1. A new wave / power pop b… Read Full Bio ↴There are five bands called The Monroes.
1. A new wave / power pop band from San Diego, California consisting of Eric Denton (keyboards), Bob “Monroe” Davis (bass), Jesus Ortiz (vocals), Rusty Jones (guitar), and Jonnie Gilstrap (drums). They released a self-titled EP in 1982, and are best known for the song “What Do All The People Know?”
2. A Rock / Emo band from Pretoria, South Africa. Not too long ago in a land where musical creativity had become a scarcity, destiny inspired The Monroes. Through numerous auditions, ensuring the ideal artist for each spot, the band was carefully designed. The music, however, developed intuitively into something unlike anything written before. Most closely described as melodic hard rock, characterized by distinct guitar riffs and solos, the compositions creatively flourished. Orchestrated by fate, with an innovative sound, The Monroes are tenaciously dealing a shockingly ever after. See http://www.myspace.com/themonroesrockband for more.
3. A Norwegian pop band.They first started out in 1982.The members were Lage Fossheim(singer)and Eivind Rølles(percussion and backing vocals). Their first huge hit, 'Sunday People',sold 130 000 copies in Norway.'Cheerio' became even more popular, it sold 250 000 copies. The first release, 'Sunday People' reached Number 1 in the Norwegian charts in 1983 and stayed there for 7 weeks. Subsequent releases showed their staying power for well over a decade. The Band split in 1987 citing "being exhausted from 5 years of constant gigs and recording" but reformed in 1993 to land yet another hit 'Just Another Normal Day' that reached Number 2 for 1 week in the Norwegian charts. From 1983 - 1993 the duo also released 5 albums to critical and chart success starting with 'Sunday People' and 'Face Another Day' both of which reached Number 1 in the album charts in '83 and '85 respectively. Their greatest Hits album 'Absolute Monroes' also peaked at Number 11 in the album charts in 1993.
Eivind Rølles 1959-2013 Lage Fosheim 1958-2013 R.I.P.
4. The Monroes from The Netherlands, www.themonroes.nl, was founded in november ‘03 in Groningen. They developed their characteristic sound by covering songs from their own heroes. At first they played songs from garagerockers The Sonics, the sixtiesbeat band Shocking Blue but also soul queen Irma Thomas. Within a few months the covers were replaced by thier own numbers. The music which arose is an exciting mix of garagerock and soul from the fifties & sixties, but also the sound of the modern Detroit guitarbands can be heard in their music. Within a year they played at festivals such as Eurosonic and Metropolis and at VPRO's Club3voor12. BBC's Radio One regularly played their demo-cds and singles. Nowadays they have been discovered and booked by the programmers from clubs as The Dirty water club in London and La Fleche d'Or in Paris. The long-awaited debut-cd was released in September ‘09.
5. A Norwich based indie/punk group consisting of Jamie Delaney (vocals and guitar), David Jarmy (bass and vocals) and Lenny Rout (drums and vocals). They were first noticed nationally after winning a spot supporting The View at their gig at the UEA LCR.
Lady On 5th Avenue
The Monroes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Came with a dream and a daim
It came to leave for a better life
Kissing her father goodbye
You'll be a star in the future, my girl
With a smile you got nothing to lose
I loved an actress on Broadway one day
She's a lady on fifth avenue
She's a lady, nothing to lose
No one here to take you home
Wanted to work for a better life
But there was no work to be found
Wasted her youth in America
Life would be better at home
Followed the dream till the end of the world
Like a rainbow hits fading away
She paid the price with a youth and a pride
She's a lady on fifth avenue
She's a lady, nothing to lose
No one here to take you home
(French lines)
She's a lady on fifth avenue
Lady, nothing to lose
Lady on fifth avenue
Lady, nothing to lose
Lady on fifth avenue
Lady, nothing to lose
The song "Lady On 5th Avenue" by The Monroes speaks to the experience of immigrants in America who come with dreams of making a better life for themselves, leaving behind loved ones and familiar surroundings in the hopes of a brighter future. The song begins by detailing the journey of a girl who came to America with her dream and her father's blessing. She is encouraged by her father to pursue her dreams with optimism and positivity, "you'll be a star in the future, my girl/with a smile you got nothing to lose." The girl is pursuing a career in acting, and in the bridge of the song, the singer (presumably one of The Monroes) speaks to his own experience with an actress he admired on Broadway.
Despite the girl's ambition and positive attitude, she faces disappointments and setbacks along the way, unable to find work and feeling as though she has wasted her youth in America. She eventually decides to return home, having paid a great price in terms of her time and energy. The repeating chorus of "She's a lady on fifth avenue/Lady, nothing to lose" seems to speak to the idea that the girl has reached a certain level of independence and autonomy, but that her status as an immigrant, especially as a woman, leaves her without a clear figure to take care of her or take her home.
The song is a poignant and sympathetic representation of the immigrant experience, particularly for those who come with aspirations of success and are forced to confront the harsh realities of living in a new country. The Monroes' simple and affecting lyrics are supported by a melody that is at once wistful and uplifting, lending the song a sense of hope in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Came with a dream to America
She arrived in America with a dream of a better future.
Came with a dream and a daim
She came with a dream and a goal she hoped to achieve.
It came to leave for a better life
She left her previous life to find a better one in America.
Kissing her father goodbye
She said farewell to her father before leaving to pursue her dreams in America.
You'll be a star in the future, my girl
Her father believed in her potential for success in America.
With a smile you got nothing to lose
With a positive attitude, she was willing to take risks and try new things.
I loved an actress on Broadway one day
He had a crush on a Broadway actress at some point in his life.
She's a lady on fifth avenue
She has become a sophisticated woman after living in America.
She's a lady, nothing to lose
She is confident and comfortable with herself despite any challenges she may face.
No one here to take you home
There is no one to rely on for safety or comfort in America.
Wanted to work for a better life
She desired to work hard to improve her living situation in America.
But there was no work to be found
Jobs were scarce and hard to come by in America.
Wasted her youth in America
She spent her younger years struggling in America without much to show for it.
Life would be better at home
She came to realize that her homeland was where she truly belonged and where life would be easier.
Followed the dream till the end of the world
She pursued her dream relentlessly no matter what obstacles came her way.
Like a rainbow hits fading away
Her dream slowly became less and less tangible until it eventually disappeared like a fading rainbow.
She paid the price with a youth and a pride
Her pursuit of the American Dream cost her both her youth and self-respect.
(French lines)
Lyrics in French language not included in the assignment prompt and ignored.
Lady on fifth avenue
She is a refined and sophisticated woman who belongs in the city.
Lady, nothing to lose
She has a confident and carefree attitude despite any challenges she may face.
Writer(s): lage fosheim, eivind rølles
Contributed by Thomas M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.