(1) Formed in the fall of 1998, The Maccabees were comprised of ¾ of long-d… Read Full Bio ↴(1) Formed in the fall of 1998, The Maccabees were comprised of ¾ of long-defunct Pohgoh. They released a 6 track EP "Songs from the Weakest Link" on New Granada records.

(2) The Maccabees (2002-2016) were an indie rock band from London, UK. The line-up consisted of Orlando Weeks (vocals), Hugo White (guitar), Felix White (guitar, vocals), Rupert Jarvis (bass) and Sam Doyle (drums), who replaced Robert Dylan Thomas. Weeks stated once that the band came up with the name by flicking through the Bible and picking out a random word. Despite adopting a name with religious connotations, he affirmed that none of the band are religious.

Debuting in 2004 with the You Make Noise I Make Sandwiches EP (released on Haircut Records), they released their first single X-Ray on Promise Records on November 28, 2005. Receiving just little significant exposure - some evening play on XFM London radio station - the band however scored a minor indie hit with their second post-punk influenced single Latchmere released in April 2006 on Fierce Panda Records.
Then inking a deal with the Polydor imprint (and former home of The Cure) Fiction Records the bands first studio album, Colour It In, was released on May 4, 2007 .
To date (late September 2007) they have released three (widely available) singles from the album (First Love, About Your Dress and Precious Time) with a fourth and final single Toothpaste Kisses released on October 8, 2007.

On May 4, 2009 the band released Wall of Arms, their second album. Preceded by the single Love You Better on April 27th. Markus Dravs, who collaborated in the past with artists such as Björk, Arcade Fire and Coldplay, produced the album. The album has been recorded in various cities including Liverpool and Paris, unlike their first long-player which was recorded in "dribs and drabs" like frontman Orlando Weeks said.

On January 9, 2012 the Maccabees released Given To The Wild, their third album. The band worked on the album at both Rockfield Studios in Wales and their rehearsal space in London's Elephant and Castle district, before decamping to Suffolk to finish the record.

Marks to Prove It, their last album, was released in 2015.

Official Website

Guitarist Felix White was initially in a band called Jack's Basement with fellow friend Jack Peñate. Felix and Hugo White are brothers, along with Will White, who is the frontman of another band called Talk Taxis. Former drummer Robert Dylan Thomas left the band in 2008.

The Real Thing
The Maccabees Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's real, yeah so real, yeah

A mongoose can smile at a cobra
But that cobra will always be a snake
Diamante can shine like a diamond
But you know, like I know that rock will be fake

It's the real thing, the real thing

Nothing but the real thing, it's real
It's the real thing, the real thing
Nothing but the real thing, it's real
It's real, yeah, so real, yeah

You can xerox the Mona Lisa
Deadpan Da Vinci in every detail
Might beat customs on a home made visa
But false papers only gets you in jail

It's the real thing, the real thing
Nothing but the real thing, it's real
It's the real thing, the real thing
Nothing but the real thing, it's real
It's real, yeah, so real, yeah

Life wears a smile on its face
But it comes with a sting in its tail
Make believe fables have their place
But only a fool, only a fool
Only a fool believes fairy tales

I heard all the lies that they'll tell ya
"Phone me, baby, the check's in the mail"
Well, as fantasy, it might please ya
But as the real thing, it does nothing but fail

It's the real thing, the real thing
Nothing but the real thing, it's real
It's the real thing, the real thing
Nothing but the real thing, it's real

So real, it's the, oh yeah, real, yeah
It's real, yeah so real, yeah
It's real, yeah and so real, so real, yeah
It's real, yeah so real, yeah

It's real, yeah so real, yeah

It's real, yeah
It's real, yeah so real, yeah

Overall Meaning

The Maccabees' song "The Real Thing" is a commentary on the value of authenticity in a world that often favors imitation or deception. With each verse and chorus, the band presents examples of things that might appear real or valuable at first glance, but upon closer inspection turn out to be fake or worthless. From the smiling mongoose that cannot escape its nature as a dangerous snake to the xeroxed Mona Lisa that no one would mistake for the original, the song emphasizes the importance of seeking out and valuing the genuine article--whether in art, relationships, or life itself.

The lyrics suggest that the quest for authenticity can be challenging and that there are many obstacles and distractions along the way--from the fables and lies that people tell to the "sting" that life sometimes brings. However, the overall message of the song is that the only thing that truly matters is the "real thing"--genuine, unadulterated, and unapologetically itself.

Overall, "The Real Thing" is a meditation on the importance of staying true to oneself and seeking out what is real and true in a world that can often seem fake or superficial.

Line by Line Meaning

It's real, yeah so real, yeah
The thing being referred to is undoubtedly real, and there is no doubt otherwise.

A mongoose can smile at a cobra But that cobra will always be a snake
Two things that seem harmless or good can still be inherently dangerous or bad.

Diamante can shine like a diamond But you know, like I know that rock will be fake
Something can look and appear valuable, but it may not be authentic or genuine.

You can xerox the Mona Lisa Deadpan Da Vinci in every detail Might beat customs on a home made visa But false papers only gets you in jail
It is possible to make a convincing and detailed forgery or lie, but eventually, the truth will come out, and there will be consequences.

Life wears a smile on its face But it comes with a sting in its tail Make believe fables have their place But only a fool, only a fool Only a fool believes fairy tales
Life may seem good or pleasant, but it can come with challenges or hardships. Fictional stories can be enjoyable, but only an ignorant person believes in them as fact.

I heard all the lies that they'll tell ya "Phone me, baby, the check's in the mail" Well, as fantasy, it might please ya But as the real thing, it does nothing but fail
People may make empty promises or lies to please someone else, but in reality, it leads to disappointment or failure.

So real, it's the, oh yeah, real, yeah It's real, yeah so real, yeah It's real, yeah and so real, so real, yeah It's real, yeah so real, yeah It's real, yeah so real, yeah
Reinforcing the concept that the thing being described is undeniably and undoubtedly real.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK WHITE, MARTIN FRY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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