The La's formed in 1984, with original member Mike Badger stating that the band name occurred to him in a dream, as well as it being Scouse for "lads", and having obvious musical connotations. The band existed briefly as an arthouse/skiffle-type outfit with a few tracks released on local compilations. Lee Mavers joined in 1984 as rhythm guitarist, eventually gaining songwriting prominence and emerging as the band's enduring figurehead. Longtime bassist John Power joined the group in 1986, having met Badger on a local council-run musicianship course. Badger however left the group in late 1986, to form The Onset.
The band attracted the attention of several record labels after a series of performances in their home town in 1986, and demo tapes copied from a session at the Flying Picket rehearsal studio in Liverpool began circulating. One of these demo tapes was sent to Underground Magazine. A journalist there with the task of reviewing unsigned bands gave the cassette to Andy McDonald at Go! Discs. Several record labels later became interested in signing the band. The band chose to sign with Go! Discs.
The band's first single Way Out was mixed with producer Gavin MacKillop. When it was released in October 1987, it broke in to the top 100 and was praised by The Smiths' frontman Morrissey in the music magazine Melody Maker, but attracted little notice. The band continued to perform around the UK and gained success as a live act, drawing comparisons to The Beatles due to their origins, vaguely Merseybeat sound, and Mavers' expressive lyrics.
There She Goes was released in 1988 with the B-sides "Come In Come Out" and "Who Knows". The song garnered moderate attention and airplay, but performed poorly in the charts. The music video for "There She Goes" features The La's scampering through run-down Liverpool streets and was filmed in an afternoon on a handheld camera. It was later re-released a number of times, the earliest being 1990's Steve Lillywhite mix. After working with producer Jeremy Allom at the Pink Museum Studio in Liverpool in May 1989, the band were set to release "Timeless Melody" as a single. While test pressings had been sent out for review, and was nominated for "record of the week" in the NME, Mavers was reportedly unhappy with the production and the single release was scrapped.
The La's then spent two years fruitlessly recording and re-recording their intended album, with a constantly changing band lineup, where only the core of Mavers and Power remained the same. Discarded producers included The Smiths' producer John Porter, as well as John Leckie and Mike Hedges. Both Leckie and Hedges in interviews have been very complimentary about the band's songs and their respective sessions.
The previously volatile band lineup settled in 1989 with Lee's brother, Neil Mavers on drums, and Peter "Cammy" Camell as lead guitarist. The group then entered London's Eden Studios in December 1989 to again record their debut album with Simple Minds and U2 producer Steve Lillywhite. Despite this lineup being arguably the most stable, and press interviews from the time painting them as extremely confident, the sessions still did not satisfy Mavers. In one instance Mavers was reported to have rejected a vintage mixing desk, claiming it did not have the right sound because "it hasn't got original Sixties dust on it" although this claim has since been revealed as apocryphal. The Eden sessions with Lillywhite would become the band's final attempt at recording the album. The frustration of not achieving the right sound and mood in their songs, as well as increasing friction with Go! Discs, who had spent a considerable sum of money on recording sessions for the album, led to them simply giving up on the sessions. Lillywhite pieced together the recordings he had made with the group into what became the eventually released album. The band, particularly Lee Mavers, were not pleased with this decision.
Among the band's complaints were that Lillywhite used vocal guide tracks on the LP and that he did not "understand" their sound. Mavers would later go on to claim that the band had played poorly deliberately during the sessions in the hope that the material would not be released, as they did not gel with Lillywhite from day one.
However, recognition, at least critically, came for The La's in 1990 when the self-titled album, The La's, was released. The album reached #30 in the UK charts and received a Silver certification, but the album did not fare as well overseas. The album only reached #196 on the Billboard 200 and to date has sold fewer than 50,000 copies in the U.S.
The album included, among new material, re-recorded versions of all the previous singles, including a remixed version of "There She Goes" which was then re-released as a single. This time around, the song reached number 13 in the UK singles chart and remains the most visible and enduring of all the band's songs.
Additional singles from the album included the LP versions of Timeless Melody and Feelin'. Both sold reasonably well, reaching chart placings around the top 40. A short promotional tour proceeded, accompanied by television appearances on shows such as Top of the Pops. Press interviews conducted during this period were generally confused in tone, owing to the fact the critics generally adored the album yet Mavers was assuring journalists that he "hated" the album and it was "like a snake with a broken back".
1991 promotional tour dates were fulfilled in the UK and Europe including a few festivals, a well-received US tour. Bassist John Power left the group on the 13 December 1991, frustrated with having played essentially the same set of songs since 1986, and resurfaced a year later with his band Cast. The remainder of the 1991 concerts were performed with James Joyce on bass as well as a handful of 1992 dates. The band stopped touring and rehearsing in 1992 until further short-lived reunions, with various line-ups, throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
The band disbanded in 1992, with Mavers restarting the band various times in the years since (one between 1994 and 1996 and again in 2005). The band reunited in June 2011 as a duo consisting of Mavers and bassist Gary Murphy.
Alright
The La's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't break the mold enough
They just sit there
Waiting for something to do
They don't know how it feels
They don't know how it feels
Isn't it funny how we got here
If you think about it too long
About who is right or wrong
But you know it doesn't matter
Yet you never break facade
You don't understand a thing
Well I just do improv
Fuck
I don't want to do it right
I just want to be alright
If I don't that's alright with me
Here take a rip of this
Oh do you feel that
How will you keep going
If you don't know what you're gonna do
I don't want to do it right
I just want to be alright
I don't want to do it right
I just want to be alright
You don't understand nothing anymore
You don't understand nothing anymore
I don't want to do it right
I just want to be alright
I don't want to do it right
I just want to be alright
I don't want to do it right
I just want to be alright
I don't want to do it right
I just want to be alright
The lyrics to The La's song "Alright" depict a person dealing with the pressures of life and attempting to push past anxiety and other stresses in order to enjoy the present moment. The singer references feeling sentimental at times, but also sees the light at the end of the tunnel. The chorus emphasizes letting go and living in the moment, with a desire to just party and enjoy life without worrying about growing up too fast. There is also a sense of seeking relief and escape from the pressures they feel, through drinking and smoking. Overall, the lyrics convey a mix of nostalgia, anxiety, and a desire to live in the present and enjoy life.
Line by Line Meaning
Sun shines bright
The day is beautiful and full of promise
And everything's alright
Despite worries, everything is okay and manageable
Sometimes life it can get sentimental
Occasionally, life can feel nostalgic or emotional
But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel
Despite feeling down, the future looks hopeful
So much pressure
There are many expectations and stressors in life
Sitting on my shoulders
These pressures feel heavy and burdensome
I tell myself that it will get better
In order to cope, I remind myself that things will improve
Nostalgic thoughts
Memories of previous times in life are on my mind
I don't wanna get older
There is a fear of getting older and the changes that accompany it
I think too much
There is a tendency to overanalyze and ruminate on things
Everything moves faster damn
Life can feel overwhelming and time seems to pass quickly
Roll up smoke up I get faded, uh
Smoking marijuana helps to ease the stress and relax
Pour some more drinks
Alcohol is also a coping mechanism to handle life's difficulties
Think I need it, uh
There is a sense of dependence on substances to manage emotions
When I'm sober I can't cope with this shit
Without alcohol or drugs, it is difficult to handle life's challenges
It ain't my fault my anxiety's a bitch, ha
Anxiety can be overwhelming and uncontrollable
We run around looking for a purpose
There is a search for meaning and direction in life
It comes around when we self conscious, ay
Self-awareness is important in order to find purpose
Fuck it I don't wanna loose myself
Maintaining one's identity and sense of self is crucial
Pass me the bottle
Alcohol is a tool to escape from the stress of life
Think it's better off for my health
Despite potential negative consequences, alcohol is still seen as a way to cope
It's alright
Everything is okay and manageable
We don't gotta worry ay
There is no need to be anxious or stressed
We don't gotta think twice
Life is meant to be lived in the moment without hesitation
I just wanna party all my life
The desire is to have fun and enjoy life continually
Live for the moment this shit is my advice
The advice is to focus on the present and not worry too much about the future
Don't wanna grow up
There is a fear of change and the responsibilities that come with adulthood
We don't have much time
Life is short and there is a sense of urgency to live fully
Drink some more it's what I have in mind ay
Drinking alcohol is still seen as a way to escape and relax
T'ill the day I'm gone
From now until the end of life
Yeah it's all or nothing
Life is either all good or all bad, with no in-between
A lot of people work hard to be living
Many people struggle and work hard just to survive
But forget the relief is still missing
Despite their hard work, people often still feel unfulfilled or unsatisfied
Cheers to the future
Here's to hoping for a bright and positive future
Raise your glass in the air
A celebratory toast to life and the future
Lost my mind a little
There is a sense of losing grip on reality or sanity
But at this point I don't care
Despite concerns, there is an attitude of apathy or indifference
Like I got double-vision
Similar to the effect of alcohol, there is a sense of seeing double or being disoriented
Yeah I see two options
There are only two ways to handle life's challenges: be stressed or enjoy the moment
Stress on the bullshit or seize the moments
Either worry about things that don't matter, or enjoy life while it lasts
Never felt so good
Despite concerns, this moment feels enjoyable and satisfying
When I can let go just like I should
The advice is to let go of worries and just enjoy life as it comes
Maybe I tried the best I could
Despite concerns, the effort put forth has been the best possible
Bet if I could start over
If given the opportunity, I might choose a different path in life
Don't know if I would ay
Uncertainty about what the ideal path in life would be
Fuck all my problems tonight
The desire is to temporarily escape from all worries and stress
I don't wanna put up a fight nah
There is a desire to avoid conflict or stress
Think that I reached a new height
Despite challenges, there is a sense of accomplishment or growth
And it feels much better
Despite previous concerns, this moment feels good and enjoyable
All the shit I've been through
Reflecting on previous struggles and hardships
It can be hard to grasp it
It can be difficult to understand or come to terms with prior difficulties
Sometimes we give it our all
Despite challenges, we strive to do our best
And it feels like it's for nothing
Despite efforts, there is a sense that nothing has changed or improved
I ain't Wanda
A reference to Wanda from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, meaning that there is no magic solution to life's problems
But I need a vision
A sense of direction and purpose is necessary in order to keep moving forward
T'ill it's over
Until the end of life
Will I surpass my missions
Will I accomplish all that I hope to before I die?
On god I might need some help
I may need assistance or guidance along the way
But for the moment
In this moment
It's all good yeah
Despite previous concerns, everything is okay and manageable
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Trent de la Cruz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind