The Kooks formed at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music, where they were all students. Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Luke Pritchard, got bassist Max Rafferty involved in a college project, which formed the base of the band. After getting lead guitarist Hugh Harris and drummer Paul Garred involved, they took their name from the song Kooks on the 1971 David Bowie album Hunky Dory. When they tried to trademark the name, they found that in the late/mid 1990s a Swedish band by the same name released an album in Sweden called Too Much is Not Enough.
The Kooks released a debut EP and played gigs around Brighton, where they were based at the time. They were signed to Virgin Records.
2. Swedish indie rock/alternative band - It consisted of members Henrik Berglund, Leo Dahlin, Michael Lohse and Josef Zackrisson, and was active between 1998 and the early 2000's. Micke Lohse and Henrik Berglund are currently members of the band Atomic Swing.
15 Bus Song
The Kooks Lyrics
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You know today I stayed on the bus
Oh yeah I waited and waited until I was at your stop
The driver said to me just don't make a fuss
And I said in the end you've taken all my money, my friend
But ow ow, yes you love it as I take you on when you down
And ow ow, yes you hate it as I try to get under your skin
And ow ow, something happened and now you can't sing along
Do do do...
But you know today I stayed on the train
Oh yes I waited and waited until I could not refrain
The driver said to me just don't make a fuss like you did
on the bus
In the end you've taken all my money, you're not my friend
But ow ow, yes you love it as you take me on when I'm down
And ow ow, something happened and now I can't sing along
And ow ow, yes you love it as you try to get under my skin
The Kooks’ “15 Bus Song” is a song about a lover’s quarrel as seen from the perspective of the aggrieved party. The singer stays on the bus, and later on the train, waiting for his lover to arrive at her stop so they can talk and reconcile. However, the driver warns him not to make a scene. The singer is frustrated because he feels like he has been taken advantage of (presumably financially) but also because of a falling out with his lover that has left him feeling alienated and unable to sing along with her.
The repeated refrain of “ow ow” seems to express the singer’s emotional pain and vulnerability. The line “yes you love it as I take you on when you down” suggests that the relationship has been marked by a dynamic in which the lover takes pleasure in seeing the singer suffer. The later line “yes you love it as you try to get under my skin” suggests a certain level of toxicity and manipulation in the relationship.
Overall, the song is a melancholic meditation on the ups and downs of relationships, how love can bring out the best and worst in us, and the lingering pain that can follow when things don’t work out.
Line by Line Meaning
You know today I stayed on the bus
I deliberately waited on the bus until I reached your stop.
Oh yeah I waited and waited until I was at your stop
I patiently held on to the bus until it finally got to your location.
The driver said to me just don't make a fuss
The bus driver advised me not to cause any disturbance.
And I said in the end you've taken all my money, my friend
I felt cheated in the end because I had spent all my money on the bus fare.
But ow ow, yes you love it as I take you on when you down
You enjoy my company and support when you're feeling low.
And ow ow, something happened and now I can't sing along
I'm feeling sad or upset for some unknown reason, and I can't enjoy singing anymore.
Yes you hate it as I try to get under your skin
You dislike it when I tease or annoy you.
But you know today I stayed on the train
This time I deliberately stayed on the train to reach my destination.
Oh yes I waited and waited until I could not refrain
I couldn't resist waiting on the train until I completed my journey.
The driver said to me just don't make a fuss like you did on the bus
The train driver warned me not to cause trouble like I did on the bus.
In the end you've taken all my money, you're not my friend
I felt like I'd been taken advantage of again, and realized you weren't really my friend.
Yes you love it as you take me on when I'm down
You enjoy comforting me when I'm feeling low or sad.
And ow ow, something happened and now I can't sing along
I can't sing or enjoy music as much now due to a sad or troubling event.
Yes you love it as you try to get under my skin
You enjoy getting a rise out of me or teasing me playfully.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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