The Sunshine Underground are an English, Leeds based Indie Rock band. The S… Read Full Bio ↴The Sunshine Underground are an English, Leeds based Indie Rock band. The Sunshine Underground play a variety of punk, funk and indie. This can be seen on their debut single, Put You In Your Place, released by City Rockers on July 18th 2005.

The band currently consists of Craig Wellington (vocals/guitar), Stuart Jones (guitar) and Matthew Gwilt (drums). Three likely lads from Shrewsbury who came together in Leeds. Together, they form the rhythm colossus known as The Sunshine Underground.

The Sunshine Underground sold out London and Leeds venues on their first headline tour, following their successful support slots for LCD Soundsystem and local rave-ups, which earned the group the Live Band of the Year Award at the Independent Leeds Music Awards for 2005.

Their debut album Raise the Alarm, was released on August 28th 2006, after playing Carling Stage sets at both Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds Festivals.

Dead Scene
The Sunshine Underground Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Day upon day it's a race to be known
You've been there, you've done that
And we'll never know
And you say you've seen it all before

Yeah I heard you wrote the rule book
The in crowd, the let down
The accused, you're confused

You're oh so very complicated
And I guess you've seen it all before

Hey

You leave behind a trail of destruction
Can't bare to be like anybody else
And you say you've seen it all before

What you thinking?
'Cause we really didn't notice
What you're doing
Well nobody ever notices
What you're thinking
Well we really didn't notice
What you're doing

Calm down now, loose your frown
Stop your running around the room
Before it all comes crashing down on you
And I guess you've seen it all before

What you thinking?
'Cause we really didn't notice
What you're doing
Well nobody ever notices
What you're thinking
Well we really didn't notice

State of confusion
What's your meaning?

Overall Meaning

The song "Dead Scene" by The Sunshine Underground is an introspective piece on the harsh realities of fame and the pursuit of recognition. The opening lines, "Day upon day it's a race to be known / You've been there, you've done that / And we'll never know," illustrate the pressure of constantly striving to achieve success and recognition in the entertainment industry. The singer of the song is someone who has supposedly achieved this, but still feels unfulfilled and misunderstood. The chorus, with its repetition of "What you're thinking? / 'Cause we really didn't notice / What you're doing / Well nobody ever notices / What you're thinking / Well we really didn't notice," highlights the disconnect between the singer and the people around them.

The second verse delves deeper into the singer's psyche, describing them as someone who is "oh so very complicated" and has "seen it all before." They are both the "in crowd" and the "let down," which suggests that while they may have achieved a certain level of fame and success, they are ultimately unfulfilled and disillusioned. The bridge of the song urges the singer to "calm down now, loose your frown / Stop your running around the room / Before it all comes crashing down on you," warning that their obsession with recognition and validation will ultimately lead to their downfall.

Line by Line Meaning

Day upon day it's a race to be known
Every day is a competition to gain recognition

You've been there, you've done that
You've had the experiences, but we don't know the extent of them

And we'll never know
We won't have a chance to understand the full scope of your experiences

And you say you've seen it all before
You claim to have already experienced everything

Yeah I heard you wrote the rule book
You have a reputation for being knowledgeable and authoritative

The in crowd, the let down
You have connections with popular people, but they end up disappointing you

The accused, you're confused
You're blamed for things you didn't do and you're unsure of what to do

You're oh so very complicated
You're a complex individual

Hey
An interjection to get someone's attention

You leave behind a trail of destruction
Your actions have negative consequences

Can't bare to be like anybody else
You can't stand being ordinary