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.
No More Tears
The KLF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They are driving
Driving all the way
No more tears as we roll through the years
No more tears as we roll through the years
On and on and on and on we roll
The Mu Mu is here to stay
No more tears as we roll through the years [?x]
On and on and on and on we roll
Sunlight on a winter's day
The white room is where they play
The KLF's song No More Tears is a song about perseverance and resilience in the face of the unknown future. The line "Sunlight on a winter's day, they are driving, driving all the way" suggests a sense of optimism and hope, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. The repetition of the line "No more tears as we roll through the years" emphasizes the idea that life is a journey and that it's important to keep moving forward, even when things get tough. The mention of the Mu Mu and the white room suggest a sense of community and belonging, as though the singer is surrounded by like-minded individuals who share a common goal.
The overall message of the song seems to be one of encouragement and motivation, urging listeners to keep pushing through adversity and to never give up on their dreams. There's a sense of joy and celebration in the repetition of the line "on and on and on and on we roll," suggesting that the journey itself is something to be cherished and enjoyed. Overall, the lyrics to No More Tears are simple but powerful, conveying a message of hope and resilience that is sure to resonate with listeners of all ages.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunlight on a winter's day
Despite the bleakness of the season, there is a glimmer of hope in the form of sunlight.
They are driving
The musicians are on the move, ready to embark on a new journey.
Driving all the way
They are committed and won't stop until they reach their destination.
No more tears as we roll through the years
There is no need to cry about the past because they are moving forward with confidence.
On and on and on and on we roll
The journey continues, never-ending but full of excitement.
The Mu Mu is here to stay
The creators of this song are making a statement that their unique creative concept is not a passing fad, but rather will persist.
No more tears as we roll through the years [?x]
Reiterating the idea that the musician's future is bright and they have no reason to look back with regret.
The white room is where they play
The creative process takes place in a white room, signifying a blank slate where anything can be brought to life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES FRANCIS CAUTY, WILLIAM ERNEST DRUMMOND, ERNEST DRUMMOND WILLIAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind