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.
Cast a Long Shadow
The Monochrome Set Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Ride, ride 'em down)
Had a saddle for my pillow and a prairie for my bed
(Ride, ride 'em)
I am a cowboy, I ride all night long
And I sleep under the stars above
(Ride, ride 'em down)
Got a bullwhip for my woman and a bullet for the man
(Ride, ride 'em)
I am a cowboy, I ride all night long
And I dream under the stars above
Well, I'm riding from the jailhouse to a grave that's dug for three
(Ride, ride 'em down)
There's a preacher reading gospel underneath that hangin' tree
(Ride, ride 'em)
I am a cowboy, I ride all night long
And I swing under the stars above
The Monochrome Set's song Cast a Long Shadow is a song with a Western theme, but it is not your usual cowboy song. The lyrics describe a cowboy who wakes up in the morning wearing a Stetson hat, with a saddle as a pillow and the prairie as his bed. The cowboy is a restless soul who rides all night long and sleeps under the stars. He is not just a cowboy, but a romanticized character, a symbol of freedom and adventure.
The second verse tells us that the cowboy is standing at the station with a saddle in his hand, a bullwhip for his woman, and a bullet for the man. This line makes the song more interestingly complicated. It suggests that the cowboy is on a mission, and he is not afraid to fight for what he believes in or even for the woman he loves, with the bullet representing his defiance against society's norms.
In the last verse, the cowboy is riding from jail to a grave that's dug for three, and there's a preacher reading the gospel underneath the hanging tree. This line alludes to the cowboy's fate, suggesting he is a criminal who will be hanged. The line is gloomy, but at the same time, it is also the climax of the song. The last line, "And I swing under the stars above," reveals the cowboy's acceptance of his destiny and his willingness to face death with dignity.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I woke up in the mornin' with a Stetson on my head
I wake up every day as a cowboy, ready to ride
(Ride, ride 'em down)
The cowboy is urging his horse to ride alongside him
Had a saddle for my pillow and a prairie for my bed
My bed is the open prairie under the stars and my pillow is a saddle
(Ride, ride 'em)
The cowboy is urging his horse to keep moving
Well, I'm standin' at the station with a saddle in my hand
I wait at the train station with my saddle, ready to embark on my next ride
Got a bullwhip for my woman and a bullet for the man
I have a whip to control my female horse and a bullet for anyone who tries to hurt me or my belongings
I am a cowboy, I ride all night long
I am a cowboy who doesn't stop riding day or night
And I dream under the stars above
I have peaceful dreams under the beauty of the night sky
Well, I'm riding from the jailhouse to a grave that's dug for three
My journey takes me from jail to a grave, prepared for three people who may be me and my two partners
(Ride, ride 'em down)
The cowboy is urging his horse to ride faster towards their destination
There's a preacher reading gospel underneath that hangin' tree
A preacher reads a religious ceremony under the tree where executions take place
(Ride, ride 'em)
The cowboy is urging his horse to keep going towards the execution site
I am a cowboy, I ride all night long
I am a cowboy who won't stop riding even in the face of death
And I swing under the stars above
I am executed under the beautiful night sky and swing from the hangman's noose
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANDREW PETER WARREN, GANESH SESHADRI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jerome Taskin
The line "There's a preacher reading Gospel, underneath that hanging tree"
gives me shivers every time. Love it!
dermot51
Apparently Bids alternative opening couplet was ' Well I woke up just this morning with a stetson on my face , (ride, ride em down) with a saddle for a pillow and that's including pillowcase (ride, ride em ) I am a cowboy' etcetera then again i could be fibbing , you got to laugh ....or maybe not, ' Ba, ba, ba , ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba'......indeed!
dermot51
Off the unreleased LP "Oh! no, its The Monochrome Set" produced by John Ford, in a studio in Cactus Gulch in 'sensurround' sound circa 1953 , yahoo! , super groovy, man!
pfordsq
I was living in East Texas when I first heard this , in '82 or '83. THE LINE ABOUT "GOT A BULLWHIP FOR MY WOMAN AND A BULLET FOR THE MAN" was'nt too far from true.
adrian coates
Saw Bid live a few times in my youth...still love em to hell :)
dermot51
Me too,One of the most inventive bands you will ever hear and what a groovy tune this is