The Furs initially used Martin Hannett as a producer, but their initial self-titled album from 1980 was eventually produced by Steve Lillywhite. The LP quickly established the band on radio and was a top 20 hit in the UK. The album also found success in Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Australia. The US version of the album was re-sequenced, but failed to have as strong a commercial impact.
The Furs found success in the U.S. market with the 1981 release, titled 'Talk Talk Talk', which made its impact on the US album charts and received critical acclaim worldwide. In the UK, the album was a solid hit which spun off two charting singles, "Dumb Waiters" and the original version of "Pretty in Pink". The latter song served as inspiration for the 1986 John Hughes film of the same name, and was re-recorded for the platinum-selling soundtrack.
In 1982, the band was reduced to a four-piece with the departures of Morris and Kilburn. (Ex-Birthday Party drummer Phill Calvert would briefly join the group around this time.) The band's remaining members moved permanently to New York, where they recorded the album Forever Now with producer Todd Rundgren. This album contained "Love My Way", a breakthrough Top 40 hit in both the US and the UK. Ely left the band after this release, though he would return for the 1988 single "All That Money Wants" and the 1989 album Book of Days.
The Furs' 1984 release Mirror Moves was produced by Keith Forsey, and featured the songs "The Ghost in You" and "Heaven". Both charted in the UK, and "Heaven" became the band's highest charting UK hit at the time -- but inexplicably, "Heaven" was never released as a single in America. Instead, Columbia Records opted for "Here Come Cowboys", despite both international success and heavy MTV airplay on "Heaven." "Here Come Cowboys" failed to chart, but "The Ghost In You" was a hit on the US pop charts. The band had become popular in Canada as well, CFNY, Toronto's new wave radio station, listed Mirror Moves as the #1 LP of 1984.
By this time, the band had become somewhat of a staple on US college and modern rock radio stations. As well, they were building mainstream success, fairly consistently placing singles in the pop charts on both sides of the Atlantic, though they would "have more impact on future musicians than they ever did in the marketplace." In 1986, the band re-recorded a version of "Pretty in Pink", which was their biggest hit to that time in the US, and their biggest-ever UK hit.
Richard Butler later claimed that the success of "Pretty in Pink" caused the band to be pressured into entering the studio to record a follow-up release before they were ready. The result was Midnight to Midnight, an album which Butler characterized as "hollow, vapid and weak". A more overtly commercial effort than the Furs had ever recorded before, the album also featured the single "Heartbreak Beat", which was their highest charting top 40 US hit.
However, the Furs were dissatisfied with their new commercial direction, and subsequently returned to a rawer sound with "All That Money Wants", a 1988 track especially recorded for a 'best-of' collection. 1989's Book of Days saw a return to the old-school style and the temporary return of Vince Ely. 1991's World Outside was similarly more of a "back to basics" approach.
From 1988 on The Furs' chart success continued with three #1 hits on the US Modern Rock chart between 1988 and 1991.
The band splintered in 1991, with the Butler brothers going on to found Love Spit Love. After spending most of the decade apart, Butler, Butler and Ashton re-formed The Psychedelic Furs in 2000, and released a live album Beautiful Chaos: Greatest Hits Live, which also featured a new studio recording, "Alive (For Once In My Lifetime)." A DVD version of the performance included live versions of "Alive" and three other previously unreleased songs: "Anodyne (Better Days)," "Cigarette" and "Wrong Train."
Since then the Furs continue to tour the world along with former Love Spit Love drummer Frank Ferrer, ex-Information Society and World Party keyboardist Amanda Kramer and saxophonist Mars Williams who returned to the band after a stint in the late 1980s.
Showing the band's significant influence as a part of the new wave and post-punk movements, their songs have been covered by numerous other artists. Examples include Annie Lennox, Buffalo Tom, Icehouse, Powderfinger, Regenerator, and Robyn Hitchcock.
Dumb Waiters
The Psychedelic Furs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gimme all your jazz
Give me something that I need
Something I can have
Mrs. London's coming round
She's coming with her son
Gimme all your paper ah
So I can get a gun
Yeah I mean it honestly
She's so mean
Give me all your paper ma
So I can buy a train
They just want to suck you in
To being one of them
Tell her that I'm not in here
Tell her I'm a freak
Tell her that I fall about
Every time I speak
She has got in for me
Yeah I mean it honestly
I just scream
Give me all your paper ma
So I can buy a train
I don't know how I got in here
It's making me insane
Have another cigarette
And have another cigarette
In a room where lovers go
Talking on the telephone
They have go it in for me
Yeah I mean it honestly
They all dream
The song "Dumb Waiters" by The Psychedelic Furs is a reflection on the pressures of society to conform and be part of the "in group". The opening lines, "Give me all your paper ma, Gimme all your jazz" can be seen as a plea to escape one's current reality and enter into a more exciting and meaningful existence. The use of the word "paper" could be interpreted as money or a means of escaping a mundane life. The mention of jazz could signify the desire for a more free and creative lifestyle.
The mention of Mrs. London and her son suggests a social hierarchy and the pressure to fit into a certain social class. The singer wants to obtain a gun, perhaps as a means of protection, or maybe to symbolize the power to take control of his own life. He sees Mrs. London as a threat, someone who is trying to bring him down, and he wants to escape from her clutches.
The repetition of "She has got it in for me, Yeah I mean it honestly, She's so mean" emphasizes the paranoia and insecurity of the singer. He feels that everyone is against him and that he is an outcast. He begs for paper so he can buy a train, a symbol of escape and the hope of leaving his problems behind. The final lines of the song, "They have got it in for me, Yeah I mean it honestly, They all dream" reinforce the idea that the singer is struggling to find his place in society and feels that everyone else is against him.
Line by Line Meaning
Give me all your paper ma
I need your money to fulfill my desire
Gimme all your jazz
I want your essence that will make me cool
Give me something that I need
Provide me what I require now
Something I can have
A thing that I can possess to feel fulfilled
Mrs. London's coming round
A dreaded woman is coming to see me
She's coming with her son
Her child accompanies her visit
Gimme all your paper ah
I need more money to get a gun
So I can get a gun
I require a gun for defense
She has got it in for me
She bears a grudge against me
Yeah I mean it honestly
I am not lying
She's so mean
She is a cruel person
Give me all your paper ma
I need your money again
So I can buy a train
I require money to buy a train
They just want to suck you in
They want to manipulate and absorb you into their group
To being one of them
To belong in their clique
Tell her that I'm not in here
Inform her that I am not here
Tell her I'm a freak
Say that I am a strange person
Tell her that I fall about
Say that I tend to laugh uncontrollably
Every time I speak
Whenever I start talking
She has got in for me
She harbors a grudge against me
Yeah I mean it honestly
I am not being dishonest
I just scream
I shout involuntarily when I get harassed
I don't know how I got in here
I am clueless about how I came here
It's making me insane
It's driving me crazy
Have another cigarette
Smoke another cigarette
And have another cigarette
Keep smoking more cigarettes
In a room where lovers go
In a place where couples usually gather
Talking on the telephone
Engaging in phone conversations
They have go it in for me
They tend to favor me negatively
Yeah I mean it honestly
I am not lying
They all dream
They all aspire to something better
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DUNCAN KILBURN, JOHN ASHTON, RICHARD BUTLER, ROGER NICHOLAS MORRIS, TIMOTHY BUTLER, VINCENT DAVEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vlad Drakul
One of the absolute best songs EVER. I JUST SCREAM!!! The most underrated band in History! TOP THREE UK BANDS OF THE 1980?? 'The Psychedelic Furs', 'Depeche Mode' and 'The Stone Roses' UTTER GENIUS! Sex Pistols meets Sgt Peppers!
crapple009
And Roxy Music via sax.
Robin Farquhar-Thomson
I'd say Psychedelic Furs, Bauhaus and The Only Ones.
Cap'n Crunch
What makes you believe they're underrated?
Commander E.
Psychedelic Furs OUTCLASS a lot of today's Rock Acts !
DCXXX
A lot ?? … most bands today. I can’t think of any that are better!
Em McCord
Truth right there !
boykillshorse
Fucken love this...
Played the record so much, i wore it out...
I was 14 when this was released.
Still holds up..all the Furs tunes do.
Lee
I was 20 I know what you wear it out the record
lars kirk
@MrsFish7 not really - this is far worse sound quality than most of the stuff on youtube