Anderson also had this to say about the renewed partnership with Bernard Butler: “For years and years after Bernard left Suede it was me running the show, but now the stakes are raised. I feel like we are duelling with each other, in some kind of friendly competition. When we were at our best it was always like that, each trying to better each other.”
The band played their first ever live show on December 14, 2004 at the Oxford Zodiac. Things went as expected for the "new" band, and most new songs were received well by those attending the first set of shows. When asked during a concert by a fan to play the famous Suede song, The Drowners, Anderson replied saying, "Did somebody say they want us to play The Drowners? They came to the wrong gig".
Apart from relatively minor reviews of the first clutch of live shows, The Tears first press, a review of Refugees, interview with Anderson and a poster(!)was in The Sun on 15 April. The next major article was by Alex Petridis in The Guardian, which ended on an extremely optimistic note: "the pair seem artistically reinvigorated by each other's company. Anderson talks excitedly of Tears songs like the ballad Asylum, inspired by his father's struggle with depression, as having moved away from "Suede cliches or Brett Anderson cliches ... it's not, you know, opiated fop territory". There's even a hint of the old provocative flash and arrogance when talk turns to the future: Here Comes the Tears feels like a debut. It will be massively bettered. On this at least there's no hint of disagreement. "This album's like rocking the boat a bit. There's been a few splashes," nods Butler. "Next time, I want to get rid of the sails and see what happens."
From the start, Anderson and Butler were very insistent that the band would not be playing any songs by Suede. Things would change over time, however, as the band ended up playing a b-side of Suede's titled The Living Dead to an enthusiastic reception, during an encore for their show at the Sheffield Leadmill in April. On April 25, 2005, the band's first single, Refugees, was released. The single was very much a success and jumped into the top ten singles chart at number nine.
The band's debut album, Here Come The Tears followed on June 6, 2005. It was released to stellar reviews that helped solidify the duo's comeback, yet it failed to crack the top 10. In late June, the band played a set at the John Peel stage at the Glastonbury Festival. The second single from the debut album, entitled Lovers, was released on June 27. Though a significantly lower charting than the previous single, it still managed a decent spot in the top 25.
More than a month later, singer Anderson announced that he would release his long awaited solo album in between the touring and the release of the band's follow up album. After playing a few festivals and international gigs, the band announced a European tour with dates in October and November. However, to the disappointment of many fans, they later cancelled the tour in favour of beginning work on their second album. Shortly after, the band were dropped from their label most likely due to insufficient touring or low sales.
In late April of 2006, Anderson posted a message on the band's message board announcing the band were on temporary hiatus because "no one ever wanted this thing to get caught up within the drudgery of the whole tour/record/tour cycle anyway". In addition, he announced that he had completed his debut solo album and that it would see light in early 2007, hinting that the second Tears record would most likely come after that, if at all.
By the end of August 2006, their website and forum are officially closed, leaving dimmer hope for the future of the band.
In September of 2006 Butler posted on his website: ".....actually tears are the same as ever....i guess coming from the suede trajectory it would look odd to make a record and not stick to the brand name plugging away endlessly at one thing....but if you take my shocking career line over 12 years its just par for the course....im on top of the world working constantly on terrific records from 1990's the mescalitas on offs, and soon we will be making the Duffy record ....
yes i always loved more than i thought"
Imperfection
The Tears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's scratches on your arms
You taste like orange chocolate
You always put your hands in my pockets
Your teeth are not quite straight
Your mood swings oscillates
Your language is appalling
Your imperfections are so beautiful
I can't control my animal soul
Your imperfections have got me on a chain
Can't concentrate
I'm a sucker for your beautiful mistakes
And sometimes when we kiss
You touch my fingertips
Synthetic words can't hide me
Passion creeps like death inside me
And slowly we become one
We stick like chewing gum
I want your language to be appalling
I want you to play with my hair in the morning
Your imperfections are so beautiful
I can't control my animal soul
Your imperfections have got me on a chain
Can't concentrate
I'm a sucker for your beautiful mistakes
Your imperfections are so beautiful
I can't control my animal soul
Your imperfections have got me on a chain
Can't concentrate
Your imperfections make you what you are
My defective star
My inelegant love
Your imperfections are so beautiful
I'm out of control
I'm a sucker for the defects in your, your soul
The Tears' song "Imperfection" is a love song that celebrates the beauty of imperfections in a partner. The opening lines of the song set the stage for the theme, highlighting some of the peculiarities of the partner that are often considered flaws: growing nails too long, having scratches on the arms, and having slightly misaligned teeth. The singer then goes on to praise the partner's unique and endearing qualities, including their language, mood swings, and the way they touch the singer's fingertips during a kiss. The chorus repeats the sentiment that the partner's imperfections are beautiful and that the singer is unable to resist them.
As the song progresses, the listener gets a sense of the depth of the singer's infatuation. They want to feel their partner's passion "creep like death" inside them, and they hope to become one with their partner. The final verse, "Your imperfections make you what you are / My defective star / My inelegant love" captures the essence of the message that the flaws in a partner only serve to make them more lovable and unique.
Line by Line Meaning
You grow your nails too long
Your insecurity causes you to bite your nails down to the quick. But I see potential in your growth and long nails.
There's scratches on your arms
I see that you harm yourself, but I want to be there to heal and comfort you.
You taste like orange chocolate
Your unique, unusual flavor is delightful and refreshing to me.
You always put your hands in my pockets
I love the intimacy and closeness you create between us by invading my personal space.
Your teeth are not quite straight
You may not fit society's ideal picture of perfection, but I see you as beautiful as you are.
Your mood swings oscillates
Your mind and emotions can be unpredictable, but I'm willing to embrace all sides of you.
Your language is appalling
You may not choose your words carefully, but your raw, unfiltered thoughts and opinions are refreshing to me.
And you play with my hair in the morning
The way you show intimacy and affection is unique and special to me.
Your imperfections are so beautiful
Your flaws and quirks are what make you unique and attractive to me.
I can't control my animal soul
Your imperfections awaken a primal, instinctive desire in me.
Your imperfections have got me on a chain
I'm entranced and captive to your beauty, despite your imperfections.
Can't concentrate
You consume my thoughts and attention, leaving me with no cognitive space for anything else.
I'm a sucker for your beautiful mistakes
Your imperfections and mistakes make you more intriguing and fascinating to me.
And sometimes when we kiss
There are moments when our connection is so intense, it takes my breath away.
You touch my fingertips
Even a small gesture from you creates an electrifying spark between us.
Synthetic words can't hide me
No matter how hard I try, I can't disguise my true feelings and desire for you.
Passion creeps like death inside me
My intense emotions and desire for you are overwhelming and addictive.
And slowly we become one
Our connection and intimacy bring us closer and merge our beings together.
We stick like chewing gum
We're inseparable and stuck together like two sides of the same coin.
I want your language to be appalling
I want you to continue being yourself, unapologetically and authentically, even if it's not socially acceptable.
Your imperfections make you what you are
Your unique flaws and characteristics make you the one-of-a-kind person I love and desire.
My defective star
You may not shine as bright as conventional stars, but you are still my guiding light and source of beauty and inspiration.
My inelegant love
Our love may not be perfect, but it's authentic and genuine in its quirks and imperfections.
I'm out of control
My desire and passion for you have taken over my rational thoughts and self-control.
I'm a sucker for the defects in your, your soul
I'm drawn to the unique characteristics that make you who you are, even if they're not typically desirable or accepted.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNARD JOSEPH BUTLER, BRETT ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind