The Scottish Enlightenment formed in Fife, Scotland in 2004 as a four piece… Read Full Bio ↴The Scottish Enlightenment formed in Fife, Scotland in 2004 as a four piece and went through a number of line-up reshuffles before settling as a four piece (although live show often feature additional musicians). From early on the band was involved with the Moojuice Records collective - a group of musicians/producers based in Fife. The Scottish Enlightenment's first release was a 7 track mini-album on the Moojuice label, entitled Volo ut Sis, which was restricted to 120 copies. Three of the tracks on that Album formed the band's second release, the "Eyes" E.P., in April 2007. The three songs reveal a mix of influences both British (idlewild, Arab strap...) and American (Pavement, Built to Spill...). The title track "Eyes" was played on Radio 1, BBC6 Music, and XFM, and the video reached MTV2's "120 Minutes" and "The Indie Mixtape", giving the band exposure across Europe.

A full length Album is expected in 2009, displaying the slow, more reverberant sound the band has developed since the release of the "Eyes" EP.

A year on...

Three songs from that album were released in December 2009, but the full album wasn't to be released for nearly another year as the band finished off recording a raft of new songs. May 2010 heralded their first proper release for over three years - the limited edition Pascal EP - which was met with critical acclaim on the Scottish indie blogosphere and sold out within the first few months. The Autumn brought with it yet another release - Little Sleep EP - and finally, in November 2010, a bumper year for the band, their first full length studio album, St Thomas, was released on Armellodie Records.

Pascal
The Scottish Enlightenment Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well I am out of chips
You might think thats it
But hey, read my lips
I will raise you
I've seen yr 2x4
I dunno where we are
And I've got dreadful cards

I am nearly out
Im nearly out
But I cant go back south
With all i came without
I will raise ya
Something i brought along
It is all i've got
and it cant be lost
without trouble
Out of the heart of men
see yr dead presidents
raise three score and ten

I am nearly out...

Overall Meaning

The song "Pascal" by The Scottish Enlightenment delves into the idea of gambling and risking it all to win big. The lyrics paint a picture of a high-stakes game of poker, where the singer is down on their luck and running out of chips. However, despite their situation, they refuse to give up and declare their intent to raise their bet, a bold move that could either lead to victory or defeat. The singer mentions seeing their opponent's 2x4, a reference to a poker hand composed of a pair of twos and a pair of fours. They express uncertainty about their location, further emphasizing the idea of being lost in the risk and excitement of the game.

Despite the odds being against them, the singer also mentions they have something they brought along, all they've got, which cannot be lost without trouble. This could symbolize their faith in their own abilities or even a sense of desperation. The final lines of the song mention "dead presidents," a slang term for money, and how they will raise "three score and ten," or seventy dollars, to win the game. Overall, "Pascal" is a commentary on the power dynamics, tension, and excitement of gambling, as well as the importance of never giving up on a risky venture.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I am out of chips
My resources are depleted

You might think thats it
You may believe that I am finished

But hey, read my lips
Listen carefully to what I am saying

I will raise you
I will increase the stakes

I've seen yr 2x4
I am aware of your tactics

I dunno where we are
I am unsure of our current situation

And I've got dreadful cards
My situation is undesirable

I am nearly out
I am almost depleted

Im nearly out
I am almost depleted

But I cant go back south
I cannot revert to a previous state

With all i came without
With none of my original resources