Lightning Seeds are an alternative/pop band, largely the brainchild of writ… Read Full Bio ↴Lightning Seeds are an alternative/pop band, largely the brainchild of writer, singer and guitarist Ian Broudie (born 4th August 1958 in Liverpool, England). The band currently consists of Ian Broudie (vocals, guitar), Riley Broudie (guitar), Martyn Campbell (bass), Angie Pollock (keyboard) and Jack Prince (drums). Co-founder Simon Rogers, although no longer a member of the band, still works with them during album recordings. They are best known for three songs: 1989's "Pure", 1992's "The Life of Riley" and 1996's "Three Lions"

Broudie and Rogers formed the act as the "perfect pop project", and Lightning Seeds broke through in 1989 with the psychedelic synth pop hit, "Pure", which made the UK Top 20 and was a minor hit on US pop radio and a major success on US alternative radio. In the 1990s Lightning Seeds became one of the most popular and enterprising of the era. The 1995 album Jollification was a critical masterpiece, spawning several successful singles. In 1996, Lightning Seeds provided the music and production for the official England anthem for the Euro '96 football tournament. The lyrics were written and sung by comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel, and the song, "Three Lions", went straight into the charts at number one.

Since the release of 1999's Tilt the act has taken a back seat as Broudie concentrated on producing the works of others. However, in 2006, Broudie reformed the band with a selection of new members, releasing a Very Best Of album, and performing a number of tour dates. In 2009, the band released Four Winds, their first album in 10 years.

Fishes on the Line
The Lightning Seeds Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The fish is on the line
He's wriggled off this time
And now he's free

The fish is doing well
But only time will tell
So he needs to find out why
He shouldn't try

Does she even care
If he's not there?

Oh I don't believe in this at all
There must be so much more
No, I didn't mean what I just said
I meant something else instead

The fish is under the spell
He wonders how he fell
But he never found out why
He didn't try
Does she even care
If he's not there?

Oh I don't believe in this at all
There must be so much more
No, I didn't mean what I just said
I meant something else instead

So, sometimes it's hard to think
It's like your mind is on the blink
You sink deep and time just flew

[Instrumental to fade out]

Overall Meaning

The Lightning Seeds's song Fishes on the Line is a poignant song about a relationship that seems to be coming to an end. The lyrics describe a fish that has wriggled off the line and is now free, but the singer wonders whether he too should try and break free from a relationship that may not be working. The chorus features the lines "Oh I don't believe in this at all, There must be so much more", which suggest a growing disillusionment with the current situation. The fish becomes a metaphor for the singer's feelings of entrapment, and the uncertainty about whether he should stay or go.

The second verse reveals that the fish is now under a spell, and that he wonders how he fell under it. The singer parallels this with his own feelings, suggesting that he too is caught in a spell that he cannot break. The chorus repeats, but the final lines of the song suggest that sometimes it's hard to think, and that the mind can become confused and lost.

The song is a classic example of The Lightning Seeds's trademark sound, featuring upbeat music and catchy lyrics that belie the darker themes within. Fishes on the Line is a powerful exploration of the tensions that can exist within a relationship, and it speaks to anyone who has ever felt trapped or uncertain about their own feelings.

Line by Line Meaning

The fish is on the line
The subject is in a difficult position with little control

He's wriggled off this time
The subject has escaped their situation momentarily

And now he's free
The subject has achieved temporary freedom

The fish is doing well
The subject is thriving in their newfound freedom

But only time will tell
Uncertainty surrounds the subject's long-term prospects

So he needs to find out why
The subject seeks understanding of their situation

He shouldn't try
The subject has learned to avoid certain actions

Does she even care
The subject questions the intentions of another

If he's not there?
The subject doubts their importance to someone else

Oh I don't believe in this at all
The artist rejects the current state of affairs

There must be so much more
The singer believes there is something greater to be achieved