The Lodger was formulated by Pontefract-born songwriter Ben Siddall inside … Read Full Bio ↴The Lodger was formulated by Pontefract-born songwriter Ben Siddall inside a Leeds bedsit. After a few 7-inch singles on a variety of independent labels such as Angular Records and Dance to the Radio, a debut album titled “Grown-Ups” was released in June 2007 around the world. This was swiftly followed up by a second record in May 2008, “Life is Sweet” which was again licensed to various labels all over the universe including the legendary Slumberland Records in the USA and coincided with tours of UK, Europe, Japan and USA.

A 4 song 7” E.P. led by the track “I Think I Need You” was released on Elefant Records of Madrid (Camera Obscura, Au Revoir Simone et al), in June 2009.

Their most recent album, Flashbacks mixes their earlier upbeat brit-pop with a repertoire of horns, strings, and background vocals.

My Advice is on Loan
The Lodger Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Put the past to bed
Remember what I said
About learning to walk
Before you try to talk?
There's pennies in the red tin
There's wars you have to win
Before I'll give you a key
'Cos you owe it all to me

And I can't explain
Why you work in an office
When you have a brain
Or why my advice is on loan
When you feel a little alone
And you can't afford to pay the price
Or pay me back at all
And I can't explain
Why I live in a bedsit
Like I have no shame
Or why my advice is on loan
When you feel a little alone

And you can't afford to pay the price
Or my advice is not so nice after all

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Lodger's "My Advice is on Loan" seem to be a cautionary tale about the dangers of risking too much too soon. The opening lines of "put the past to bed, remember what I said, about learning to walk before you try to talk" suggest that the singer is rushing into something, but should take a step back and learn from past mistakes before moving forward. The line "there's pennies in the red tin, there's wars you have to win, before I'll give you a key, 'cos you owe it all to me" could mean that the singer hasn't yet earned the right to success, and must first fight through difficult times before they can be granted the means to succeed.

The chorus, with its repeated "and I can't explain," suggests confusion and frustration on the part of both the singer and the advice-giver. The lines "why you work in an office when you have a brain," and "why I live in a bedsit like I have no shame" might suggest dissatisfaction with the status quo, a sense of unfulfilled potential, or a feeling of being trapped in circumstances that are not ideal. The repeated refrain of "my advice is on loan" may suggest that the advice-giver is hesitant to share their knowledge, and may not fully trust or believe in the person they are advising.

Overall, the lyrics seem to be a warning against taking shortcuts or risking too much too soon, and an encouragement to learn from past mistakes and work hard to earn the right to success.

Line by Line Meaning

Put the past to bed
Forget about the past and move forward

Remember what I said
Recall the advice that was given

About learning to walk
Start small before taking on big challenges

Before you try to talk?
Before speaking up, gain experience and knowledge

There's pennies in the red tin
There's not much money available

There's wars you have to win
There are challenges that need to be overcome

Before I'll give you a key
Before giving full access or trust

'Cos you owe it all to me
Because of past aid or support

And I can't explain
I don't understand

Why you work in an office
Why not use your full potential?

When you have a brain
When you have intelligence or skills