The Thermals' sixth LP and debut for Saddle Creek, Desperate Ground, was produced by John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth) in Hoboken, NJ. Agnello and The Thermals completed the record and evacuated the studio just hours before Hurricane Sandy ravaged New Jersey, a fate quite fitting when you consider the product. Desperate Ground is a true scrappy and scratchy return-to-form for The Thermals, with all the raw power and unhinged adolescent energy that made their early LP's so insanely enjoyable. Lyrically, Desperate Ground is a brash and irresponsible ode to human violence, a black celebration of the inevitability of war and death. A dark and yet joyous affair, Desperate Ground tells the (murky) tale of a lone rogue in the night. One man, one path, one sword. An unceasing urge to destroy. A never-ending battle against the forces of nature. A destiny impossible to avoid.
In early 2013 The Thermals signed to Saddle Creek, a label they've known and admired for many years. The Thermals and Saddle Creek have a long history of sleeping on floors together: The Thermals have toured with Cursive and Ladyfinger, and Hutch and Kathy organized the first Bright Eyes show in Portland way back in 1999.
The Thermals were most famous for turning down $50,000 from Hummer, discovering the elusive fourth chord in punk rock (F#m) and for soundtracking that scene in Weeds where Mary-Louise Parker jumps in the pot-filled pool in her underwear.
The Thermals announced they were splitting in April 2018.
The Thermals lineup was Hutch Harris, Kathy Foster and Westin Glass.
Never Listen To Me
The Thermals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Follow my lead
Never listen to me
Never listen to me
Fall by my side
I only needed to see
Never listen to me
Follow my light
Follow my lead
Never listen to me
Never listen to me
Fall by my side
I only needed to see
Never listen to me
Never listen to me
Follow the sound
Follow me down
Follow me down
Follow me down
Follow me down
I'll give you all that I have
I'll tell you everything
Love me all of my life
Never listen to me
I'll give you all that I have
I'll tell you everything
Love me all of my life
Never listen to me
Follow my call
Follow my voice
Like you know me
Like you know me
Fall in the sea
Fall in the noise
Like you know me
Like you know me
Follow my call
Follow my voice
Fall in the sea
Fall in the noise
Never listen to me
Never listen to me
Follow the sound
Follow me down
Follow me down
Follow me down
Follow me down
I'll give you all that I have
I'll tell you everything
Love me all of my life
Never listen to me
I'll give you all that I have
I'll tell you everything
Love me all of my life
Never listen to me
I'll give you all that I have
I'll tell you everything
Love me all of my life
Never listen to me
Never listen to me
Never listen to me
The song "Never Listen to Me" by The Thermals is about the singer's desires to be followed and loved, while simultaneously warning their followers not to listen to their words. The chorus, "Never listen to me," is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's lack of confidence in their own voice. The lines "I'll tell you everything, love me all my life" reveal the singer's vulnerability and desire for connection. They are willing to give their all in a relationship, but also acknowledge their own shortcomings.
The verses provide a contrast to the chorus, with the repeated phrases "Follow my light, follow my lead" and "Follow me down." These lines suggest a strong desire for control and power over the relationship or followers. The line "Fall by my side, I only needed to see" hints at the singer's self-centeredness, as if they only desire followers for their own benefit or validation.
Overall, the lyrics suggest a complex relationship between the singer and their followers. The singer desires love and control, yet lacks confidence in their own voice and warns against being listened to. It is possible that the song is a reflection on the difficulty of navigating interpersonal relationships and the desire for both intimacy and independence.
Line by Line Meaning
Follow my light
Stick with me, I'll guide you
Follow my lead
Just do what I say and everything will be fine
Never listen to me
The singer is being sarcastic and suggesting that the listener should not blindly follow them
Fall by my side
Stay close to me, I need you there for support
I only needed to see
The artist is selfishly taking advantage of the listener's dependence on them
Follow the sound
Listen to the singer's words
Follow me down
The singer is leading the listener to a negative path or outcome
I'll give you all that I have
The artist is promising to provide everything they can in exchange for the listener's obedience
I'll tell you everything
The artist is demanding complete trust and transparency from the listener
Love me all of my life
The artist is insecure and needs the listener's constant attention and affection
Never listen to me
The singer is again being sarcastic and suggesting that the listener should not be blindly obedient to them
Follow my call
The artist is trying to gain even more control over the listener through their words
Fall in the sea
The singer imagines a negative outcome for the listener as a result of their actions
Fall in the noise
The negative outcome will be chaotic and disruptive
Never listen to me
The singer is once again sarcastic, telling the listener to avoid listening to their words
Never listen to me
Repeating this phrase reinforces the artist's lack of sincerity and honesty
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jay Clementi, Radney M. Foster, Sunny Sweeney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
AZ Daily Editor Quispin Hoeks
Most underrated band ever.
scott ashby
kristopher david irizarry-hoeksema so true
A J
Fr!
buff3dN3rf
Very underrated. Like most great music is. People these days would rather listen to a chode with some turntables stealing others music. Now all you need is Turntables, and someone elses creation together for fame and be a"dj". The saddest part is that most DJs I meet call them selves musicians. More like music thieves. Musicians know to play instruments. DJs take other peoples art and paint over the top of it then then call it there own. Pathetic.
Christian Becker
Is really true
Harrison H
So true...2021 here and I’m still listening to this band
sofa kingtight
This song/band deserves to be WAAAAY more popular
vagabond vigilante
I absolutely adore Hutch's voice!
Walid Smith
A lot of their song do honestly
Zach Bernheisel
If they came out in the 1990s, they would have been as big as Third Eye Blind or Counting Crows or any other alt-rock band. Instead, they came out in the 2000s and no one knows them. Sad. They're brilliant.