The Mission (known as The Mission UK in the United States due to a naming c… Read Full Bio ↴The Mission (known as The Mission UK in the United States due to a naming clash with a Philadelphia R&B band) is a goth band formed in 1986 in Leeds, England from the splinters of the freshly-dissolved goth band The Sisters of Mercy.

The band's original lineup consisted of Wayne Hussey (vocals, guitar), Craig Adams (bass), Simon Hinckler (guitar) and Mick Brown (drums). Hussey and Adams were formerly members of The Sisters of Mercy, Mick Brown was a former member of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and Hickler was a former member of Artery and Pulp. Wayne Hussey has been the only constant member of the band.

The backbone of the band's catalogue consists of seven main albums (Gods Own Medicine, Children, Carved in Sand, Masque, Neverland, Blue, Aura and God Is A Bullet) with several complementing albums, compilations and other miscellaneous releases also in existence.

The Mission attracted a faithful following band of fans, known a 'Eskimos'. Gigs typically had an energetic mosh pit (prior to the term being coined) sustained by a lot of Eskimos.

Other bandmembers:
Mark Gemini Thwaite (guitar, 1992-1996, 1999-2000, 2006-2008)
Andy Cousin (bass, 1992-1996)
Rik Carter (keyboards, 1992-1998)
Scott Garrett (drums, 1999-2002)
Rob Holliday (guitar, 2001-2005)
Richard Vernon (bass, 2002-2008)
Richard Beesley (drums, 2002)
Steve Spring (drums, 2003-2008)

In October 2007, Wayne Hussey announced the band would split after a series of early 2008 concerts at Shepherds Bush Empire in London.

In 2010, it was announced that The Mission would reform to perform at the Sinners Day Festival in Belgium on Halloween, 2011.

Valentine
The Mission Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here I go again, crawling round the floor on my hands and knees
Drooling at the mouth, howling like dog, mad with disease
Play with me, let's play dead, hide and seek under the bed
Here I go again, making puppy dog eyes, just eager to please

Be my valentine, be my valentine, be my valentine
Let me, let me, let me be your dog

Here I go again, digging in the dirt, chasing after sticks
Tease me with treats, make me sit and beg, make me show you tricks
Play with me, let's play ball, pull the paw??? from my ball
Here I go again, give the dog a bone and I'll give you a lick

Be my valentine, be my valentine, be my valentine
Let me, let me, let me be your dog

Put me on leash, take me for a walk, I'll be a good boy
Feel me, need me, love me, treat me like a dog
I want you to be, I need you to

Be my valentine, be my valentine, be my valentine
Let me, let me, let me be your dog

Be my valentine, be my valentine, be my valentine
Let me, let me, let me be your dog

Overall Meaning

The Mission's song Valentine is an intriguing piece that delves into the complex, often fraught dynamics of power, control, and submission, as seen through the lens of a romantic relationship. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the singer, who seems to be desperate for affection and attention from their lover, to the point of almost begging to be treated like a pet. The image of crawling on the floor, drooling and howling, and playing fetch like a dog, is one that is jarring and unsettling, but also potentially revealing of the singer's desire to relinquish control and surrender themselves entirely to their lover's whims.

The chorus, with its repeated refrain of "Be my valentine, let me be your dog," underscores this theme of submission and vulnerability, while also hinting at the idea of desire and longing that lies beneath the surface. There is a sense of both desperation and pleading in the singer's words, as if they are willing to do anything to win the love and affection of their partner, even if it means sacrificing their own dignity and self-respect.

Overall, Valentine is a powerful and thought-provoking song that challenges our assumptions about power and desire in romantic relationships, and asks us to consider what it means to truly give ourselves over to another person.

Line by Line Meaning

Here I go again, crawling round the floor on my hands and knees
I am desperate for your attention and will do anything to get it, even degrade myself by crawling on the floor.

Drooling at the mouth, howling like dog, mad with disease
I am so consumed with my desire for you that it's making me crazy, like a dog with rabies.

Play with me, let's play dead, hide and seek under the bed
I want to play games with you, even if it means pretending to be dead or hiding under the bed like a puppy.

Here I go again, making puppy dog eyes, just eager to please
I will do anything to make you happy, even if it means acting like a puppy begging for attention.

Be my valentine, be my valentine, be my valentine
Please be my sweetheart and spend Valentine's Day with me.

Let me, let me, let me be your dog
I want to be your loyal and obedient companion, like a dog.

Here I go again, digging in the dirt, chasing after sticks
I am willing to do anything for you, even if it means getting dirty and playing like a dog.

Tease me with treats, make me sit and beg, make me show you tricks
I crave your attention and affection so much that I am willing to perform tricks like a dog for your amusement.

Play with me, let's play ball, pull the paw??? from my ball
I want to play games with you, like fetch, and will even give you my ball and watch you play with it.

Here I go again, give the dog a bone and I'll give you a lick
I will happily do anything for you, even if it means giving you affection like a dog licking its owner.

Put me on leash, take me for a walk, I'll be a good boy
I want you to have control over me, like a dog on a leash, and I will behave like a good boy for you.

Feel me, need me, love me, treat me like a dog
I am desperate for your love and attention and want you to treat me like a loving companion, like one would treat their dog.

I want you to be, I need you to
I want and need you to be my Valentine and lover.

Contributed by Mason F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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