They began recording during the mid-80s, picking up the name 'Baseball Boys' as a reference from a gang of hooligans from the cult film 'The Warriors'. Changing things around to 'The Outfield', perhaps a hint of their later American success due to their affinity for U.S. culture, they released their first album, titled 'Play Deep', in 1985 through Columbia Records. Picking up critical acclaim for their melodic rock sound, the album reached #9 on the Billboard 200 list and ended up reaching triple platinum status in America. As remarked by an Allmusic reviewer, the band had a knack for making "a harmonious chorus that is overly smooth and rock savvy." Their single "Your Love" reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as #7 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, and it soon became their 'signature song. It has went on to be featured in a number of 80s-themed compilation albums, and over a thousand covers and remixes by other artists have been released physically and/or online. Other singles "Say It Isn't So" and "Everytime You Cry" also made it into the top 20 on Mainstream Rock chart.
Though possibly peaking too early, the band continued to record and tour through the 80s and then into the early 90s as the Anglo-American pop rock and power pop scenes evolved. While their second album, titled 'Bangin'', hit the top 20 on the Billboard 200 list had both singles hit the top 40 on the Mainstream Rock chart, the group began losing their popular audience by their third album, 'Voices of Babylon', came out in 1989. Though receiving critical acclaim, the rock mainstream seemed to have shifted considerably underneath them. Drummer Alan Jackman left, and, now as a duo, they recorded 'Diamond Days' in 1991. After the disappointing response to their 1992 album 'Rockeye', which represented a shift towards progressive rock and arena rock, the group essentially disbanded for much of the 90s.
They resumed touring in 1998, and thereafter the band released two live albums via their website. The group's comeback album, 'Any Time Now', was released by Sidewinder Records in March 2006 and constituted a comeback to their traditional pop rock sound. In mid-2009, the Outfield entered a London studio to begin recording their seventh studio album. Titled 'Replay', it saw a June 28, 2011 release, with the band's cult following enjoying deliberately retro sounding songs such as "California Sun". Their music popping up in various places (from Katy Perry recording a Outfield cover titled "Use Your Love" to the 'Grand Theft Auto: Vice City' video game using their music), the guys had somewhat of a resurgence of interest at the tail end of their career. Although popular interest in the band waxed and waned since their 80s musical heyday, their group maintained a devoted fan base among followers of the power pop genre for many years.
Guitarist and songwriter John Spinks died in July 2014, succumbing to liver cancer after a long and tough battle. He was 60. The group released a statement saying: “We are relieved that his passing was peaceful and painless.” After taking a few years off from music, lead singer/bassist Tony Lewis released a solo album in 2018 but died on 19 October 2020 in his house near London.
My Girlfriend's Girlfriend
The Outfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Yeah)
I woke up in someone's bed
I couldn't remember what happened last night
I heard a voice then someone said
Roll over, baby, don't be wasting my time
I prayed for someone I'd recognize
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
I didn't know that I was in for one great big surprise
She was my girlfriend's girlfriend, yeah
She was my girlfriend's girl
I turned around unsure
She looked so good
You could have picked me off the floor
This is cool, this is it
I feel so bad I can't remember what we did
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
She said, 'boy you'd better open your eyes?
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
In walked my girlfriend, she jumped on the other side
She was my girlfriend's girlfriend, yeah
She was my girlfriend's girl
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
She said, 'boy you'd better open your eyes
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
In walked my girlfriend, she jumped on the other side
She was my girlfriend's girlfriend, yeah
She was my girlfriend's girl
She was my girlfriend's girlfriend, yeah
She was my girlfriend's girl
She was my girlfriend's girlfriend, yeah
She was my girlfriend's girl
The song "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend" by The Outfield tells a story about a man who wakes up to find himself in bed with someone he does not remember being with last night. He is surprised to see that the person in bed with him is a woman, and she tells him not to waste her time. The man feels bad because he does not remember what they did, but the woman tells him to open his eyes. However, when his girlfriend walks in, she jumps on the other side of the bed, revealing that the woman in bed with him is actually his girlfriend's girlfriend.
The lyrics suggest that the man was not aware of his girlfriend's bisexuality, and he is shocked to find out that she has been seeing someone else behind his back. The lyrics are also a commentary on the nature of relationships, as they illustrate the complexities of monogamy and the challenges of maintaining trust between partners. The song is notable for its catchy guitar riff, driving beat, and energetic vocals.
Line by Line Meaning
She was my girlfriend's girlfriend
I woke up next to a girl who was dating my girlfriend
I woke up in someone's bed
I found myself in a bed that wasn't mine
I couldn't remember what happened last night
I had no recollection of the previous night's events
I heard a voice then someone said
I awoke to someone talking to me
Roll over, baby, don't be wasting my time
The girl I woke up next to wanted me to make a move
I prayed for someone I'd recognize
I hoped to see a familiar face
I didn't know that I was in for one great big surprise
I was completely unaware of what was about to happen
I turned around unsure
I was uncertain of what was going on
She looked so good
I thought the girl I woke up next to was attractive
You could have picked me off the floor
I was stunned by how good she looked
This is cool, this is it
I was excited about the situation
I feel so bad I can't remember what we did
I regretted not remembering what happened the night before
She said, 'boy you'd better open your eyes?
The girl I woke up next to told me to pay attention
In walked my girlfriend, she jumped on the other side
My girlfriend walked in and got on the other side of the bed
She was my girlfriend's girlfriend, yeah
The girl I woke up next to was my girlfriend's girlfriend
She was my girlfriend's girl
The girl I woke up next to was in a relationship with my girlfriend
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOHN FREDRICK SPINKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
on Your Love
Winter of '84, 4 feet of snow drops on Harrisburg, PA the night the Romantics are to play the local club The Metro, Called to find out the band were there. Took the girlfriend to a venue of a dozen people and the band. They played that song at least 6 times, once me sing it on stage. Best concert I was ever at.