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"
Lovers
The Tears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's the capital connected with her veins
Stepping under statues and on trains
Till we are under covers
She giggles like a child
With no sign of all the tension in her life
It's written on a t-shirt and it writes
Cause we are the lovers
We are the lovers
We're different colors
But we stand up as one
We are the lovers
We are the lovers
Two different colors
But we stand up as one
All the silly things we do
Just remind me of the flippancy of youth
Kissing under statues throwing food
And getting into trouble
She shivers in the cold
It's the capital connected with her bones
Jumping into taxis here we go
No other
Cause we are the lovers
We are the lovers
We're different colors
But we stand up as one
We are the lovers
We are the lovers
Two different colors
But we stand up as one
Cause we are the lovers
We are the lovers
We're different colors
But we stand up as one
We are the lovers
We are the lovers
Two different colors
But we stand up as one
Stop
"Lovers" by The Tears is a song about the unity and solidarity between the two lovers. The song opens with the woman shivering in the rain, which is compared to the city's influence on her veins. The couple moves around the city while stepping under statues and on trains, taking cover when necessary, till they are under covers with each other. The woman is seen giggling like a child, and the man is fond of reminding himself that they are together as one, even though their colors are different. The couple's joy, playfulness, and passion are portrayed through their silly actions- kissing under statues, throwing food, and getting into trouble. When the woman shivers in the cold, the man sees the city as connected to her bones, and they jump into a taxi to move on to their next adventure, confident that there is no other but them.
The song focuses on the emotional connection rather than the physical one, and the lovers portray the beauty of being together as one even though they are of different colors. The idea of "different colors" may signify different races, cultures or unique personalities. The chorus "cause we are the lovers, we're different colors but we stand up as one" suggests the message of solidarity and love for people who are different from us. The song is a celebration of unity and the uniqueness of the couple, the city, and the colors they represent.
Line by Line Meaning
She shivers in the rain
Despite being out in the rain, she shivers because she is deeply affected by the essence of the city she's in
It's the capital connected with her veins
The city holds a significant place in her heart, it's like her second home
Stepping under statues and on trains
She's walking around the city and using the train to commute, taking in all the sights
Till we are under covers
Finally, they reach their destination and cuddle under the blankets, safe and together
She giggles like a child
She forgets all the stress in her life and laughs like a happy, carefree child
With no sign of all the tension in her life
Her joy is so pure that there's no trace of the weight she's carrying in her life
It's written on a t-shirt and it writes
The message is clear, she belongs to this person and loves them deeply
That there is no other
There's no one else in the world that can replace what they have
Cause we are the lovers
They are a couple deeply in love
We're different colors
They come from two different backgrounds, but it doesn't matter to them
But we stand up as one
They're united, they face the world as a team
All the silly things we do
Their memories are full of silly antics and jokes they shared together
Just remind me of the flippancy of youth
Looking back, they see how innocent and carefree they used to be
Kissing under statues throwing food
They show affection in public and act like children, having fun and being free
And getting into trouble
They don't mind getting into trouble because they're together, and that's all that matters
She shivers in the cold
Just like when she's in the rain, she shivers when it's cold because the essence of the city is a part of her
It's the capital connected with her bones
She's so connected to the city that it's a part of her bones and soul
Jumping into taxis here we go
They're always up for an adventure, hopping into taxis and going somewhere new
No other
They only have each other, and that's all they need
Stop
The song ends with a commanding 'stop', as if to freeze the love they share and hold it in that moment
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRETT ANDERSON, FRED BALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind