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.
It's Grim Up North
The KLF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu
Transcribed by Drew Radtke
Bolton,
Barnsley,
Nelson,
Colne,
Burnley
Buxton,
Crewe,
Warrington,
Widnes,
Wigan,
Leeds,
Northwich,
Nantwich,
Knutsford,
Hull,
Sale,
Salford,
Southport,
Leigh,
Derby,
Kearsley
Keighley
Maghull,
Harrogate,
Huddersfield,
Oldham, Lancs,
Grimsby,
Glossop,
Hebden Bridge,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North.
Brighouse,
Bootle,
Featherstone,
Speke,
Runcorn,
Rotherham,
Rochdale,
Barrow,
Morecambe,
Macclesfield,
Lytham St. Annes
Clitheroe,
Cleethorpes,
The M62,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North.
Pendlebury,
Prestwich,
Preston,
York,
Skipton,
Scunthorpe,
Scarborough-on-Sea,
Chester,
Chorley,
Cheedle Hulme,
Ormskirk,
Accrington Stanley,
And Leigh,
Ossett,
Otley,
Ikley Moor,
Sheffield,
Manchester,
Castleford,
Skem,
Doncaster,
Dewsbury,
Hali-fax,
Bingley,
Bramall,
Are all in the North.
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North.
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North,
It's Grim Up North.
The KLF's song "It's Grim Up North" lists out the names of numerous towns and cities in the north of England, emphasizing the point that the region is grim. The song does not feature any notable melody, and the title phrase is repeated numerous times in different inflections. The lyrics are straightforward: a comprehensive list of all the towns in the north of England along with a chorus that repeats the phrase, "It's Grim Up North". This may lead listeners to wonder why The KLF felt the need to create a song that simply lists northern towns and cities in such a disparaging manner.
However, the song's true message lies in its sarcastic critique of those who view the north of England as an undesirable place to live. The KLF's song was composed in 1991, the same year that Margaret Thatcher resigned as Britain's Prime Minister. Thatcher's reign as Prime Minister had been marked by a strong focus on the south of England, particularly on London, while neglecting the north. This had resulted in mass unemployment and other social problems in many northern towns and cities. The KLF's song can be viewed as a response to this neglect, and an attempt to highlight the numerous towns and cities in the north that are worthy of attention.
"It's Grim Up North" is not only a commentary on social and political issues in the UK, but also a celebration of northern identity. The KLF sought to draw attention to the remarkable cultural heritage of the north of England, which includes everything from the factories and coal mines of the Industrial Revolution to the music of the Manchester club scene. The song is a reminder that the north of England is more than just a cultural wasteland, but is, in fact, a vibrant and dynamic place with much to offer.
Line by Line Meaning
Bolton, Barnsley, Nelson, Colne, Burnley
There are many towns in the North of England like Bolton, Barnsley, Nelson, Colne and Burnley.
Bradford, Buxton, Crewe, Warrington, Widnes, Wigan, Leeds, Northwich, Nantwich, Knutsford, Hull, Sale, Salford, Southport, Leigh, Derby, Kearsley, Keighley, Maghull, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Oldham, Lancs, Grimsby, Glossop, Hebden Bridge
These are more towns and cities located in the northern part of England.
It's Grim Up North
The singer is expressing that life in these towns in the North of England is difficult and unappealing.
Brighouse, Bootle, Featherstone, Speke, Runcorn, Rotherham, Rochdale, Barrow, Morecambe, Macclesfield, Lytham St. Annes, Clitheroe, Cleethorpes, The M62
Additional towns and cities located along the M62 motorway in northern England.
Pendlebury, Prestwich, Preston, York, Skipton, Scunthorpe, Scarborough-on-Sea, Chester, Chorley, Cheedle Hulme, Ormskirk, Accrington Stanley, And Leigh, Ossett, Otley, Ikley Moor, Sheffield, Manchester, Castleford, Skem, Doncaster, Dewsbury, Hali-fax, Bingley, Bramall
More towns and cities located in the northern region of England.
Are all in the North.
The song is emphasizing that all of the mentioned towns and cities belong to the northern region of England.
It's Grim Up North, It's Grim Up North, It's Grim Up North, It's Grim Up North.
The singer repeats the chorus multiple times to emphasize that life in the northern part of England is not easy and in fact, it's pretty miserable.
Contributed by Gabriel O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dafunkester
Please stand for the national anthem of the north.
@lewisner
it makes me want to cry when i hear Jerusalem
@Maclabhruinn
When I hear those first few notes of 'Jerusalem' kick in, I'm ready to pick up my broadsword and start marching south down the M1.
@alanoneill3065
THAT made me chuckle
@paulmidsussex3409
You wont make it past Newport Pagnell, malnutrition, its grim up North.
@fraxis2007
Their performance of this on Top Of The Pops was, IMHO, the absolute pinnacle of that show's 42 year history.
@alanoneill3065
You made me do this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSGS2Jvq3RQ
@GMS1981
There performance on the Brit Awards was surely their best performance, all the suits clapping at the end, no idea what they’d just watched! 😂
https://youtu.be/TGNz0IW8vQw?si=YbwUKhlfRYlsTGZD
@manuelaklotzing9054
I loved this song so much when it came out. It's ingenious just to name citys along a motorway and make a song out of it. I loved this band so much. They were my heros when I was 13 and I still think that they are magnificent! Hope Bill and Jimmy are gong to publish "The black room" one day. I'm still waiting!!!
@narc78
Lol, same here! We had definitely a good taste in music in our early teen years.