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.
What Time Was Love
The KLF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rap is weak so I teach and I reach
A positive vibe, a way of life is how I'm livin'
So get hype to the rhythm
KLF is the crew, ya hear yeah
Design a rhyme I just won't fear
Back to react, enough is enough
What time is love?
What time is love?
What time is love?
What time is love?
I wanna see you sweat
I wanna see you sweat
I wanna see you sweat
Take the chance to advance you might hallucinate
Exaggerate I devastate we had to pass the pyramid blaster
The jam's a hit it's what you've been after
I'll make you shake to, break you, take two
Right in the path, with what they call the Mu Mu
KLF, boy we call rough, bring the break
What time is love?
W-what time is love? Love, love, love, love
What time is love?
I wanna see you sweat
I wanna see you sweat
Okay Houston
We'll give you a countdown
Four, three, two, one, fire
I wanna see you
The final chapter, prophetic, poetic
When I'm done, this calls for anesthetic
Get to, step to, let an MC
Come in effect with Kingboy D
A wanna be, gonna be, old time sucker
You know the time, I never stutter
A feat, a dream, a yes seem bright
Yeah, pass the mic
What time is love?
What time is love?
What time is love?
What time is love?
I wanna see you sweat
I wanna see you sweat
I wanna see you sweat
I wanna see you sweat
I wanna see you sweat
I wanna see you sweat
I wanna see you
I wanna see you
I wanna see you sweat
I wanna see you sweat
I wanna see you sweat
The KLF's song "What Time Was Love" is a lively and upbeat track that features a mix of rap and electronic music. The lyrics appear to have a mysterious quality to them, as though they are trying to convey a deeper meaning beyond what is immediately obvious. The opening line, "They're justified and they're ancient," suggests the presence of a powerful and wise group of beings who roam the land. However, the "justified" part of the line also implies that they are perhaps on a mission or a quest of some sort.
The following lines, "And they like to roam the land/ They're justified and they're ancient/ I hope you understand," further emphasize the mystical or otherworldly nature of this group. The lyrics then take a more confrontational tone, warning those who might try to stop these beings from achieving their goals that they are coming through anyway. The references to rap and teaching in the next few lines seem to suggest that the song is also about breaking boundaries and pushing back against convention.
The chorus of the song revolves around the question, "What time is love?" The repetition of this line serves to underscore the mystique and overall enigmatic nature of the song. The final section of the lyrics introduces a new character, Kingboy D, who is described as an MC. The lyrics here read as though Kingboy D is locking in a battle of words with the previous rapper, with each trying to outdo the other. The final lines of the song simply repeat "I wanna see you sweat," which could be interpreted as a call to action or a challenge to listeners to engage with the music and the themes of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
They're justified and they're ancient
They are experienced and just in their ways
And they like to roam the land
And they enjoy traveling
I hope you understand
I hope you comprehend their way of life
They don't want to upset the apple cart
They don't want to disrupt things
And they don't want to cause any harm
And they don't want to hurt anyone
But if you don't like what they're going to do
But if you disagree with their plans
You better not stop them 'cause they're coming through
You better not try to prevent them because they will persist
The notes'll flow, yo for the words I speak
The music will play while I rhyme
Rap is weak so I teach and I preach
Rap music is not very good, so I instruct and lecture
A positive vibe, a way of life is how I'm livin'
I am living with an optimistic attitude and way of life
So get hype to the rhythm
So get excited and dance to the beat
KLF is the crew, ya hear yeah
KLF is the group, do you hear me?
Design a rhyme I just won't fear
I am confident in creating a rhyme
Back to react, enough is enough
To reply and participate, it's time to stop the nonsense
Let me ask you a question
May I inquire something from you?
What time is love?
When is love?
I wanna see you sweat
I want to witness your effort
Take a chance to advance you might loosin' it
Take a risk to progress, you might lose something
Exaggerate I devastate we had to pass the pyramid blaster
We make things bigger and overpowering, we even surpassed the pyramid blaster
The jam's are here is what you've been after
The great music is what you've been searching for
I'll make you shake to, break you, take to
I'll make you groove, break and embrace the music
Right in the path, what they call the Mu Mu
Directly on the path, to what is known as the Mu Mu
KLF what we call rough, bring the break
KLF is hard and our music is raw and edgy
Okay Houston
Alright Houston
We'll give you a countdown
We will initiate a countdown
Four, three, two, one, fire
4, 3, 2, 1, ignition
The final chapter, prophetic, poetic
The last part, foretelling and having poetic qualities
When I'm done, this calls for anesthetic
When I'm finished, it will need anesthesia
Get to, step to, let an MC
Move along, approach, let an MC
Come in effect with Kingboy D
Come into action with Kingboy D
A wanna be, gonna be, old time sucker
A person who is trying to be something they are not, a past fool
You know the time, I never stutter
You know what time it is, and I never hesitate
A feat, a dream, a yes seem bright
An accomplishment, a vision, a positive outlook
Yeah, pass the mic
Yes, hand me the microphone
W-what time is love? Love, love, love, love
When is love? Love, love, love, love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James Francis Cauty, William Ernest Drummond, Ernest Drummond
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@scottmanley
Yet to be surpassed as the greatest tune ever.
@AnokkyPromotions
Too true Scott :D
Love your channel too mate
@coconinoco
Sparks flying like a rocket launch!
@oliverbarker920
Good to see that our resident space expert has got a great taste in music!
@tobiaseidem8033
Correct.
@jpinard
HA! Imagine my surprise to see you here Scott! KLF and Kerbal gonna rock you!
@sarahcellblockh1562
42 years old and this vibrates through every single cell in my body, I bloody miss these guys.
@user-if8tt1eh9g
Точно!
@Aforg209
Vibrates?
@MrLouis2865
3000 AD