Ambition was never the Pastels' strong suit, and luck was rarely on their side; as the group's members -- now including bassist Martin Hayward and drummer Bernice Simpson -- devoted their primary focus to their studies, new music appeared only sporadically and to little notice, on a seemingly random series of labels. After 1983's "I Wonder Why" was released on Rough Trade, they moved to Creation, where they hit their stride with the 1984 drone-pop gems "Something's Going On" and "A Million Tears." After one further single, 1985's "I'm Alright with You," the Pastels split with Creation, moving to the tiny Glass label. In 1986, their track "Breaking Lines" appeared on the influential C-86 collection assembled by the New Music Express, transforming the anorak movement into an overnight media sensation quickly accompanied by intense critical backlash.
Regardless of prevailing musical trends, however, the Pastels soldiered on: after recruiting one-time Shop Assistants keyboardist Aggi Wright, they recorded the 1986 single "Truck Train Tractor," followed by Crawl Babies and Comin' Through. Finally, in 1987 the group found time to assemble an LP, Up for a Bit with the Pastels, followed in 1988 by Suck on the Pastels, a collection of unreleased Creation-era material. In 1989, former Vaselines frontman Eugene Kelly and ex-Shop Assistant David Keegan joined the fold for Sittin' Pretty, the final LP to include Superstar, Hayward, and Simpson. The remaining duo of Pastel and Wright expanded to include Katrina Mitchell for the 1991 collaboration Jad Fair and the Pastels, followed by the 1994 EP Olympic World of Pastelism. Their third album, Mobile Safari, was released in 1995 by Domino in the U.K. (which began a long-running alliance) and Up Records in the U.S. It featured a lineup including longtime band associates Norman Blake and Gerald Love (both from Teenage Fanclub) and ex-Shop Assistant guitarist David Keegan, and a guest appearance from Luna's Dean Wareham.
Their next album, 1997's Illumination, was issued by the same configuration of record labels and featured a similar lineup, only with the addition of guitarist Jonathan Kilgour and guest shots from Belle & Sebastian's Isobel Campbell and pianist Bill Wells. A remix album, Illuminati, was released in 1998 and featured reworks of tracks by Kevin Shields, Stereolab, Cornelius, and other A-list indie rockers. This burst of recognition and activity was derailed when Wright decided to leave the band in 1998, throwing Mitchell and Pastel into a spin. Instead of jumping back into making music right away, the band went on hiatus while figuring things out. The duo next formed Geographic Records in 2000 as an offshoot of Domino, and began releasing records by friends (Future Pilot AKA, International Airport) and obscure acts (Nagisa Ni Te, Maher Shalal Hash Baz.) The band reappeared at last in 2003 with the mostly instrumental soundtrack for the film The Last Great Wilderness. The album was produced by the Sea and Cake's John McEntire and featured International Airport's Tom Crossley along with a vocal feature for Jarvis Cocker. A friendship with Japanese band Tenniscoats led to their next release, 2009's collaborative effort Two Sunsets. The core band was expanded to include Crossley and Mitchell's sister Alison, with Love still there, too. With the record label slowing its pace and releasing one album a year, the band turned toward recording an album of their own, and in 2013 their fifth record, Slow Summits, was released. McEntire was again in the producer's chair and guitarist John Hogarty had joined the ranks. Also on board as guests were To Rococo Rot's Stefan Schneider and Robert Lippok, as well as Norman Blake (again), and original bandmember Annabel Wright. (c)Jason Ankeny
2) An American 50s pop group formed by Dee Irwin while he was serving in the military. Consisted of DiFosco "Dee" T. Ervin Jr. himself, Richard Travis, Tony Thomas and Jimmy Willingham. They toured widely until splitting up in 1959.
Been so long
The Pastels Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Been so long since I held you tight
Been so long since I kissed you goodnight
The blues are mine
Been so long my hours seem like years
Been so long I shed those precious tears
The blues are mine
I never ever thought I'd fall in love like this
I need your arms
The warmth of your sweet kiss
Been so long I need you oh so bad
Been so long my heart is sad
The blues are mine
The lyrics to this song by The Pastels are about missing someone and feeling the blues. The opening lines convey the feeling of longing and distance: "Been so long since I held you tight, been so long since I kissed you goodnight." The singer is clearly missing someone important, and this absence is causing them to feel sad and blue.
As the song continues, we learn that the singer's sadness has been going on for a long time. They've been without this person for so long that their hours seem like years, they've shed precious tears, and their heart is sad. Despite all this, the singer never thought they'd fall in love like this, suggesting that the relationship was unexpected or perhaps even forbidden.
The final lines of the song reveal just how much the singer needs this missing person: "Been so long I need you oh so bad, been so long my heart is sad, the blues are mine." Throughout the song, we can feel the weight of the singer's emotions in the slow pace of the music and the mournful tone of the vocals. Overall, "Been So Long" is a powerful expression of love, loss, and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Been so long since I held you tight
It has been such a long time since I have held you tightly, feeling your warmth and embracing your being.
Been so long since I kissed you goodnight
It is so long since I have kissed you goodnight, whispering sweet nothings and showing my affection for you.
The blues are mine
I feel down and depressed, experiencing sadness and heartache without you by my side.
Been so long my hours seem like years
The time that has passed without you has felt like an eternity, and every hour without you drags on without end.
Been so long I shed those precious tears
The pain of missing you has caused me to cry countless tears, longing for your presence and love.
I never ever thought I'd fall in love like this
I never expected to fall in love with such intensity and depth, feeling a connection that is so strong and beautiful.
I need your arms
I crave your loving embrace, feeling safe and secure in your arms, where I know I belong.
The warmth of your sweet kiss
I yearn for the tender and loving touch of your lips, where I can taste the sweetness of your love.
Been so long I need you oh so bad
The longing for your love has intensified to the point of desperation, where I need you in my life so badly.
Been so long my heart is sad
The sadness of not having you in my life has weighed heavily on my heart, causing pain and tragedy.
The blues are mine
I cannot shake this feeling of melancholy and despair, with the blues being a constant presence in my life without you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Thomas Willingham, Travis Di Fosco
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davey6022
One of my Dad favorites. I remember him coming home from a hard days work, get himself a cold beer and chill with his thousands of records from the 50's to the 80's. Thanks dad for introducing me to this wonderful music.
@phyllispittman4664
I can't remember how young I was,but I was young.I'm now 75 and it's still beautiful and I agree one of the best love songs ever.❤
@jacquelineking4316
I was 10 years old. My baby sitter used 2play it n So Far Away. Still 2 of my favorites. I'm 73 years old. Gone r the days of great romantic songs.
@lisacassar9486
This is my late moms and fathers song. Almost brings tears to my eyes, this song is so beautiful❤
@francisbrittingham8189
Miss this kind of music
@truth_isbeauty8629
So hauntingly beautiful, takes me to a better place and time.
@davey6022
Yes it does
@catherines.mitchell6313
I was 15 when this record came out. I am now 75 and I can still listen to it everyday. It is the perfect love song.
@theresatitus-lawson3431
I was 12 when this record came out and I feel the same way Catherine!
@bobaldo2339
I was also 15, and I still have the 45.