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.
Four Leaf Clover
The Kooks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As the kettle whistle blows
Paperback novelette still open
And the door is closed
You got a real sick mind
You write a column for The Times
For all the lovers gone blind
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
All you've got is your four leaf clover
You keep inside your coat
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
You feel the world is getting colder
You got no one to hold
Six pages down and she's lighting up
Her train-wreck soul
She was abandoned by her lover
Left by the road
So apalling, scrawling those bullshit words
It's thirsty work
She'll stumble down to the boozer
Just to have a flirt
You got a real sick mind
You write a column for The Times
For all the lovers gone blind
Who are looking for a sign
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
All you've got is your four leaf clover
You keep inside your coat
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
You feel the world is getting colder
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
You got a real sick mind
You got a real sick mind
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
All you've got is a four leaf clover
You keep inside your coat
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
You feel the world is getting colder
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
The lyrics of "Four Leaf Clover" by The Kooks depict a scene of melancholy and loneliness. The singer is sitting in a messy state, still undressed, as the sound of a whistling kettle fills the room. They have a paperback novelette open but the door is closed, symbolizing a sense of isolation. The song mentions someone with a "real sick mind" who writes a column for The Times, possibly suggesting a journalist or writer who explores the darker aspects of human emotions. This person appeals to those who have lost their way in love and are desperately searching for a sign.
As the night progresses and the drugs wear off, all that remains for the singer is their four leaf clover, a symbol of luck and hope that they keep hidden inside their coat. Without the temporary escape of drugs, they feel the world becoming colder and lonelier, with no one to hold onto for comfort or companionship.
The second verse introduces another character, a woman with a troubled past, abandoned by her lover and left by the road. She scribbles down words, perhaps as a form of catharsis, but the lyrics describe them as "bullshit words." Despite her pain and struggles, she seeks solace and attention in a bar, flirting with others to temporarily fill the void.
Throughout the song, there is a recurring theme of desperation and a sense of emptiness that remains even after the temporary fixes of drugs and distractions. The lyrics evoke a feeling of alienation and the search for meaning and connection in a world that can sometimes feel cold and indifferent.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting in a mess still undressed
Feeling disheveled and exposed
As the kettle whistle blows
Amidst the mundane, ordinary moments
Paperback novelette still open
Engrossed in a romantic fiction
And the door is closed
Isolated and shut off from the world
You got a real sick mind
You possess a twisted imagination
You write a column for The Times
You express your thoughts in popular media
For all the lovers gone blind
Addressing those who have lost direction in love
Who are looking for a sign
Seeking guidance and reassurance
And when the night is over
After the darkness fades away
And the drugs are gone
When the intoxication has worn off
All you've got is your four leaf clover
Your only source of luck and hope
You keep inside your coat
Hidden away, guarded closely
You feel the world is getting colder
Sensing a detachment and loneliness
You got no one to hold
Lacking companionship and affection
Six pages down and she's lighting up
Progressing through the narrative
Her train-wreck soul
Her damaged and chaotic inner self
She was abandoned by her lover
Left behind by someone she loved
Left by the road
Discarded and forgotten
So appalling, scrawling those bullshit words
Disgusting and writing meaningless texts
It's thirsty work
Creating is a desperate endeavor
She'll stumble down to the boozer
She will clumsily go to the bar
Just to have a flirt
Seeking brief romantic connections
You got a real sick mind
You possess a twisted imagination
And when the night is over
After the darkness fades away
And the drugs are gone
When the intoxication has worn off
All you've got is your four leaf clover
Your only source of luck and hope
You keep inside your coat
Hidden away, guarded closely
You feel the world is getting colder
Sensing a detachment and loneliness
You got no one to hold
Lacking companionship and affection
You got no one to hold
Lacking companionship and affection
You got a real sick mind
You possess a twisted imagination
And when the night is over
After the darkness fades away
And the drugs are gone
When the intoxication has worn off
All you've got is a four leaf clover
Your only source of luck and hope
You keep inside your coat
Hidden away, guarded closely
And when the night is over
After the darkness fades away
And the drugs are gone
When the intoxication has worn off
You feel the world is getting colder
Sensing a detachment and loneliness
You got no one to hold
Lacking companionship and affection
You got no one to hold
Lacking companionship and affection
You got no one to hold
Lacking companionship and affection
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Brandon Friesen, Christopher Seefried, Luke Pritchard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Corie
Sitting in a mess still undressed
As the kettle whistle blows
Paperback novelette still open
And the door is closed
You got a real sick mind
You write a column for The Times
For all the lovers gone blind
Who are looking for a sign
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
All you've got is your four leaf clover
You keep inside your coat
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
You feel the world is getting colder
You got no one to hold
Six pages down and she's lighting up
Her trainwreck soul
She was abandoned by her lover
Left by the road
So apalling, scrawling those bullshit words
It's thirsty work
She'll stumble down to the boozer
Just to have a flirt
You got a real sick mind
You write a column for The Times
For all the lovers gone blind
Who are looking for a sign
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
All you've got is your four leaf clover
You keep inside your coat
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
You feel the world is getting colder
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
You got a real sick mind
You got a real sick mind
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
All you've got is a four leaf clover
You keep inside your coat
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
You feel the world is getting colder
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
Prasetyo Putra
"Four Leaf Clover"
Sitting in a mess still undressed
As the kettle whistle blows
Paper back Novelette still open
And the door is closed
You got a real sick mind
You write a column for The Times
For all the lovers gone blind
Who are looking for a sign
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
All you've got is your four leaf clover
You keep inside your coat
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
You feel the world is getting colder
You got no one to hold
Six pages down and she's lighting up
Her train wreck Soul
She was abandoned by her lover
Left by the road
So apalling scrawling those bullshit words
It's thirsty work
She'll stumble down to the boozer
Just to have a flirt
You got a real sick mind
You write a column for The Times
For all the lovers gone blind
Who are looking for a sign
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
All you've got is your four leaf clover
You keep inside your coat
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
You feel the world is getting colder
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
You got a real sick mind
You got a real sick mind
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
All you've got is your four leaf clover
You keep inside your coat
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
You feel the world is getting colder
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
You got no one to hold
Dan Collado
Sitting in a mess still undressed
As the kettle whistle blows
Paperback novelette still open
And the door is closed
You got a real sick mind
You write a column for The Times
For all the lovers gone blind
Who are looking for a sign
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
All you've got is your four leaf clover
You keep inside your coat
And when the night is over
And the drugs are gone
You feel the world is getting colder
You got no one to hold
Six pages down and she's lighting up
Her train-wreck soul
She was abandoned by her lover
Left by the road
So apalling, scrawling those bullshit words
It's thirsty work
She'll stumble down to the boozer
Just to have a flirt
You got a real sick mind
You write a column for The Times
For all the lovers gone blind
Who are…
Gustavo Alonso
Que temazo, es mi favorito del último álbum de The Kooks, ojalá vuelvan a Perú! 🇵🇪🙌🏻🎶✨
Madmerlined
Feels like you're going back to your roots boys, i'm digging it!
The damn Guy
@Online Radio School I do what I want
Maria Pia
You'll always be my favourite band. I love the new content. Makes my life happier! Thank you
Samuel Powell
The Kooks music brings back so many good teenage memoires in high school with my friends. We used to listen to them on repeat. Also a few of us learned loads of the songs on acoustic guitar, miss those indie days, I wanna throw one of my friends some love as he's always been there for me, if a music producer now and heavily influenced by our high school indie days, try searching Lonely Gimmick - Grumpy Days, despite the name its a very happy indie track, its honestly such a great tune well worth a listen!
Kris Marsh
This is The Kooks forever 💟 I love the way they still do art, I mean music, and this video match so well with the song, I love it.
Laura Koch
The way this video expresses the meaning of the song is what I call art. I am so happy you are still here making great music. <3
Mimi m
I love the cinematography, lyrics ,the cameraworks and,editing...pure art..I feel "Rosie" in this...wishing you success for the launching of new album...we love you "The Kooks"..!thanks for giving us good music always...😘😘😘❤💪
Lari Almes
Amo essa músicaaaa!
pelinsunshine
2:34 is SO GOOD <3 <3 i wish theyd integrate more of that sound into their songs !!