The Pop Group are a post-punk band which formed in 1977 in Bristol, England… Read Full Bio ↴The Pop Group are a post-punk band which formed in 1977 in Bristol, England. They consisted of Mark Stewart (vocals), John Waddington (guitar), Gareth Sager (guitar, piano), Simon Underwood (bass) and Bruce Smith (drums).

Their uncompromising, dissonant sound spanned punk, free jazz, funk and dub music. Their lyrics were, more often than not, politically charged. In '79 they issued their debut single, "She is Beyond Good and Evil" on the Radar label.

The band reformed in 2010 for a reunion tour. In November 2014, the Pop Group announced that they would release an album of new material titled "Citizen Zombie" on 23 February 2015. The album was produced by Paul Epworth.

Their debut album Y, was produced by reggae veteran Dennis Bovell to critical acclaim but low sales figures. Although it did not chart, the album's success was sufficient to convince Rough Trade to sign the band, but not before more line-up changes, with Dan Katsis, formerly a guitarist in the Glaxo Babies, replacing Underwood on bass.

The band's career with Rough Trade commenced with what is possibly their best-known single "We Are All Prostitutes", which featuring a guest appearance by free improviser Tristan Honsinger on cello. This was followed the release of their second album, For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder? in 1980, which included a contribution from US proto-rappers The Last Poets.

Shortly afterwards The Pop Group released a split single, "Where There's a Will There's A Way", with The Slits, a band with whom they now shared a drummer and managers (Christine Robertson and Dick O'Dell), as well as a growing interest in exploring dub and funk rhythms.

The band split in 1981, after legal wranglings and internal disagreements. Members of the group went on to form bands including Pigbag, Maximum Joy, Head and Rip Rig & Panic, the latter notable for the involvement of Neneh Cherry.

Singer Mark Stewart, meanwhile, collaborated with Adrian Sherwood and the On-U Sound posse, issuing records firstly as Mark Stewart and Maffia, then as a solo artist.

The Pop Group and associated bands started a Bristol 'scene' that would later spawn trip-hop.

It was reported on 24 May 2010 that the Pop Group would be reuniting. Stewart announced the first two dates of a reunion tour. Three members of the original line up were part of the reunion with two gigs in London and two in Italy initially confirmed. The band played live in Paris (for the first time) on 6 September 2010, at La Machine Du Moulin Rouge venue as part of "L'Etrange Festival" Film Festival which served as a kick off to their five date tour through Europe which included a London gig on New Year's Eve with Sonic Youth and Shellac.

In a 2010 interview, Stewart said that the reformed Pop Group was recording a new album, to be titled The Alternate. However, this album never materialized. The band were chosen to perform at the ATP I'll Be Your Mirror festival curated by ATP & Portishead in September 2011 in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

They have been cited as an important influence in the development of alternative music in the 1980s; Mike Watt, of Minutemen and, more recently, Nick Cave , have cited the Pop Group as an important source of inspiration on their own work. In November 2013, the band played the final holiday camp edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Camber Sands, England.

The Pop Group's 1980 LP We Are Time saw its first reissue worldwide (ex. Japan) on October 20, 2014. The band also released a brand new compilation of rarities titled Cabinet of Curiosities. In support of the reissues the band undertook a 7 day UK tour starting on October 20 in Edinburgh and ending on October 26 at the Islington Assembly Hall in London. Richard Williams - who championed the band and featured them on the front of Melody Maker on 24 March 1979 - wrote in his review of the London show: 'one of the most important British bands of the 1970s, the gig provided evidence of their continuing relevance'

Snowgirl
The Pop Group Lyrics

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Set fire to yourself on a train
Don't approach your life with a sword
Burning breast, your heart's in flame
But your eyelids shield you from the law

I won't stamp on your coal eyes
That poison tongue tasted stone
Built out of tears so you cannot lie

The voice of the wind tells you are not alone

Snow girl, I burn you
Snow girl, I melt you
Your hair is on fire
When I touch you, you melt
Snow girl
Snow girl
I burn you
I melt you
I burn you
I melt you
I burn you

Strong in the shadows
But you cannot leave your room
Knife
Inside you
Sharpens its blade
Tick-tick, hammer and nail, tick-tick, hammer and nail
Tick-tick, hammer and nail, tick-tick, hammer and nail

Snow girl, I burn you
Snow girl, I melt you
Your hair is on fire
When I touch you, you melt
Snow girl
Snow girl
Your hair is on fire
When I touch you, you melt
Snow girl
Snow girl
I burn you
I melt you
I burn you
I melt you
I burn you

I melt you
I melt you

Overall Meaning

The Pop Group's song "Snowgirl" is a haunting track that speaks to the tumultuous nature of relationships and the struggle to break free from oppressive forces. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a person who is on fire, both figuratively and literally. They are consumed by passion, but also by the weight of the law and societal expectations. They are trapped and unable to fully express themselves, their heart burning with desire but their eyes shielded from the outside world.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Snowgirl, I burn you, Snowgirl, I melt you," which can be interpreted in a number of ways. It could represent the singer's desire to consume the object of their affection, to melt away the barriers that keep them apart. Alternatively, it could be a reflection of the Snowgirl's own inner turmoil, the internal battle between passion and fear. Whatever the case may be, the track is filled with intense emotions and a sense of danger lurking just beneath the surface.

Overall, "Snowgirl" speaks to the struggle for self-expression and individuality in the face of societal norms and expectations. It is a powerful and visceral track that showcases The Pop Group's ability to tackle complex themes with raw emotion and intensity.

Line by Line Meaning

Set fire to yourself on a train
Suggests a self-destructive attitude towards life that could harm oneself and others.

Don't approach your life with a sword
Discourages the tendency to be aggressive or overly ambitious to the point of recklessness in pursuing one's goals.

Burning breast, your heart's in flame
Symbolizes intense passion, desire or love that can consume one's emotions and thoughts.

But your eyelids shield you from the law
Implies a sense of guilt, shame or avoidance of responsibility that makes one blind to the consequences of one's actions.

I won't stamp on your coal eyes
Acknowledges the darkness or sadness within oneself or another person but refuses to judge or condemn them.

That poison tongue tasted stone
Describes the bitterness, resentment or malice that can corrode one's relationships with others and turn them to stone.

Built out of tears so you cannot lie
Reflects the authenticity and vulnerability of one's emotions that cannot be faked or hidden behind a facade of strength or indifference.

The voice of the wind tells you are not alone
Offers a comforting or reassuring message that even in the midst of difficulties or isolation, there is an unseen force of nature that connects and empathizes with one's experiences.

Snow girl, I burn you
The repeated phrase 'Snow girl, I burn you' can be interpreted as a metaphor of desire, destruction or transformation that can either elevate or annihilate someone's identity or relationship.

Snow girl, I melt you
The repeated phrase 'Snow girl, I melt you' can evoke a sense of empathy, intimacy or surrender that melts the icy armor of detachment or reserve in oneself or another person.

Your hair is on fire
Symbolizes the intensity, brightness or danger of one's personality, ideas or aspirations that can either enlighten or consume them.

When I touch you, you melt
Implies a close physical, emotional or spiritual connection that can dissolve one's boundaries or defenses and transform them into something new or different.

Strong in the shadows
Suggests a sense of hidden power, mystery or allure that attracts or intimidates others but also isolates oneself from them.

But you cannot leave your room
Highlights the paradox of being active or influential in one's sphere of influence but also confined or limited by one's fears, insecurities or obligations.

Knife inside you, sharpens its blade
Metaphorizes the internal conflict, tension, or pain that arises from one's flaws or mistakes, and the resulting possibility of either self-destruction or self-improvement.

Tick-tick, hammer and nail, tick-tick, hammer and nail
Creates an ominous or surreal atmosphere of impending doom or transformation that can either inspire or terrify depending on one's perspective.

I melt you
Reinforces the idea of melting as a positive or negative experience that can either unite or separate people or things, depending on the context.

I burn you
Reinforces the idea of burning as a symbol of passion, destruction or purification that can either elevate or consume people or things, depending on the context.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GARETH SAGER, BRUCE NEIL SMITH, MARK STEWART, SIMON UNDERWOOD, JOHN WADDINGTON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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