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/
Shut Up
The Stranglers Lyrics
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I didnt wanna listen anyway
Conversation aint that righti know what your about to say
I said shut up
Shut up shut up
Shut up dont ya
Shut up shut up
Im gonna have to leave you here
You can argue with yourself all night
Ive gotta lotta things to do
I told you to get out of sight
I said shut up shut up shut up shut up dont ya
Shut up shut up shut up shut up
Dont ya
I
n the song "Shut Up" by The Stranglers, the lyrics describe the frustration of the singer towards someone who won't stop talking. The words "You've been nashing all through the night" imply that the person has been talking incessantly, and the singer is annoyed and tired of listening to them. The line "Conversation ain't that right, I know what you're about to say" suggests that the singer has heard the same stories or points from the other person repeatedly, and has grown weary of it.
As the song continues, the frustration of the singer escalates, with the repeated refrain of "Shut up" becoming more forceful each time. The ultimate outcome is that the singer decides to leave the person behind and attend to their own business, telling them to "get out of sight". The song as a whole seems to convey a message of being fed up with someone who won't stop talking, and the idea of cutting ties with that person in order to preserve one's own peace of mind.
Overall, "Shut Up" is a straightforward yet effective expression of frustration towards a talkative person. Its lyrics are easy to understand and relatable for anyone who has been in a similar situation. The song's catchy chorus is also memorable, making it a popular track from The Stranglers' repertoire.
Line by Line Meaning
Youve been nashing all through the night
I can hear you grinding your teeth all night long and it's annoying me.
I didnt wanna listen anyway
I wasn't interested in what you were saying from the start.
Conversation aint that righti know what your about to say
We've had this conversation before and I know exactly what you're going to say.
I said shut up
I want you to stop talking and be quiet.
Shut up shut up
I really want you to stop talking.
Shut up dont ya
Please be quiet, don't you understand?
Im gonna have to leave you here
I'm going to have to walk away from this situation.
You can argue with yourself all night
You can talk to yourself and argue with yourself all night, but I won't be here to listen.
Ive gotta lotta things to do
I have many things I need to do and can't spend any more time listening to you.
I told you to get out of sight
I asked you to leave my presence and disappear.
Shut up shut up shut up shut up dont ya
I'm really getting annoyed now and want you to stop talking.
Shut up shut up shut up shut up
I can't stress this enough, please be quiet.
Dont ya
Please, do you understand what I'm saying?
Writer(s): Hugh Cornwell, Jet Black, Jean Jacques Burnel, Dave Greenfield
Contributed by Eli J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.