The band are currently signed to Heavenly Records, and their self-titled debut album was released on 13 June 2005. Singles from that album have included Forever Lost, Love Me Like You, Love's A Game and I See You, You See Me. Later on that year they recorded a new song, Gone are the Days, used on the War Child charity album Help! A Day in the Life
In 2005 they supported Athlete, Doves, and Brian Wilson, and played the Glastonbury Festival to a fantastic reception. August saw the band play at the dual-venue V Festival in Chelmsford and Staffordshire and Leicester's Summer Sundae.
The band have since released their second album, Those The Brokes in November 2006, and the Undecided EP in September 2007.
The Mule
The Magic Numbers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And how many times must I look at other girls before we break up?
And how many times must you criticise every single thing that you do?
Before you
Before you let me know
Before you let me go
You really should have known
And I'm a no-good gambling man with the wrong hand
Who's been hurt so many times
Why don't you look him in the eyes?
Oh, you won't see nothing at all
And how many times must I stumble in drunk before you scold me
Oh and why is it that you have to turn out all the lights before you hold me?
And how many years of fears, of falls, you broke my balls
Oh, I wish you never told me
But before you let me know
Before you let me go
You really should have known
That I'm a no-good used-up bruised-up fucked-up boy
Who gets beat up by just looking at you
Oh, I'm a lonely soul
Lost every single thing I ever did own
But I could never own you
Go on and look him in the eye
Oh, you just might see him cry
Oh, you just might see him smile
One more drink and I'll be fine
One more girl to take you off my mind
One more drink and I'll be fine
One more girl to take you off my mind
One more drink and I'll be fine
One more girl to take you off my mind
Oh, one more girl and I'll be fine
One more drink to take you off my mind
The Magic Numbers's song The Mule is an emotional exploration of a toxic and unstable relationship. The lyrics take on a questioning tone, as the singer poses a series of "how many times" inquiries to their partner. The singer is frustrated because they feel they are being held to an unreasonable standard and that their partner is not reciprocating their love. The chorus, "Before you let me know, Before you let me go, You really should have known" is a plea for their partner to understand their perspective and attempt to work through their issues before it's too late.
The second verse delves further into the singer's insecurities, as they admit to being a "no-good used-up bruised-up fucked-up boy" who "gets beat up by just looking at you." The reference to "you won't see nothing at all" implies that their partner is unable to see how much they are struggling because they are too wrapped up in their own criticisms and complaints. The bridge section of the song offers a glimmer of hope, as the singer suggests that maybe, just maybe, one more drink or one more girl will be enough to help them move on from their toxic relationship.
Overall, The Mule is a masterfully written song that captures the pain and frustration of being in a relationship that is filled with negativity and doubt. The Magic Numbers manage to conjure up emotion through their lyrics, with each "how many times" inquiry adding to the song's sense of helplessness and desperation.
Line by Line Meaning
How many times must you call me in the morning before I wake up?
I'm not responsive to your attempts to communicate with me, and it takes a while for me to wake up and face you.
And how many times must I look at other girls before we break up?
I'm not entirely faithful to you, and I continue to engage with women who are not you.
And how many times must you criticise every single thing that you do?
You are constantly questioning your every move, which ultimately makes our relationship difficult.
Before you let me know
I need you to communicate with me sooner rather than later.
Before you let me go
I don't want our relationship to fall apart without us having the chance to reconcile first.
You really should have known
I wish you had the foresight to anticipate our problems before they got this bad.
And I'm a no-good gambling man with the wrong hand
I'm essentially a reckless individual who engages in risky behaviors that have led to my demise.
Who's been hurt so many times
I have a long history of pain and trauma that has left me scarred.
Why don't you look him in the eyes?
You refuse to confront me directly despite my flaws and mistakes.
Oh, you won't see nothing at all
Even if you were to confront me directly, you wouldn't be able to see the truth about me because it's buried so deep.
And how many times must I stumble in drunk before you scold me
I'm prone to drinking and getting drunk, and you fail to hold me accountable for my poor decisions.
Oh and why is it that you have to turn out all the lights before you hold me?
You prefer to be intimate with me in the dark, perhaps indicating a deeper emotional issue.
And how many years of fears, of falls, you broke my balls
You have caused me immense pain and frustration over the years, and I don't know how to move past it.
Oh, I wish you never told me
I regret learning certain things about you that have ultimately impacted our relationship negatively.
That I'm a no-good used-up bruised-up fucked-up boy
I'm continuously beaten down by life and my experiences, which have left me feeling defeated and exhausted.
Who gets beat up by just looking at you
Merely being in your presence is enough to cause me emotional turmoil and leave me feeling vulnerable.
Oh, I'm a lonely soul
I'm isolated and lonely, and I'm not sure how to form a true connection with anyone.
Lost every single thing I ever did own
I have lost possession of everything that once brought me joy and comfort.
But I could never own you
Even though I crave intimacy, I know that I will never be able to fully possess you in the way I desire.
Go on and look him in the eye
I want you to confront me directly and acknowledge who I am and what I've done.
Oh, you just might see him cry
If you confront me, I might break down and cry due to the pain and trauma I've experienced.
Oh, you just might see him smile
On the other hand, confronting me might be cathartic and lead to a sense of relief.
One more drink and I'll be fine
I use alcohol as a coping mechanism to deal with my problems.
One more girl to take you off my mind
I engage in casual sexual relationships to distract myself from my emotional troubles.
Oh, one more girl and I'll be fine
If I can find someone else to engage with, I believe it will be enough to erase my emotional pain.
One more drink to take you off my mind
I'm so consumed by my pain that I need to keep drinking in order to forget and move on.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROMEO WILLIAM STODART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind