The Stone Roses released their second album, Second Coming, in 1994, which received mixed reviews. The group soon disbanded after several line-up changes throughout the supporting tour, which began with Reni departing in early 1995, followed by Squire in April 1996. Brown and Mani dissolved the remains of the group in October 1996 following their appearance at Reading Festival.
Following much intensified media speculation, the Stone Roses called a press conference on 18 October 2011 to announce that the band had reunited and would perform a reunion world tour in 2012, including three homecoming shows in Heaton Park, Manchester. Plans to record a third album in the future were also floated but only two singles were released. In June 2012, Chris Coghill, the writer of a new film which is set during the Stone Roses 1990 Spike Island show, revealed that the band "have at least three or four new tracks recorded". In June 2013, a documentary about the band's reformation directed by Shane Meadows and titled The Stone Roses: Made of Stone was released.
In 2016, the Stone Roses released their first new material in two decades. The band members continued to tour until June 2017, at which point cryptic remarks by Brown indicated the band had split again, which was later confirmed in a 2019 interview with Squire.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stone_Roses
Studio albums
The Stone Roses (1989)
Second Coming (1994)
What the World Is Waiting For
The Stone Roses Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And there goes the fool
You see that burnt out world that he is living in
I don't need to look for the rules
Here comes the donkey
Chained to a ten ton plough
He'll never make that hill in a million years
He loves his brother but he'd sell him for a fistful of gold
He needs a slave for his vision of the promised land
No I don't believe a word
Take me any way the wind blows
You'll never know just what you want to do
Or where you wanna go I think it's time
That you found what the world is waiting for
I think it's time to get real
Here comes the wise man
And there goes the fool
You see that burnt out world that he is living in
I don't need to look for the rules
He loves his brother but he'd sell him for a fistful of gold
He needs a slave for his vision of the promised land
No I don't believe a word
Take me any way the wind blows
You'll never know just what you want to do
Or where you wanna go I think it's time
That you found what the world is waiting for
I think it's time to get real
Anytime you want it then it's there
All you gotta do is stop it
On the corner and ask
Say hey you don't live today
Stop the world
Stop the world
I'm getting off
I'm getting off
Can't get enough
I'm getting off
"What the World is Waiting For" by The Stone Roses seems to be an introspective and critical evaluation of society, particularly those powerful people who make decisions that affect the majority of individuals. The song is written from the perspective of someone who understands that those who hold power often have an agenda that doesn't necessarily align with the needs of the people. The "wise man" and the "fool" are two opposing sides of the same coin. The "wise man" knows the rules but chooses to live in a "burnt out world," while the "fool" remains ignorant of them. The song is suggesting that neither way of life is sustainable.
The lyrics suggest that the powerful people in society will use any means necessary, even if it means selling out their own family, to achieve their goals. The tongue-in-cheek offer to go wherever the wind blows offers an insight into the unpredictable nature of society. The final part of the song, "I'm getting off," seems to be a declaration of liberation from the constraints of societal expectations. The plea to stop the world is a desperate cry to stop the never-ending cycle of human greed and misery that the singer has been forced to witness.
Overall, "What the World is Waiting For" is a call to arms, urging individuals to reject the illusions of power and success and seek out a more authentic way of living.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes the wise man
An intelligent and knowledgeable man approaches.
And there goes the fool
A simple or foolish person is leaving.
You see that burnt out world that he is living in
The wise man is living in a world of chaos and destruction.
I don't need to look for the rules
I do not need any set of regulations to guide me in life.
Here comes the donkey
An unintelligent or foolish animal arrives.
Chained to a ten ton plough
The donkey is physically chained and burdened with a heavy load.
He'll never make that hill in a million years
Given its present state, the donkey will never reach the top of the hill.
Whip crack beating down
The donkey is being harshly controlled or abused.
He loves his brother but he'd sell him for a fistful of gold
Despite having a brotherly bond, he would betray him for personal gain.
He needs a slave for his vision of the promised land
To fulfill his ambitious dream, he requires a servant to do his bidding.
No I don't believe a word
I do not trust what he is saying.
Take me any way the wind blows
I am willing to let fate guide me in life.
You'll never know just what you want to do
It is difficult to make up one's mind about the right course of action.
Or where you wanna go I think it's time
It is time to figure out what one truly desires in life.
That you found what the world is waiting for
It is time to seek out what society has been yearning for.
I think it's time to get real
It is time to face reality and act accordingly.
Anytime you want it then it's there
The desired object or goal is readily available.
All you gotta do is stop it
To attain it, one simply needs to put a halt to things.
On the corner and ask
By going to a specific location and inquiring about it.
Say hey you don't live today
Make the most of today, seize the moment.
Stop the world
Put an end to the chaos and disorder present in the world.
Stop the world
Reinforce the idea of ceasing destructive behavior.
I'm getting off
I am departing from this unpleasant situation.
Can't get enough
I am eager to leave this situation.
I'm getting off
I am putting an end to anything causing me distress.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Misato Katsuragi
Here comes the wise man
And there goes the fool
You see that burnt out world that he is living in
I don't need to look for the rules
Here comes the donkey
Chained to a ten ton plough
He'll never make that hill in a million years
Whip crack beating down
He loves his brother
But he'd sell him for a fistful of gold
He needs a slave for his vision of the promised land
No, I don't believe a word
Take me any way the wind blows
You'll never know just what you want to do
Or where you wanna go, I think it's time
That you found what the world is waiting for
I think it's time to get real
Here comes the wise man
And there goes the fool
You see that burnt out world that he is living in
I don't need to look for the rules
He loves his brother
But he'd sell him for a fistful of gold
He needs a slave for his vision of the promised land
No, I don't believe a word
Take me any way the wind blows
You'll never know just what you want to do
Or where you wanna go, I think it's time
That you found what the world is waiting for
I think it's time to get real
Anytime you want it then it's there
All you gotta do is stop it on the corner and ask
Say, hey, you don't live today, stop the world
Stop the world, I'm getting off
I'm getting off
Can't get enough
I'm getting off
Andy Black
It needs more than the recognition it gets cos it a banging tune even now, I've been into the stone roses since I was 15 years old & I'm now 47 trying to get my step-son into them
Adam Brown
Fair play, if I ever have kids they’ll defo be roses fans
Littlewing6was9
Don't try man. You're still riding the wave he'll jump on one day. 🌻
the stoned rose
Yeah man got two sons myself and they are both massive madchester fans they are 20 nd 18 brought them up with all the classics from that era.
Harry_h
My dad used to play them in the car when I was 12 I always liked them but didn't start listening to them properly till 14
SucSynched
crazy the passage of time and bet you're happier than at least of others your age
Bobby Flash
By far my favourite Stones Roses song, a right little toe tapper.
kyna matthewson
Always the happy/lively tunes, with the grim/biting lyrics. Have to love this group. One of their best songs.
Sean Kilburn
That first sentence pretty much sums up the smiths as well
David Bagan
Banging tune,takes me back the good days of the indie revolution. 94-98 was the time to be alive and enjoying the moment