rock) released hip hop-inspired and sample-heavy records as The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu and, on one occasion (the British number one hit single "Doctorin' the Tardis"), as The Timelords. As The KLF, Drummond and Cauty pioneered the genres "stadium house" (rave music with a pop-rock production and sampled crowd noise) and "ambient house". The KLF released a series of international top-ten hits on their own KLF Communications record label, and became the highest internationally selling UK band of 1991. The duo also published a book, The Manual, and worked on a road movie called The White Room.
From the outset, they adopted the philosophy espoused by esoteric novels The Illuminatus! Trilogy, gaining notoriety for various anarchic situationist manifestations, including the defacement of billboard adverts, the posting of prominent cryptic advertisements in NME magazine and the mainstream press, and highly distinctive and unusual performances on Top of the Pops. Their most notorious performance was at the February 1992 Brit Awards, where they horrified the formal audience with a hardcore thrash version of "3 A.M. Eternal" (performed with the justifiably named Extreme Noise Terror) that also included Drummond spraying the crowd with blanks from an automatic rifle and the post-performance announcement, "The KLF have left the music industry." Topping their already extreme actions, Cauty and Drummond delivered the carcass of a dead sheep -- plus eight gallons of blood -- to the lobby of the hotel after-party. In May 1992 the duo deleted their entire back catalogue.
With The KLF's profits, Drummond and Cauty established the K Foundation and sought to subvert the art world, staging an alternative art award for the worst artist of the year and burning a million pounds sterling. Although Drummond and Cauty remained true to their word of May 1992—the KLF Communications catalogue remains deleted—they have released a small number of new tracks since then, as the K Foundation, The One World Orchestra and most recently, in 1997, as 2K. Cauty has provided remixing services for bands as diverse as Hawkwind and Placebo, under the name Scourge of the Earth.
The KLF catalogue remained absent from digital platforms until January 1, 2021, when an 8-track compilation of their 7" hit singles 1988-1991 - Solid State Logik 1 was released on streaming platforms, marking the 1st installment of a series called Samplecity Thru Trancentral.
Brownsville Turnaround on the Tex-Mex Border
The KLF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and we like to roam the land...
we're justified and we're ancient
I hope you'll understand
The lyrics to "Brownsville Turnaround on the Tex-Mex Border" by The KLF are a tribute to American country and folk music, with a distinct psychedelic twist. The first two lines, "and we're ancient/and we like to roam the land," suggest the spirit of the song is rooted in a deep connection with the land and a desire to explore and learn from it. The repetition of the phrase "we're justified and we're ancient" emphasizes the power and wisdom of the song's narrator and the timeless nature of his or her perspective.
The final line of the verse, "I hope you'll understand," is an invitation to the listener to join in this journey of discovery and understanding. The KLF are known for their irreverent and unconventional approach to music, and these lyrics are no exception; they don't conform to any specific genre or tone, but instead create a unique and compelling atmosphere that draws the listener in and leaves them wanting more.
Line by Line Meaning
and we're ancient
We have existed for a very long time and are considered old.
and we like to roam the land...
We enjoy traveling around the country and exploring new territories.
we're justified and we're ancient
We have valid reasons for our actions, and we have been around for an extended period to gather wisdom and experience.
I hope you'll understand
I hope that you can comprehend and appreciate our perspective and way of life.
Contributed by Aaron K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.