History
The March Violets formed in December 1981, meeting at Leeds University. The original band members were Tom Ashton (guitar), Laurence "Loz" Elliot (bass), Simon "Detroit" Denbigh (vocals) and Rosie Garland (vocals). Percussion was provided by a drum machine, nicknamed "Dr. Rhythm", a feature they had in common with many of the bands in the Leeds scene at the time. Fellow student Andrew Eldritch, lead singer of The Sisters of Mercy, released the band's debut 7", the four-track "Religious as Hell" EP, on his Merciful Release label on 28 August 1982. A second single on Merciful Release, "Grooving in Green", followed on 27 November 1982.
The band then established their own Rebirth record label, releasing the "Crow Baby" single on 30 April 1983. Cleo Murray joined as second female vocalist for the next single, "Snake Dance", issued in December 1983. The song was a club hit, and is considered a classic of the gothic rock genre. Garland left after "Snake Dance", and Murray took over as sole female singer for "Walk Into the Sun", issued 4 August 1984. That October, the band released their first compilation album, Natural History, which collected the first four singles plus two tracks from a 1983 BBC Peel Session.
The March Violets shifted towards a more pop-oriented sound, and Denbigh left the band in early February 1985, prior to the band's first American tour in March 1985. Denbigh did appear on the next single, "Deep", released 11 May 1985 but recorded prior to his departure. A second compilation album, Electric Shades, was issued in the US by Relativity Records that year; it collected the contents of the "Snake Dance", "Walk Into the Sun" and "Deep" singles, including a piano-laden remix of "Snake Dance".
The band then signed to major label London Records, adding drummer Andy Tolson to the lineup. The "Turn to the Sky" single was released 24 February 1986 on London, although still bearing the Rebirth imprint. The song (and their cover of "Miss Amanda Jones" by the Rolling Stones) was featured on the soundtrack to the 1987 film Some Kind of Wonderful, which included a live performance by the band of "Turn to the Sky." They broke up later that year.
In 1993, the band's first CD compilation, The Botanic Verses, was released by Jungle Records in the UK and Cleopatra Records in the US; it covered their entire 1982-1984 catalogue.
Other projects
Before the band's split, Ashton had guested as live guitarist for The Sisters of Mercy and the Danse Society. In 1991, he joined Clan of Xymox for their Phoenix US tour, and relocated there. He later composed indie film soundtracks. Ashton now produces various bands in the South East USA, including Vision Video and Tears for the Dying.
Murray briefly fronted the band Lovecraft in the early 1990s, releasing two 1993 singles, "Hungry" and "Medicine".[9]
Denbigh formed the Batfish Boys and D-Rok.
Garland became a poet and cabaret performer, performing under the name Rosie Lugosi. Later, she was the victim of a stalker, with the 2007 court case featured as a lead article in the Manchester Evening News.[20] Following several poetry collections, Garland's debut novel, The Palace of Curiosities, was published by HarperCollins in 2013, earning several awards and a longlisting for the Desmond Elliott Prize.
Reformation and subsequent activity
On 8 October 2007, the March Violets played a one-off reunion gig in Leeds with original members Denbigh, Garland and Ashton, plus Mat Thorpe (Isolation Division) standing in on bass. Although the show was a success, plans for further shows were put on hold whilst Garland was ill with throat cancer in 2009.
Once Garland was fully recovered, the March Violets restarted their live reformation with a secret warm-up show at Whitby in October 2010. On 13 November 2010, the March Violets played their first London show in 25 years, at O2 Academy Islington with new bassist Joanna Moy (previously of Screaming Banshee Aircrew).
In November 2010, the band embarked on a project to make their first proper album using Pledge Music (as opposed to the previous compilation albums of their singles and EPs). Over 600 fans pledged support and they raised 196% of the money required. In addition to raising money for the recording of the album, the band provided funds to charities (Friends of the Earth, Cloth Cat and Macmillan Cancer Support). During the recording of the album, they released several promotional items, including a digital-only promo release of "Tokyo Flow" and a remix of "Dandelion King", as well as a "gigeo" (a combination of a gig in Leeds where they shot the promo video with members of the audience) of "Dandelion King".
In 2012, they did a small live tour that showcased some of the new tracks.
The album Made Glorious was released in April 2013 as a digital download to all fans who had pledged support. The album primarily consisted of original tracks, with some material being remixes of tracks from the Trinity and Love Will Kill You EPs. Physical hard copies, T-shirts, an A4 booklet (featuring lyrics, artwork and photos) and posters were distributed to those who had pledged support in June 2013. Pledgers received a special 2-CD pack featuring 12 additional remixes including two tracks not included on the original album ("Liam Hits Seven" and "Black Heart").
To support the new album, the band performed gigs in October and November 2013, and a short tour in April 2014, including a headlining slot at the Convergence 20 festival in Chicago, the first US appearance of the reformed lineup. This was followed by a return tour of the West Coast in June 2014.
In August 2015, the band confirmed that Moy had officially left the band. The following month, they announced an American tour with William Faith on bass, scheduled for October.
In early October, the band announced that after completing the Mortality tour, they would record a new album of the same name. It was funded via PledgeMusic and achieved 167% funding, with 10% of the funding going to Macmillan Cancer Support. The initial version of the Mortality album was released for download by Denbigh on Christmas Day to those who had supported its development. This version consisted of 10 tracks; all except the title track were "re-forged" versions of older songs. Mars Williams of the Psychedelic Furs provided additional saxophone on several tracks. The physical release of the album was planned to include additional remixes and extended versions but never made it to fruition.
After releasing the first remix to pledgers in early 2016, Denbigh suffered a stroke and was hospitalised for a long period.
On the 16th of July 2021, the band released a limited edition double vinyl album, Big Soul Kiss: The BBC Recordings via Jungle Records.[26] This was a special for Record Store Day in the UK and also available as a standard release in other territories. It sold out within three weeks of release. A repressing was made in 2022, alongside a new compilation Play Loud Play Purple and a five-CD box set that included two CDs of unreleased material, The Palace of Infinite Darkness
On October 7 2022, the band announced on a new website that they were having a reunion for tours and new recordings in 2023/24. The reunion lineup is Rosie Garland, Tom Ashton and William Faith, all survivors from their previous live activity in 2015.
Discography
Studio albums
Made Glorious (2013), self-released
Mortality (2015), self-released
Singles and EPs
"Religious as Hell" 7" (1982), Merciful Release
"Grooving in Green" 7" (1982), Merciful Release
"Crow Baby" 7"/12" (1983), Rebirth
"Snake Dance" 7"/12" (1984), Rebirth
"Walk into the Sun" 7"/12" (1984), Rebirth
"Deep" 7"/12" (1985), Rebirth
"Turn to the Sky" 7"/12" (1986), Rebirth
Trinity EP CD EP (2007), self-released
Love Will Kill You CD EP (2011), self-released
Compilation albums
Natural History (1984), Rebirth
Electric Shades (1985), Relativity Records
The Botanic Verses (1993), Jungle Records/Cleopatra Records
Big Soul Kiss: The BBC Recordings (2021), Jungle Records
Play Loud Play Purple (2022), Jungle Records
The Palace of Infinite Darkness (2022), Jungle Records
Miss Amanda Jones
The March Violets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our Amanda Jones
I said down and down and down and down
She'd look really lovely at home
'Til somebody gonna come up and ask her
To live happily ever after Miss Amanda Jones
On and on she goes
I said on and on and on and on
Just watch her as she grow
Don't wanna say it very obviously
But she's losing her nobility Miss Amanda Jones
Hey girl don't you realize
The money invested in you
Hey girl you just got to find
Someone who'll really pull your family through
Up and up she goes
Our Amanda Jones
I said up and up and up and up
She looks quite delightfully stoned
She's the darling of the discotheque crowd
Of her lineage she's rightfully proud Miss Amanda Jones
Hey girl with your nonsense nose
All pointing right down at the floor
Hey girl your suspender shows
And the girl behind you looks a bit unsure
Round and round she goes
The world of Amanda Jones
I said round and round and round and round
The balls and the dinners and show
The little girl she just wanders about
'Til it's time for her coming out Miss Amanda Jones
Round and round and round
Round and round and round
Round and round and round
Round and round and round
Round and round and round
The March Violets' song "Miss Amanda Jones" tells the story of a young woman named Amanda Jones who is trying to navigate the social scene and find someone to marry. The lyrics describe her journey from being a beautiful and innocent young woman to someone who is losing her nobility and becoming more focused on materialistic things like money and social status. The song portrays Amanda Jones as a lost and confused person who is struggling to find her place in the world.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "round and round she goes" which emphasizes the cyclical nature of Amanda Jones' life. She goes from one social event to another, looking for someone to marry and secure her family's future. The lyrics also mention her physical appearance, describing her "nonsense nose" and her suspenders showing.
The song reflects the societal pressures that women faced during the time it was written, particularly in terms of the expectation to marry well and secure one's future. It also comments on the emptiness of the materialistic culture that Amanda Jones is a part of, as she becomes more focused on appearances and social status.
Line by Line Meaning
Down and down she goes
Amanda Jones is spiraling downward
Our Amanda Jones
She belongs to us as an object of status
I said down and down and down and down
I repeat, she is spiraling downward
She'd look really lovely at home
Amanda Jones looks good as an accessory in her home environment
Til somebody gonna come up and ask her
Until someone approaches her with an offer
To live happily ever after Miss Amanda Jones
To secure her future as a wife
On and on she goes
Amanda Jones continues to fake it till she makes it
Little Miss Amanda Jones
She is a small and fragile childlike figure
I said on and on and on and on
Again, she continues to fake it till she makes it
Just watch her as she grow
Observe how she transforms into a woman
Don't wanna say it very obviously
I don't want to say it bluntly
But she's losing her nobility Miss Amanda Jones
But she is no longer seen as high-class
Hey girl don't you realize
Realize that
The money invested in you
You represent a lot of money
Hey girl you just got to find
You must find
Someone who'll really pull your family through
A partner who can save your family from financial downfall
Up and up she goes
Amanda Jones is back on the rise
Our Amanda Jones
She is still ours to possess
I said up and up and up and up
She's going places
She looks quite delightfully stoned
She seems happy and drunk
She's the darling of the discotheque crowd
She is popular among the club-goers
Of her lineage she's rightfully proud Miss Amanda Jones
She is proud of her family history
Hey girl with your nonsense nose
You with your strange nose
All pointing right down at the floor
That seems to point downward
Hey girl your suspender shows
Your undergarments are showing
And the girl behind you looks a bit unsure
And someone behind you seems uncertain
Round and round she goes
Amanda Jones goes through the same routine
The world of Amanda Jones
Her world, centered around her
I said round and round and round and round
I repeat, the same routine
The balls and the dinners and show
The social events of high society
The little girl she just wanders about
Amanda Jones still acts like a young girl
Til it's time for her coming out Miss Amanda Jones
Until the time for her debutante ball
Round and round and round
Still repeating the same cycle
Round and round and round
Over and over again
Round and round and round
Can't escape this cycle
Round and round and round
Always going in circles
Round and round and round
Repeating the same pattern
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: KEITH RICHARDS, MICK JAGGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
mackenziegurl
Down and down she goes
Our, Amanda Jones
I said down and down and down and down
She'd look really lovely at home
Til somebody gonna come up and ask her
To live happily ever after, Miss Amanda Jones
On and on she goes
Little Miss Amanda Jones
I said on and on and on and on
Just watch her as she grow
Don't wanna say it very obviously
But she's losing her nobility, Miss Amanda Jones
Hey girl don't you realize
The money invested in you
Hey girl you just got to find
Someone who'll really pull your family through
Up and up she goes
Our amanda jones
I said up and up and up and up
She looks quite delightfully stoned
She's the darling of the discotheque crowd
Of her lineage she's rightfully proud, miss amanda jones
Hey girl with your nonsense nose
All pointing right down at the floor
Hey girl your suspender shows
And the girl behind you looks a bit unsure
Round and round she goes
The world of amanda jones
I said round and round and round and round
The balls and the dinners and show
The little girl she just wanders about
Til it's time for her coming out, miss amanda jones
Round and round and round
Round and round and round
snuppiioo1
Man, this brings back a ton of memories.
Cheers to all 80's kids, the best decade ever.
Carla Kosky
+snuppiioo1 thank you thank you, the same to you
caligari89
Yes, man! Best decade ever! I was 13 when this came out. Played that soundtrack to death.
dicecontroller187
snuppiioo1 Fuck it! Yeah it was cool to be in high school when this one hit the scene!!!
Thomas SHARONIARD
This movie will remain the most adorable thing to me and I got to say I feel myself enchanted but kind of vulnerable watching it.. the soundtrack is priceless including The Hardest Walk and of course the fantastic March Violets. The flame still burns in 2021 !
Jeffrey Reynolds
In 2023 too!
Paul Ockenden
Still loving this Movie in 2017 😊
Quality soundtrack and great actors made this movie a classic from the 80s which stands the test of time and is far far superior to Pretty in Pink for me.
Nick Calogeras
John Hughes does it again… Bravo!!!!
Anya1976
one of my fave 80's soundtracks, this is a fabulous cover
pieandaparisbun
"I wasn't aware I was smiling Cliffard!.... but if it's making you uncomfortable I'll Stop" Love the film and those were the days!