Gwenno and Ani Saunders were singers in the group with Gwenno occasionally taking to the keyboard.
The Pipettes, at that time consisting of Julia Clark-Lowes, Rose Elinor Dougall, and Becki Stephens and their backing band, The Cassette, formed at a seaside party in Brighton in 2003 and entertained audiences with their trademark polka dot dresses, doowop anthems and choreographed hand movements.
Their first major single, Dirty Mind, reached #61 in the UK singles charts with the follow-up, Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me, reaching #35 in April 2006. Their album, We Are the Pipettes, was released on 17th July including the new single, Pull Shapes which reached #26 in the UK Top 40 Singles Chart, after being released on 3rd July. We Are the Pipettes reached #41 in the album charts after its first week of release. Judy was the 4th single to be released from We Are the Pipettes; it failed to reach the UK Top 40, coming in at #46. However, it did reach #1 on the Indie Chart.
In 2005, The Pipettes completed successful headline tours in the UK and Europe, as well as high-profile support slots with The Magic Numbers, Graham Coxon, British Sea Power and The Go! Team, that has won them fans in high places including Radio One DJ Huw Stephens, and Radio 2's Mark Radcliffe.
A very small tour of America took place in early 2007; every show played was sold-out, culminating in six successful showcases at SXSW 2007. A tour of the UK and Europe in April and May 2007 was followed by a tour across north america, coinciding with the release of the EP Your Kisses are Wasted on Me in the US which reached #5. Through summer 2007 they played a number of festivals in Europe and Japan. October saw a tour of North America, although delayed by visa difficulties, along with the US launch of We Are The Pipettes, including two new songs. A Japanese launch followed with a Japanese tour in December, and 2008 was seen in by the band with a mini-tour in Australia.
In February 2008, Gwenno and Becki appeared at several events without Rose, namely a DJ set in Glasgow and three gigs with Mark Ronson in Brighton and London, leading to speculation that he would be producing their second album.
On April 18th 2008, The Pipettes announced the departure of Rose and Becki, meaning that the group now featured none of the original singers. They were replaced with Ani (Gwenno's sister) and a BRIT School graduate, Anna McDonald. They also reported they were currently demoing twenty to twenty-five new songs with a view to recording their second album in the summer of 2008.
The new lineup made its debut at Corsa Presents Bandstand with Mark Ronson on May 3rd 2008. The band performed Because It's Not Love (But It's Still A Feeling).
On November 12th 2008, the band announced another departure; this time of Anna, who had only been in the band for seven months. Anna's unexpected decision to leave and concentrate on her songwriting meant the band had to cancel their appearance at Sŵn Festival.
On February 11th 2009, the band posted a video blog on their website to introduce the newest Pipette, Beth Mburu-Bowie. With Beth, they are currently finishing work on their second album.
Previous members of the band include Julia Clark-Lowes (now of The Indelicates), Rose Elinor Dougall, Becki Stephens, Joe van Moyland (now of Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong) and Anna McDonald.
http://www.thepipettes.co.uk
Simon Says
The Pipettes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know a game we could play in the dark in the day
If you know a way, do you wanna play?
It's called Simon Says and he says
You've better do what I say, do you wanna play ?
Simon says you must get on your knees
Simon's telling you to beg me please
Simon says we've gotta tie you up
Simon says those bonds aren't tight enough
And if you don't do what I say we can't have more fun
Do you wanna play ?
I know a game we could play in the dark in the day
If you know a way, do you wanna play ?
It's called Simon Says and he says
You've better do what I say, do you wanna play ?
I know a game we can play in the dark in the day
If you know a way, do you wanna play ?
It's called Simon Says and he says
You've better do what I say
HEY
The lyrics of The Pipettes' song Simon Says are about a game called Simon Says, where one person is designated as Simon and gives commands to the others in the game. The song portrays a darker version of the game, where Simon's commands become more intense and potentially dangerous. The lyrics refer to Simon commanding the other person to get on their knees, beg, and be tied up, all while insisting that they must do what he says in order to have fun. The song is an exploration of power dynamics and control within relationships, and the potential for those dynamics to become harmful.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the dangerous consequences of letting power go unchecked, and the need for communication and consent in relationships. The titular character, Simon, represents the person in the relationship who holds the most power and control, and the other person's compliance with his commands highlights the imbalanced nature of their relationship. Through its lyrics, the song warns against the dangers of surrendering too much power to one person and suggests that communication and respect are crucial components of any healthy relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you wanna play ?
Do you want to engage in a game with me?
I know a game we could play in the dark in the day
I am aware of a game that we can play at any time of the day, even in the dark
If you know a way, do you wanna play?
If you have suggestions for a game, would you like to play?
It's called Simon Says and he says
The game is called Simon Says and the instructions will be given by Simon
You've better do what I say, do you wanna play?
It is required that you follow the instructions given by Simon, do you still want to play?
Simon says you must get on your knees
Simon instructs you to kneel down
Simon's telling you to beg me please
Simon is commanding you to ask for their approval and permission
And if you don't do what I say we can't have any fun
If you do not comply with Simon's commands, the game cannot be enjoyed
Simon says we've gotta tie you up
Simon orders you to be restrained
Simon says those bonds aren't tight enough
Simon notices that the restraints are not secure and must be made tighter
And if you don't do what I say we can't have more fun
If you continue to resist Simon's commands, the game will no longer be entertaining
HEY
An abrupt expression to end or emphasize the commands given by Simon
Contributed by Sebastian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.