The original line-up consisted of Indian born lead singer and principal songwriter Bid (real name Ganesh Seshadri), Canadian guitarist Lester Square (real name Thomas W.B. Hardy), drummer John D. Haney, and bassist Charlie Harper. The band went through several bassists in the next few years, including Jeremy Harrington, and Andy Warren of the Ants, a childhood friend of Bid.
Experimental filmmaker Tony Potts began collaborating with the band in 1979, designing lighting and stage sets with film projections for their live appearances. The band's early persona was defined by the shadowy, uncertain stage images created by the films to such an extent he is often described as being the band's "fifth member."
They released several singles for the Rough Trade label before recording their debut album, "Strange Boutique", produced by Bob Sargeant, for Virgin Records' imprint DinDisc in 1980, as well as their follow-up effort, Love Zombies, produced by Alvin Clark and the band later that same year. John Haney left the band in 1981 and was replaced by Lexington Crane.
In 1982, the band switched labels to Cherry Red to release their third full-length album, Eligible Bachelors, produced by Tim Hart. Lester Square and Lexington Crane left soon afterwards, and were replaced by keyboardist Carrie Booth and drummer Nicholas Weslowski. This line-up recorded 1982 single Cast a Long Shadow, for Cherry Red before Booth was in turn replaced by new lead guitarist James 'Foz' Foster.
In 1983, Cherry Red released Volume, Contrast, Brilliance... sessions & singles vol. 1, a retrospective of the band's early Rough Trade singles, BBC and Capital Radio sessions, and other unreleased early sessions.
In 1985, with the same line-up as on Cast a Long Shadow, The Monochrome Set recorded the relatively mainstream album The Lost Weekend for major label Warner Bros. Records. The Lost Weekend failed commercially, and after a few singles, the band officially broke up, though they served as Jessica Griffin's backing band on the first album by the Would-Be-Goods, The Camera Loves Me.
In early 1990, Bid, Lester Square and Andy Warren reformed the band, with the addition of keyboardist Orson Presence and drummer Mike Slocombe (who was quickly replaced by Trevor Ready). The new band toured extensively--especially in Japan, where Bid had become a major star.
The band released several low-key albums for Cherry Red Records during the 1990s, and went on hiatus from 1998 to 2008 though during that off time Bid recorded a number of albums with another band, Scarlet's Well.
The band reunited on 8 October 2008 for a one-off performance at Cherry Red's 30th Anniversary party at Dingwalls, London. It also marked the 30th year of The Monochrome Set. Bid, Andy Warren and Lester Square were joined by Jennifer Denitto (drums) and Sian Dada (keyboards) of Scarlet's Well, and performed 13 songs.
Band reformed in 2010.
Bliss
The Monochrome Set Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wax my moustache in the morning
I'll curse you over breakfast
Where's my coffee; call this a boiled egg?
It's runny, or hard
Yes, it's hard
I never said it would be fun
You think I need a son and daughter
To fetch my slippers, clean the chimney
I'll whip Johnny every Sunday
I'll lock Mary in the cupboard
All night long, she'll cry
Oh, she'll cry
I never said it would be fun
I never said it would be...
So you want to grow old with me
Paint my hair black in the evening
We'll go cruising on a liner
I'll be oozing in the china
And coughing
As we go to Mexico
I never said it would be fun
I never said it would be...
The Monochrome Set's song Bliss is a darkly humorous commentary on the expectations and realities of romantic relationships. The first stanza features the singer being critical of their partner's domestic skills, while also demanding coffee and a properly cooked egg. The second stanza is even more disturbing, with the singer describing their desire to have obedient children, who will fetch their slippers and clean the chimney. They also express a willingness to physically discipline their son and imprison their daughter.
The final stanza brings up the topic of growing old together, but the singer's idea of romance involves painting their hair black, cruising on a liner, and coughing in a fancy restaurant in Mexico. Throughout the song, the singer repeats the refrain "I never said it would be fun" as if to warn their partner and the listener that they should know what they're getting into.
Overall, the lyrics of Bliss are a biting critique of traditional gender roles and the unrealistic expectations that can be put upon romantic partners. The song's dark humor and absurd imagery serve to highlight the absurdity and cruelty of these expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
So you want to be my girlfriend
The singer acknowledges the other person's desire to be in a romantic relationship with them.
Wax my moustache in the morning
The singer expects their partner to take care of their personal grooming needs.
I'll curse you over breakfast
The singer warns their partner that they may be unpleasant when they first wake up in the morning.
Where's my coffee; call this a boiled egg?
The artist voices their dissatisfaction with the quality of their breakfast.
It's runny, or hard
The artist continues to express dissatisfaction with the preparation of their breakfast.
Yes, it's hard
The singer confirms that their breakfast egg is indeed overcooked.
I never said it would be fun
The singer acknowledges that they never promised their partner a fun or enjoyable relationship.
You think I need a son and daughter
The artist questions their partner's assumptions about their desire for children.
To fetch my slippers, clean the chimney
The artist ridicules the traditional gender roles that their partner seems to expect.
I'll whip Johnny every Sunday
The artist makes a disturbing statement about their willingness to use physical violence against a child.
I'll lock Mary in the cupboard
The singer makes another disturbing statement about their willingness to harm a child.
All night long, she'll cry
The artist seems to take pleasure in the idea of a child suffering and crying.
Oh, she'll cry
The singer reinforces their twisted fantasy of a child being locked in a cupboard and crying all night.
So you want to grow old with me
The singer considers the prospect of a long-term relationship with their partner.
Paint my hair black in the evening
The singer expects their partner to help them maintain a youthful appearance.
We'll go cruising on a liner
The artist envisions a luxurious lifestyle with their partner.
I'll be oozing in the china
The artist seems to take pleasure in the idea of flaunting their wealth and status.
And coughing
The singer abruptly interrupts their own fantasy with a reminder that aging comes with health problems.
As we go to Mexico
The singer imagines a future vacation destination with their partner.
I never said it would be fun
The artist restates their earlier acknowledgement that they never promised their partner a fun or enjoyable relationship.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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