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.
By My Side
The Kooks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come by my side
The starved pain my girl you have induced
Come dine by my side
Everything she said to me was true
So now I know why
You look blue, it's eating through you
Don't want to fall out of love with you
Don't let me fall out of love with you
I'll dig down and I'll search for a heart of gold
In your diamond mind
Don't you know I'd farm the world
To come dine by your side
Everything you say to me gets through
So now I know why I'm not through with life
Because of you
So come by my side
Don't want to fall out of love with you
Don't let me fall out of love with you
Girl you know that I still need you
Pick it up and we'll find a way
Don't you know that I still need you
Look it up and we'll find a way
Da da da da
Da da da dam
Da da da da
Da da da da
Da da da da
Da da da da
Da da da da
Don't wanna fall out of love with you
Don't let me fall out of love with you
Don't wanna fall out of love with you
Don't let me fall out of love with you
The Kooks’s song By My Side is a heart-touching ballad which essentially talks about a deep yearning for someone who isn't there, an individual in distress seeking comfort in someone else's company. The opening line “When you feel like you've fallen out of use, come by my side” is an intentionally simple description of emotional turmoil caused by missing someone important. The next verse describes how this pain has consumed the singer, as he helps her to come dine by his side, he assures her of his support for her.
The chorus emphasizes the fears the singer has about falling out of love (or at least the perception of love) with the other person. He acknowledges that sometimes relationships can feel stale or unfulfilling, and pleads with her not to let that happen between them. He searches for a heart of gold in her diamond mind, emphasizing his conviction to keep the relationship solid.
The song ends with an acknowledgement of the emotions shared between the two, and the need to stay together even when the going gets tough. It’s a plea not just to the other person, but also to himself, to not let these emotions get away. The song is a portrayal of the ups and downs of love and a reminder that no matter the situations around us, love will always persist.
Line by Line Meaning
When you feel like you've fallen out of use
When you feel like you're no longer needed
Come by my side
Come be with me
The starved pain my girl you have induced
The pain you caused me is causing me to suffer
Come dine by my side
Come eat with me
Everything she said to me was true
She spoke honestly to me
So now I know why
So now I understand
You look blue, it's eating through you
You look sad and it's affecting you deeply
Don't want to fall out of love with you
I don't want to stop loving you
Don't let me fall out of love with you
Please don't let me stop loving you
I'll dig down and I'll search for a heart of gold
I will try to find the good in you
In your diamond mind
In your intelligent mind
Don't you know I'd farm the world
You should know that I'd do anything for you
To come dine by your side
To be with you
Everything you say to me gets through
I understand everything you tell me
So now I know why I'm not through with life
So now I understand why I want to keep living
Because of you
Because of the love I have for you
Girl you know that I still need you
You know that I still rely on you
Pick it up and we'll find a way
If we work together, we can overcome anything
Look it up and we'll find a way
If we take the time to research, we can find a solution
Don't wanna fall out of love with you
I don't want to stop loving you
Don't let me fall out of love with you
Please don't let me stop loving you
Contributed by Ellie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.