In mid-1977 the band moved to the UK, where it became apparent that they and their label had different ideas as to how they should be marketed. EMI planned to sell The Saints as a typical punk band complete with ripped clothes. The Saints insisted on wearing collared shirts and sweaters, and left their hair long. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Chris Bailey, guitarist Ed Kuepper and Ivor Hay on drums with Kym Bradshaw and later Algy Ward on bass.
Kuepper, Hay and Ward left the band in 1978, but Chris Bailey continued touring and recording as The Saints with a revolving line-up of musicians throughout the 80's including the late Janine Hall on bass. The Saints' commercial breakthrough into the US came in 1986 with the album "All Fools Day", with the video for "Just Like Fire Would" receiving airplay on MTV.
After releasing a couple of records under his own name, Bailey reformed The Saints in 1996. Once again without any of the other founding members but they have reunited occasionally to perform live. The Saints music could often be heard in the background during episodes of Neighbours in the 1990's!
The current line-up is:
Chris Bailey - Guitar and vocals
Caspar Wijnberg - Bass
Peter Wilkinson - Drums
Other bands:
2) A Reggae Band.
3) Polish klezmer band from Cracow.
4) Saints (sans The) is an experimental group from Goleta, CA.
5) '60s British band recorded by Joe Meek.
6) An American 60's uptown soul group.
Lost and Found
The Saints Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've heard all the lies & been promised the world
no business man is going to use or confuse me
'cause I ain't no puppet for his capital gain
What do get but exploitation
from creeps who are going to ignore your situation
Too many people getting pushed around
going to end up in the lost & found
but there ain't no respect in that system for me
you got to be satisfied & show no resistance
if you want to get to the top of that tree
What do you get etc etc...
They give you media minds to keep you satisfied
then take you brain away to appease & make you smile
The song "Lost and Found" by The Saints is a scathing critique of the capitalist system, and how it exploits and tramples on the working class. The opening lines, "Ain't nobody tells me what to do now, I've heard all the lies & been promised the world," set the tone for the song's message. The singer refuses to be used or manipulated by business people who only care about their own financial gain, and recognizes that he's not a puppet who can be easily controlled. The lyrics express the frustration of being exploited by the system, where people are constantly getting pushed around and end up "in the lost & found."
The song also touches on the idea of respect or lack thereof in the system. While the singer is told he needs to respect the system, he sees no respect for himself or other individuals in the system. Instead, he sees a system that demands satisfaction and compliance, with no room for resistance or dissent. The final lines of the song, "They give you media minds to keep you satisfied, then take you brain away to appease & make you smile," suggest that the system not only demands conformity, but actively works to manipulate and control people's thinking.
Overall, "Lost and Found" is a powerful statement about the dehumanizing effects of capitalism, and how it can strip people of their agency and dignity.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't nobody tells me what to do now
I am independent and won't be controlled by anyone.
I've heard all the lies & been promised the world
I have been deceived multiple times and promised unrealistic things.
no business man is going to use or confuse me
I won't be manipulated by any businessman.
'cause I ain't no puppet for his capital gain
I won't be used as a tool for any business man to benefit financially.
What do get but exploitation
What else can I expect but to be taken advantage of?
from creeps who are going to ignore your situation
These individuals who use me will ignore my well-being.
Too many people getting pushed around
Many people are being taken advantage of unfairly.
going to end up in the lost & found
These individuals will eventually be forgotten and neglected by society.
They say I got to respect the system
Society expects me to respect the system in place.
but there ain't no respect in that system for me
However, the system doesn't respect me or my values.
you got to be satisfied & show no resistance
In order to succeed in this system, I must comply and show no opposition.
if you want to get to the top of that tree
This is the only way to achieve success in the hierarchy of society.
They give you media minds to keep you satisfied
Society uses media to keep me content and distracted.
then take you brain away to appease & make you smile
Then, they take away my ability to think critically and make me content with mindless entertainment.
Contributed by Oliver R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.