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.
India
The Psychedelic Furs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're my love song
India you're my love song
In the flowers
You can have me in the flowers
We will dance alone
And live our useless lives
India stupid on the carpet floor
We dance upon the carpet floor
And reel around
India, India, India, India, India
I'm American, ha ha ha
India
Caroline is really great
She serves the muck
Upon a tray
And little rich boy don't you cry
You kiss me in the anodyne
See the ceiling raining spit
The beach is backwards isn't it
India don't you cry
India see the ceiling raining tears
You will cry a thousand tears
All the women form a line
Put your face upon a line
This is for the discotheque
This is stupid, I object
And I love you and I love you
And please me, please me, please me
Please me, please me, please me
Please me, please me, please me
India, India, India, India
The lyrics to The Psychedelic Furs' song "India" is a highly abstract piece that may take a few attempts to unpack. It revolves around the ecstatic feeling of being in love. The song starts off with the chorus, where the singer declares that India is his love song. It's like the country has been made into a symbol for the essence of love. In the next few lines, the singer talks about being together in the flowers, dancing alone and living their useless lives. This might reflect the idea that they are living their lives for each other and nothing else matters.
In the next verse, the singer describes a situation where he and his lover are dancing on a carpet floor, surrounded by an undefined space. This scenario could imply that they are trapped within their love, encapsulated by the space they occupy while lost in each other. Later in the same verse, he says "I'm American, ha ha ha" seemingly moving away from the idea that he is completely one with India. He then proceeds to describe a scene where a servant, Caroline, serves him muck on a tray, and a little rich boy is crying. This could represent the conflict between the physical aspects of the world and the emotional aspects of love.
In summary, the song India by The Psychedelic Furs is complex and multi-layered. The lyrics touch on themes such as the intensity of love, the meaninglessness of life outside deep connections, the blurred lines between identities, and the material world's contrast to inner emotional states.
Line by Line Meaning
India, India
Repeating the name of his beloved country, India.
You're my love song
India represents the love song of the singer's life.
In the flowers
Being in the midst of the flowers represents being in a state of peace.
You can have me in the flowers
The persona is willing to surrender himself to the beauty of nature.
We will dance alone
The persona and his love will dance together in solitude.
And live our useless lives
They will live life freely and without purpose.
India stupid on the carpet floor
The persona finds the name India to be foolish when spoken on the carpet floor.
We dance upon the carpet floor and reel around
The couple continues to dance, moving around the carpet floor in a dizzying manner.
I'm American, ha ha ha
The persona acknowledges his American nationality and laughs hysterically.
Caroline is really great
Caroline is a wonderful person.
She serves the muck upon a tray
Despite Caroline's greatness, she serves distasteful things on a platter.
And little rich boy don't you cry
A rich boy is told not to cry.
You kiss me in the anodyne
Seeking refuge in emotional and physical anodyne, the persona wishes to be kissed.
See the ceiling raining spit
The ceiling showers down droplets of saliva.
The beach is backwards isn't it
The persona muses how things one knows to be true are actually opposite.
India don't you cry
The persona addresses India, asking it not to cry.
India see the ceiling raining tears
The persona asks India to look at the tears that are falling from the ceiling.
You will cry a thousand tears
The persona predicts that India will shed many tears in the future.
All the women form a line
All women line up in a queue.
Put your face upon a line
Women are asked to place their faces on a line.
This is for the discotheque
This act is meant for a disco hall.
This is stupid, I object
The persona raises an objection on this action labeling it foolish.
And I love you and I love you
Emphasizes the deep love the persona has for India.
Please me, please me, please me
The persona wishes India to please him, triple emphasizing his plea.
India, India, India, India
The persona repeats the name India in a chant-like manner as an expression of his love.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: John Ashton, Richard Butler, Timothy Butler, Vincent Davey, Duncan Kilburn, Roger Nicholas Morris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SPLENDIDZEN
India (Lyrics)
The Psychedelic Furs
India India
You're my love song
India you're my love song
In the flowers
You can have me in the flowers
We will dance alone
And live our useless lives
India stupid on the carpet floor
India stupid on the carpet floor
We dance upon the carpet floor
And reel around
India India India India India
I'm American ha ha ha
India
Caroline is really great
She serves the muck
Upon a tray
And little rich boy don't you cry
You kiss me in the anodyne
See the ceiling raining spit
The beach is backwards isn't it
India don't you cry
India see the ceiling raining tears
You will cry a thousand tears
All the women form a line
Put your face upon a line
This is for the discotheque
This is stupid I object
And I love you and I love you
And please me please me please me
Please me please me please me
Please me please meplease me
India India India India
Composers: Richard Butler, Timothy Butler, John Ashton, The Psychedelic Furs, Vince Ely
@do2219
India India
You're my love song
India you're my love song
In the flowers
You can have me in the flowers
We will dance alone
And live our useless lives
India stupid on the carpet floor
India stupid on the carpet floor
We dance upon the carpet floor
And reel around
India India India India India
I'm American ha ha ha
India
Caroline is really great
She serves the muck
Upon a tray
And little rich boy don't you cry
You kiss me in the anodyne
See the ceiling raining spit
The beach is backwards isn't it
India don't you cry
India see the ceiling raining tears
You will cry a thousand tears
All the women form a line
Put your face upon a line
This is for the discotheque
This is stupid I object
And I love you and I love you
And please me please me please me
Please me please me please me
Please me please me please me
India India India India
@firstboyonthemoon8876
This entire album is an absolute masterpiece! Play it late at night when you are all alone. It will take you to another place.
@markadrianlangtry8552
ABSOLUTELY !
@fionamaclean9960
I hear you.
@grob67x2
Am right now 40 yrs since first heard it still wicked
@jane4552
Exactly
@Dra741
This is my first time hearing it and I remember the Psychedelic Furs love my world it captured me for the rest of my life
@stevendphoto
Let's go back in time to 1980, I was wandering around The Wherehouse looking for something to buy, and came across the first Psychedelic Furs album (US Version) and was very intrigued, I had never heard of them or heard any other their songs, as it was before they got any local radio play, but something inside me made me buy it! Took it home and played it and was mesmerized! Still my fav release of theirs! I also saw them play at the Roxy in Hollywood on their very first US Tour....
@jeffobiso7094
I 1st saw the in 1982 and was blown away By their musical Talent. They were such a part of our lives back then. And I recently saw them in Atlantic City And they blew me away again they are one of the best Bands of all time. I'm going to listen to them forever. You had to be there.
@georgemathie8123
This is how you start a debut album one of the most intense and mesmerising openers to a debut album John Ashton's guitar on this song is amazing
@stephenmcguire7801
Quite a bass run, too.