Original personnel were singer/guitarist Hugh Cornwell (from Kentish Town, London), keyboardist/guitarist Hans Wärmling (from Sweden, replaced within two years by Brighton-born keyboardist Dave Greenfield), London-born bass guitarist Jean-Jacques Burnel and drummer Jet Black (real name Brian Duffy), a native of Ilford, Essex.
They began as a sinister sounding, hard-edged pub rock group, but eventually branched out to explore other styles of music. The Stranglers were, beginning in 1976, tangentially associated with punk rock, due in part to their opening for The Ramones' first British tour. The Stranglers were also associated with new wave music as well as gothic rock, but their idiosyncratic approach never fit completely within a musical genre.
In August 1990, founding member Cornwell left the band to pursue a solo career. In his autobiography, Cornwell states that he felt the band was a spent force creatively, and cited various examples of his increasingly acrimonious relationship with his fellow band-members, particularly Burnel. The remaining members recruited two replacements, including John Ellis, who had opened for the band in the 1970s as a member of The Vibrators, and singer Paul Roberts.
Interest in The Stranglers resurfaced when, in 2001, singer Tori Amos covered their song "Strange Little Girl" and titled the album it was featured on Strange Little Girls. "Golden Brown" was also used in the hit film Snatch by film director Guy Ritchie and extensively in the Australian film He Died With A Felafel In His Hand. Their hit "No More Heroes" was covered by Violent Femmes and used for the film Mystery Men. "Peaches", finally, also appears prominently in another British movie, Sexy Beast by director Jonathan Glazer.
The Stranglers had a critical and popular renaissance in 2004 (together with their first top 40 hit for 14 years - "Big Thing Coming") with the acclaimed Norfolk Coast album and a subsequent sell-out tour. The follow-up album, Suite XVI, was released in September 2006 (the title is a pun on "Sweet 16" and also a reference to the fact that it is the band's 16th studio album).
During the recording of Suite XVI Paul Roberts left the band to pursue his solocareer. Guitarist Baz Warne, who replaced John Ellis in 2000, became the main vocalist.
A quite rare Hugh Cornwell audio interview may be listened to on http://www.jasonwrightonline.com/
No Reason
The Stranglers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll just follow he sun
She gave no reason
I'll be back when I return
And with reason
We might have still been friends today
If not this season
Then on judgement day, on judgement day
I was imperfect with it
Seen through perfect eyes
Please now lie down beside me
In the morning I will rise
And with reason
We might have still been friends today
If not this season
Then on judgement day, on judgement day
No reason strong enough
To keep her waiting here
All reasons disappeared a long time ago
No reason like she'd had enough
Now I'm swimming in my beer
All reason disappeared a long time ago
All reason disappeared a long time ago
And in the morning morning
Over ancient spires
The Cambridge mists were rising
Over our secret desires
And with reason
We might have still been friends today
If not this season
Then on judgement day, on judgement day
No reason strong enough
To keep her waiting here
All reasons disappeared a long time ago
No reason like she'd had enough
Now I'm swimming in my beer
All reason disappeared a long time ago
All reason disappeared a long time ago
The Stranglers' song "No Reason" is a lament about a failed relationship ending without an apparent reason. The song's opening lines set the tone of the song: "She gave no reason, I'll just follow the sun." The singer expresses confusion and longing for the relationship not to end. The verses are punctuated by the haunting refrain of "And with reason, we might have still been friends today. If not this season, then on judgement day, on judgement day."
The song takes on a more melancholic note as the singer recounts his flaws, which seem to have contributed to the breakup. "I was imperfect with it, Seen through perfect eyes." However, the singer implores his lost love to lie down beside him and promises to rise in the morning.
The chorus repeats the sad phrase "No reason strong enough to keep her waiting here, all reasons disappeared a long time ago." The song ends with the singer wistfully thinking about his former love as the morning mist rises over Cambridge.
Overall, "No Reason" is an elegiac song about the demise of a relationship and the search for answers. It speaks of the hurt and lack of closure that can come with a sudden, unexplained breakup.
Line by Line Meaning
She gave no reason
The singer's partner did not provide any justification for leaving.
I'll just follow the sun
The singer is uncertain about what to do and is going to take things as they come.
I'll be back when I return
The singer is telling his partner he will come back at some point in the future, but without a clear timeline.
And with reason
If there had been a reason for the breakup, the two of them might still be friends today.
We might have still been friends today
If they had parted on good terms, they might have still had a friendship.
If not this season
Even if they could not remain friends now, there might still be a chance in the future.
Then on judgement day, on judgement day
This is a reference to the day of reckoning when they will be judged for their actions and forgiven or condemned.
I was imperfect with it
The singer acknowledges that he was not perfect in the relationship.
Seen through perfect eyes
Despite his flaws, his partner had seen him positively.
Please now lie down beside me
The singer is asking his partner to come back to him and spend the night together.
In the morning I will rise
The singer plans to get up and face the day, regardless of the outcome of the night.
No reason strong enough to keep her waiting here
The love between them was not strong enough to keep his partner from leaving.
All reasons disappeared a long time ago
The reasons for the breakup are no longer important or relevant.
No reason like she'd had enough
The singer thinks his partner left because she had simply had enough of him.
Now I'm swimming in my beer
The singer is drinking and trying to cope with the breakup.
And in the morning morning, over ancient spires
As dawn breaks, the singer is looking at old buildings and towers, perhaps symbolizing memories from the past.
The Cambridge mists were rising
The mists may represent uncertainty or opacity over the situation.
Over our secret desires
The singer remembers the hidden desires he and his partner used to share.
Contributed by Alexander T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.