Leeds University art students Jon Langford and Tom Greenhalgh formed the Mekons in 1977, taking the band's name from the Mekon, an evil, super-intelligent Venusian featured in the British 1950s-1960s comic Dan Dare (printed in the Eagle). The band first gained widepread popularity with the single "Never Been in a Riot," a satirical take on the Clash's "White Riot." For several years the loose-knit band played noisy, bare-bones post-punk in the vein of fellow Leeds students Gang of Four. Yet Langford and Greenhalgh never hewed closely to genre conventions, and by the mid-80s (now augmented by vocalist Sally Timms and violinist Susie Honeyman) they began to experiment with musical styles derived from traditional folk and country. 1985's watershed Fear and Whiskey, 1986's The Edge of the World and 1987's Honky Tonkin' exemplified the band's new sound, which built on the innovations of Gram Parsons and blended punk ethos with the minimalist country of Hank Williams. This style, sometimes referred to as "post-modern country", is a direct forerunner of the alt-country genre represented by bands like Uncle Tupelo.
Jon Langford has been busy as an artist and as founder of several solo and band projects: namely the Waco Brothers (a country-like ensemble) and the Pine Valley Cosmonauts (exploring the music of Bob Wills, Johnny Cash and others). Besides his solo albums he has released CDs with Richard Buckner and Kevin Coyne.
Subsequent albums such as The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll, while containing several straightforward rock songs, continued to explore the boundaries of the punk genre by utilizing diverse instrumentation (notably the fiddle and slide guitar) and Timm's haunting vocals.
The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll was the band's first major label release. Issued by A&M Records in 1989, it was not a commercial success, but it was met with critical acclaim. Arguably the best album of their career (alongside Fear and Whiskey), it is perhaps the most accessible synthesis of their experiments in country, rock and punk.
Just as the Mekons began to grow in critical stature, their relationship with A&M Records became more tense, and unable to fulfill their commercial expectations, the Mekons were soon dropped by the label. However, not only did the band remain intact, they continued to record at a prolific rate, releasing such notable albums as 1991's Curse of the Mekons, 2000's Journey to the End of the Night, and 2002's OOOH!.
The band continues to tour under an altered lineup, and has a highly devoted following.
Someone
The Mekons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It is our own lives we can't believe
Years of waiting for the rendezvous
Between the law and reality
Someone talks to themselves by the t.v.
Someone is selling flags and gum
Someone is buying a horoscope
You mustn't do what we did to you
Says the big blonde teacher from oversea
But all his good works and philanthropy
Still can't make the stupid sound clever
Someone is at the top of the building
Someone is having a vision
Someone is biting the hand of the people he chooses to deliver
The studio's empty beat goes on (tape rolls on)
C major chord hanging in (floating through) the air
Half finished vocals that no one will hear
It's in there somewhere between bleepy weang...(death and slavery)
The Mekons's song "Someone" discusses various disturbing aspects of modern life, including the ways in which people often struggle to reconcile the reality of their lives with the expectations and ideals they hold. One key theme of the song is the tension between the law and reality - the idea that laws and regulations may fail to reflect the lived experiences of people. The lyrics also touch on themes of alienation and isolation, with references to people talking to themselves, selling or buying things without genuine connection, and experiencing visions or biting the hands of those who would try to save them.
Another crucial theme of the song is the idea that individuals cannot necessarily be saved or transformed by well-intentioned interventions from others. The lyrics suggest that even when people try to do good in the world, they may ultimately be powerless to make a real difference. The big blonde teacher from oversea may offer advice, but his words cannot magically make people smarter or more capable.
Line by Line Meaning
We never have to stretch our imagination
Our lives are so insane that we never have to imagine anything
It is our own lives we can't believe
We can't believe how messed up our lives are
Years of waiting for the rendezvous
We've been waiting for a long time for something to happen
Between the law and reality
Something that should be legal isn't or vice versa
Someone talks to themselves by the t.v.
A lonely person who talks to themselves to fill the quiet void in their life
Someone is selling flags and gum
A person who is just trying to make a living selling simple, random items
Someone is buying a horoscope
Someone who is trying to find guidance through astrology
Because the stars are concerned about them
Believing that the universe cares about them and their fate
You mustn't do what we did to you
Don't make the same mistakes we did
Says the big blonde teacher from oversea
Advice given from someone who seems like they have it all together
But all his good works and philanthropy
Despite doing good, it doesn't make someone inherently intelligent
Still can't make the stupid sound clever
Someone who is inherently not intelligent can't be made smart just by doing good deeds
Someone is at the top of the building
Someone who is contemplating suicide
Someone is having a vision
Someone who is experiencing something out of the ordinary
Someone is biting the hand of the people he chooses to deliver
Someone who is hostile to the very people who are trying to help them
The studio's empty beat goes on (tape rolls on)
The monotony of the recording studio and the repetitive music production process
C major chord hanging in (floating through) the air
A harmonious sound that fills the room
Half finished vocals that no one will hear
Unfinished vocals that won't ever be released or heard
It's in there somewhere between bleepy weang...(death and slavery)
The true meaning of the song is hidden somewhere between the noise of the studio and the chaos of the world
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JAMES MORRISON, TIMOTHY DANIEL WOODCOCK, MARK TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind