Fittingly enough, Borland's motivation to cut ties to the punk movement mirrored that of original Buzzcocks member Howard Devoto, who left his own band after Spiral Scratch. Like Devoto, who had gone on to pioneer yet another field called post-punk with Magazine, Borland looked around, saw all the bands who played straight-ahead chug-chug-chug rock & roll, and decided that the tired blueprint was in need of a little more depth and variation; atmospheres, tensions, and unfamiliar twists on the interplay between the instruments would be needed. Lyrics were another thing. Not content with simply railing against the government or grunting and yelping about trivial matters to merely keep a song moving, Borland became one of the few post-punk songwriters whose lyric sheets were truly worth ingesting and analyzing. Former Outsider Adrian Janes aided the cause, remaining involved with Borland in a behind-the-scenes manner, writing some of the band's lyrics with his former band mate.
The Sound made their first recordings in the living room of the Borland family home, with Adrian's supportive father Bob acting as recording engineer. As demonstrated on Propaganda, a posthumous release from 1999 that collects these sessions, the band was gradually -- not so drastically and suddenly -- leaving the Stooges/Velvets axis and applying touches that would be developed into something all their own. They received their first break of sorts from Stephen Budd, an early supporter since the Outsiders days, who had recorded and released some material by Bailey and Borland's electronically inclined side project, Second Layer. Budd's label, Tortch Records, made a small profit from a Second Layer release, so he opted to put it right back into the Sound's first release. Budd also became the band's manager, booking studio time for them with Nick Robbins in Elephant Studios and finding places for the band to gig.
The first release made a humble impression. Physical World was reviewed positively in the NME by Paul Morley, and DJ John Peel took minor interest, playing it a couple times during his influential BBC program. Though the Sound hadn't the will to pine for a major label deal, the WEA-affiliated Korova label (home of Echo & the Bunnymen) came knocking when they found out the band was going back into the studio to make a full album. Korova heard the rough mixes of the album and a deal was made. Regardless of the label's involvement, Jeopardy was recorded cheaply, and upon its release was reviewed extremely favourably by all the important outlets. Reviews in the NME, Sounds, and Melody Maker gave it five stars. Rightfully likened to the Bunnymen, the Teardrop Explodes, and Joy Division in those reviews, one only needs to hear the weakest song from the record to realize that the Sound -- from the very beginning -- belonged in that high class.
Bi Marshall left the band and was replaced by Max Mayers (aka Colvin Mayers) before the Sound went in to work with master producer Hugh Jones, who had previously worked with the Teardrops and the Bunnymen, for the follow-up. From the Lion's Mouth took full advantage of the band's atmospheric, mind-bending capabilities by coating their songs -- accessible and economical as ever -- with richly layered productions that didn't hide the rock-solid foundation the songs were built on. Another round of positive reviews and another round of general indifference from the public ensued, though a cult following was festering. Korova became a little anxious with the band and wanted some hits. Surely, the next one would break them.
It wouldn't happen. Working again with Nick Robbins, the band was pressured by the label to compromise and play the pop game. Not only that, but the band was shifted to WEA proper, a move that probably had more to do with taxes than music. The heat from the label and the climate it spawned resulted in All Fall Down, one of those historically troubled third albums (i.e., the one that super-diehard fans defend to their grave). The Sound responded to the situation with their least penetrable record by a couple brick walls. And WEA responded to the response with no promotion. Criticized for being too wilfully distant, for cannibalizing the back catalog, and for lacking immediacy (i.e., "tunes"), the record still has much to give the listener. Although it's not the band's best moment by a long shot, it's hardly something the band would feel ashamed of later on. To little surprise, the band wound up without a label and decided to reconsider their direction.
The period of dormancy involved a collective realization that the enthusiasm for making music and playing it, despite being a little drained from their experiences with WEA, had never really waned. Several major labels expressed interest in signing them, but in the end Statik won out; the band decided it would be better to go with the small independent. (Surprisingly enough, the band worked out a short-term deal with A&M to release material in the States, but it was pretty pointless.) Shock of Daylight, a six-song EP, was released in 1984. The time off served them well, resulting in some of the band's most fiery and uplifting material. This carried through to the following year's glassy/classy Heads and Hearts, the band's fourth studio album. Two dates at the Marquee during August were recorded for the double live album In the Hothouse, which was released in 1986.
For their final album, 1987's Thunder Up (released on Play It Again Sam in Belgium and Nettwerk in Canada), the band allowed the darkness from All Fall Down and the shivering, plaintive desolation of Shock of Daylight's "Winter" to creep back in. Few were still paying attention, but the Sound released a swan song that most of the members considered to be their finest work, with plenty of variety that hangs together. Nearly a decade of empty wallets and minor personality clashes had eroded the band's resilience, so the band decided to stop shortly after its release.
Borland continued in music throughout the next two decades, producing other acts and releasing another batch of under-appreciated records as a solo artist and as a member of a couple side projects (the Honolulu Mountain Daffodils, White Rose Transmission). Bailey, Dudley, and Mayers left music for the most part. Mayers passed away in the early '90s, a victim of AIDS. And on April 26, 1999, Borland took his own life. Thanks to the Renascent label's reissuing program in the late '90s and early 2000s, the Sound's discography has been restored and revitalized. "From the Lion's Mouth" is still regarded as a mark in new wave.
Words Fail Me
The Sound Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My need claws at me
My need lurks inside
It won't be pacified
To say what must be said
And nothing else instead
To reach and grope no more
To grab the core
Words fall, words fall short
When I try to reach the gulf
They fall short
Words fail, words fail me
Trying to speak from the heart
Of my heart
My need gnaws at me
My need claws at me
My need lurks inside
It won't be pacified
To say what must be said
And nothing else instead
To reach and grope no more
To grab the core
Words fall, words fall short
When I try to reach the gulf
They fall short
Words fail, words fail me
Trying to speak from the heart
Of my heart
Information
Recitation
Communication
That's the complication
Words fall, words fall short
When I try to reach the gulf
They fall short
Words fail, words fail me
Trying to speak from the heart
Of my heart
Words fall, words they fall short, fall short
When I try to reach the gulf
They fall short
Words fail, words fail me
Trying to speak from the heart
Of my heart, heart, heart, heart
The lyrics of The Sound's song "Words Fail Me" expresses the frustration of a person who is struggling to find the right words to convey their thoughts and feelings. The singer repeats the lines "My need gnaws at me, My need claws at me, My need lurks inside" to emphasize the intensity of their inner turmoil. The person is desperate to express what must be said without any deviation or hesitation. However, they feel like they are groping in the darkness without any success in finding the right words.
The verse "Words fall, words fall short when I try to reach the gulf, they fall short" illustrates the singer's inability to articulate what they want to say. They want to speak honestly from the heart, but they feel that the words fall short of the emotions they are trying to express. Communication is complicated, and words can be limiting when it comes to conveying the depth of our emotions.
In conclusion, "Words Fail Me" is a relatable song that many people can connect and relate to. It's a depiction of the human struggle to communicate our thoughts and feelings effectively through language. The song reminds us that sometimes words are not enough, and it's the intention behind the words that counts.
Line by Line Meaning
My need gnaws at me
I have a strong and persistent desire that is causing me great discomfort and distress.
My need claws at me
My desire is like sharp nails that are digging into my mind and emotions, causing me pain and anxiety.
My need lurks inside
My longing is hidden deep within me and is not easily seen or understood by others.
It won't be pacified
My desire cannot be satisfied or calmed by anything I have tried so far.
To say what must be said
I know there are important things that need to be expressed, and I feel compelled to speak them aloud.
And nothing else instead
I cannot settle for anything less than speaking the truth and being completely honest.
To reach and grope no more
I have searched for answers and struggled to find the right words, but I will not keep searching or trying without purpose.
To grab the core
My goal is to grasp the most important part of what I am feeling or trying to communicate, and articulate it clearly and fully.
Words fall, words fall short
Despite my efforts to express myself, the words I use are not enough to convey the depth and complexity of my emotions.
When I try to reach the gulf
I am attempting to bridge a gap or distance between myself and someone else, but my words cannot cross that divide.
They fall short
The words that I use are lacking in their ability to truly capture or communicate what I am feeling.
Words fail, words fail me
I am unable to find the right words or phrasing to effectively express myself, and I feel frustrated and disappointed.
Trying to speak from the heart
I am attempting to speak honestly and openly about my deepest feelings, but am struggling to find the right words.
Of my heart
The emotions I am trying to express are deeply personal and come from the very core of who I am.
Information
The details or facts that I am trying to convey through my words.
Recitation
The act of repeating or restating the same words or phrases, without necessarily conveying deeper meaning or emotion.
Communication
The exchange of ideas or feelings between two or more people, which can be challenging and complex.
That's the complication
The difficulties of communicating complex emotions or ideas through words are what makes this process so complicated and challenging.
Words fall, words they fall short, fall short
Once again, my words are not quite enough to express what I am truly feeling or trying to convey.
Of my heart, heart, heart, heart
The emotions I am experiencing and trying to express are very deeply felt and important to me, and it is difficult when I cannot effectively communicate them through words.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Adrian Kelvin Borland, Adrian Clive Janes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind