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.
Out to Lunch
The Outfield Lyrics
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I'm out of my head
You won't understand me
Don't come knocking at my door tonight
Tell all my friends I? m all screwed up
Don't come messing with my head tonight
I? m under a spell
You won? t recognize me
Don? t come knocking at my door tonight
Tell all my friends I'm all screwed up
Don't come messing with my head tonight
Tell all my friends I'm so far out to lunch
I'm out to lunch mmm won't you listen I'm to lunch
Hey just let me sleep
Please don't pressurize me
Don't come knocking at my door tonight
Tell all my friends I'm all screwed up
Don't come messing with my head tonight
Tell all my friends I'm so far out to lunch
Don't come knocking at my door tonight
Tell all my friends I'm all screwed up
Don't come messing with my head tonight
Tell all my friends I'm so far out to lunch
I'm out of my head I'm out of my head
The lyrics to The Outfield's song "Out to Lunch" depict a narrator who is experiencing a state of confusion and disorientation. The opening lines "I'm out of my head, you won't understand me" suggest that the singer is struggling with a situation or emotion that is difficult to articulate. They express a desire for solitude and isolation, asking others not to come knocking or messing with their head. The repetition of the phrase "tell all my friends I'm all screwed up" underscores this feeling of being disconnected from others and hints at a potential source of the singer's distress.
The second half of the song reinforces this sense of dislocation, with the singer describing themselves as "under a spell" and urging listeners to "listen" to their state of being. The final lines reflect a kind of resignation, with the singer asking to be left alone to sleep and reiterating the plea for others not to interfere with their mental state.
Overall, the song's lyrics convey a sense of vulnerability and disorientation, with the singer struggling to make sense of their own experiences and needing space from others to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm out of my head
I'm feeling crazy and not in control of my thoughts or actions
You won't understand me
You can't comprehend what I'm going through
Don't come knocking at my door tonight
Please don't visit or disturb me tonight
Tell all my friends I'm all screwed up
Let my friends know I'm not in a good mental state
Don't come messing with my head tonight
Don't try to manipulate me or influence my thoughts tonight
Tell all my friends I'm so far out to lunch
Inform my friends that I'm completely disconnected from reality
I'm under a spell
I'm feeling like someone or something has control over me
You won't recognize me
You won't be able to identify me or understand my behavior
Hey, just let me sleep
Please let me rest and not bother me
Please don't pressurize me
Please don't put any pressure or expectations on me
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.