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.
Justfied And Ancient Seems A Long Time Ago
The KLF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
we're justified and we're ancient
I hope you understand
we don't want to upset the apple cart
and we don't want to cause any harm
all the way down the east coast < but if you don't like what >
< we're gonna do >
you better not stop us 'cause we're coming through
and we like to roam the land
we're justified and we're ancient
I hope you understand
we don't want to upset the apple cart
what we're gonna do
with these lyrics is delve into the concept of justification and ancientness present within the song. The KLF use the phrase "justified and ancient" to describe themselves, suggesting that they have experienced time in a unique way, and that their actions are inherently legitimate. Justification is a term often used in religious contexts, and it implies that there is a divine or moral authority that supports one's actions. This suggests that The KLF may see themselves as having a higher purpose or a mission in the world that is supported by some greater force.
The mention of roaming and traveling throughout the land leads us to believe that The KLF are on some kind of journey, both literal and metaphorical. Perhaps they are seeking out some kind of knowledge or truth that can only be found through traveling and experiencing different things. At the same time, the idea of being "ancient" suggests that they have been on this journey for a very long time, and that they are connected to some kind of timeless wisdom or tradition. It's as if they are both old and new at the same time - ancient in their knowledge, but also modern in their approach.
At the same time, the song also addresses the idea of not wanting to cause harm or upset anyone, suggesting that their journey is not one of destruction or chaos. There is a sense of respect for others and a desire to minimize any negative impact they may have. Overall, the lyrics suggest that The KLF see themselves as part of a larger cosmic plan, and that their actions are justified and necessary in some way.
Line by Line Meaning
and we like to roam the land
We enjoy traveling across the country.
we're justified and we're ancient
We have a longstanding reason for our existence.
I hope you understand
We want you to comprehend.
we don't want to upset the apple cart
We don't wish to disturb the status quo.
and we don't want to cause any harm
We don't want to inflict injury on anyone.
all the way down the east coast
We're going to travel the entire length of the eastern seaboard.
but if you don't like what we're gonna do
If you disagree with our plans.
you better not stop us 'cause we're coming through
You should not attempt to impede us because we intend to proceed anyway.
Contributed by Hunter S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@EuricoRoberto
Me in 1991 : I will never get tired of this.
Me in 2023 : I will never get tired of this.
@TheRosetube
Me too.
@thebagfather4633
me to in 2024
@scoff6355
@@thebagfather4633 Ditto!!
@JohnHonda101
2024 is asking are you still not tired of it?
@traceyballerini2733
@@thebagfather4633 yes me too 🥰
@patrickowens4294
It's insane that this song even exists. It breaks all logic and disrupts the time-space continuum. I absolutely love it.
@mightytekk
Best comment
@thealchemist7871
😂😂😂😂
@alexiapsatha4660
A star trek fan, no doubt