The Reindeer Section arose - according to Lightbody - out of a chance get-together of musicians at a Lou Barlow gig in Glasgow in 2001, at which Lightbody drunkenly laid down the challenge to others to "make an album together", to which everyone said "yeah yeah". Lightbody "went home and next day wrote the album" and later convinced Johnny Davies of Bright Star Recordings to fund a recording session and release the proposed album. The group met over three days of rehearsal and ten days of recording to produce the first album. The album, Y'All Get Scared Now, Ya Hear! was released with a mini tour, the first venue of which was Belfast's The Limelight venue.
A second album, Son of evil reindeer was released ten months after the critical acclaim of the first, with a slightly different line-up. The single, You Are My Joy appeared on US show, Grey's Anatomy, and on fourth season of US TV series Queer as Folk. The song Cartwheels appeared on "The Second Chance", an episode of The O.C.. The band's most recent gig was on 14 December 2002 at the Queen Margaret Union in Glasgow. The project has never officially split up, but from that time it has been considered in a hiatus.
Artists who contributed to the project so far are:
From Alfie: Ben Dumville, Lee Gorton and Sam Morris
From Arab Strap: Colin Macpherson, Malcolm Middleton and Aidan Moffat
From Astrid: William Campbell, Charlie Clarke, Neil Payne and Gareth Russell
From Belle & Sebastian: Richard Colburn, Mick Cooke and Bob Kildea
From Cadet: Iain Archer
From Eva: Jenny Reeve and Sarah Roberts
From Idlewild: Roddy Woomble
From Mogwai: John Cummings
From Mull Historical Society: Colin MacIntyre
From Snow Patrol: Gary Lightbody, Mark McClelland and Jonny Quinn
From Teenage Fanclub: Norman Blake
From The Vaselines: Eugene Kelly
and Michael Bannister, Roy Kerr, Paul Fox, Marcus Mackay, Gill Mills and Stacie Sievewright.
Cartwheels
The Reindeer Section Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm doing cartwheels
I'm doing cartwheels
My wounds are nicely salted dear
I never got to thank you right
I was finished way before I could see
Quite what you had in mind for me
I'm doing cartwheels
I'm doing cartwheels
I'm doing cartwheels
Now the pessimism in the yards
As I'm pissing on their perfect front lawns
A voice calls out behind my back
And I take off into the grass
I'm doing cartwheels
I'm doing cartwheels
I'm doing cartwheels
It'll all tie me up into knots
It'll all tie me up into knots
I didn't mean to speak out of turn
Now you can sit and watch me squirm
The party's really in full swing
I wish I had a friend I could bring
I'm doing cartwheels
I'm doing cartwheels
I'm doing cartwheels
You're really loving this aren't you dear
Now you've got me on the ropes out here
With nowhere else to run to now
Just stay and face the music
Oh all tie me up into knots
It'll all tie me up into knots
It'll all tie me up into knots
It'll all tie me up into knots
The Reindeer Section's song Cartwheels is a reflective and emotional track that paints a picture of a person who is in a complicated and uncomfortable situation. The repetition of "I'm doing cartwheels" throughout the song seems to signify the physical and emotional struggle the person is going through. They are doing cartwheels to try and escape the pain and confusion but feel tied up in knots regardless.
The first verse talks about how the person's wounds are salted, implying that they have been hurt or betrayed. They never got the chance to thank the person who hurt them because they were finished before they could understand the situation. The repetition of "I'm doing cartwheels" after this verse suggests that the person is trying to run away from their pain by physically doing cartwheels.
The second verse talks about how the person is now lashing out in frustration. They are pissing on people's perfect front lawns and trying to escape their problems. However, someone calls out to them, and they end up running into the grass. This verse suggests that the person is trying to be rebellious, but they are still unable to escape their problems.
The final verse talks about how the person didn't mean to speak out of turn, but now they are squirming because they are being called out. They wish they had a friend to help them through this difficult time. However, the person who hurt them seems to be enjoying their misery and has them on the ropes. The repetition of "It'll all tie me up into knots" reinforces the idea that the person is unable to escape their problems and feels helpless.
Overall, Cartwheels is a poignant and emotional song that captures the feeling of being trapped in emotional turmoil.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm doing cartwheels
I'm trying to avoid facing the problems that I am dealing with
My wounds are nicely salted dear
You have hurt me and made my situation worse
I never got to thank you right
I didn't get the chance to express gratitude for the good things you have done for me
I was finished way before I could see
I was already defeated before I realized what was happening
Quite what you had in mind for me
I don't understand your intentions for me
Now the pessimism in the yards
Everyone around me is negative and unhelpful
As I'm pissing on their perfect front lawns
I am rebelling against these negative people and their perfect lives
A voice calls out behind my back
Someone is trying to stop me from rebelling
And I take off into the grass
I run away and try to avoid confrontation
It'll all tie me up into knots
All of these problems will become overwhelming and impossible to solve
I didn't mean to speak out of turn
I didn't mean to say something that would upset you
Now you can sit and watch me squirm
You are enjoying the fact that I am uncomfortable and struggling
The party's really in full swing
Everyone else is having a good time and I am not
I wish I had a friend I could bring
I wish I had someone to support me in this difficult time
You're really loving this aren't you dear
You are enjoying the fact that I am struggling and unhappy
Now you've got me on the ropes out here
You have put me in a difficult situation that I cannot escape from
With nowhere else to run to now
I have no other options and must face my problems
Just stay and face the music
Accept responsibility for your actions and the consequences that come with them
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GARY LIGHTBODY, JONATHAN GRAHAM QUINN, IAIN DENIS ARCHER, WILLIAM ANGUS CAMPBELL, CHARLES CLARK, BOBBY KILDEA, COLIN MCPHERSON, GILLIAN MILLS, NEIL PAYNE, JENNIFER REEVE, GARETH MARTIN RUSSELL
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