* Feargal Sharkey (lead vocals),
* John O'Neill (guitar),
* Damian O'Neill (guitar, keyboards and vocals),
* Michael Bradley (bass and vocals), and
* Billy Doherty (drums).
John O'Neill was the original main song writer, with his brother Damian and Mickey Bradley writing in various solo & combined variations for most of the remainder.
Sharkey's power pop tenor was distinctive, and the band regarded a tight ensemble. By 1977 they were performing their own three-chord pop punk material influenced by Nuggets-type material and Ramones, and in 1978 released their debut four-song EP Teenage Kicks on Good Vibrations. It became a hit with support from DJ John Peel, who considered that EP's title song (Teenage Kicks) his all-time favourite. The song has been covered by many including boyband Busted (at the 2003 Brit Awards), American group The Raconteurs, Swedish band [aritst]Sahara Hotnights and French band Nouvelle Vague.
The original band released four studio albums:
* The Undertones (1979)
* Hypnotised (1980)
* Positive Touch (1981)
* The Sin Of Pride (1983).
Falling sales linked to their changing musical direction and tensions within the band, leading to their split in 1983. A compilation album titled All Wrapped Up featured a woman dressed in lunch meats wrapped in clear plastic on the (non band approved) cover. Several other compilations including the superb BBC sessions CD Listening In (named after a song on their first album) (2004) exist.
The O'Neill brothers went on to form That Petrol Emotion. The Undertones reconvened in 1999, initially to play a few shows in their hometown of Londonderry, replacing singer Feargal Sharkey with a similarly warbling new recruit, Paul McLoone. Since this time, the band has continued to play a small number of gigs each year in various places around the world.
The band have also released two further studio albums:
* Get What You Need (2003)
* Dig Yourself Deep (2007)
NOTE: There is another band with this name - The Undertones, a subset of the University of Notre Dame Glee Club who sing a capella arrangements of popular songs. For more information on these guys, check out www.nd.edu/~utones.
Fascination
The Undertones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing every gets done
Then someone opened the door
Lying in the corner
Just by the window
Til some one opened the door
Fascination - what did he say ?
Fascination - nobody see
Fascination - what did he say ?
Instead of peering outside
I'm always looking inside
Then someone opened the door
Everything was changing
I wasn't even standing
When someone opened the door
Fascination ...
When he used to see her
Down by the parking meter
She used to make him a man
All sorts of places visiting cases
He remembered the shape of her hand
When he used to see her
Down by the parking meter
He used to make her a man
All sorts of places visiting cases
He remembered the shape of her hand
Sitting in a fun pub
Nothing every gets done
Then someone opened the door
The lyrics to The Undertones' song Fascination describe a scene in a pub where the singer is unable to focus their attention on anything beyond the confines of the pub itself. The first two lines set the scene of a place where nothing productive ever happens, and the repetition of "then someone opened the door" suggests a kind of monotony, a sameness to every day. The sense of this monotony is interrupted with the introduction of an unknown person, "lying in the corner / just by the window". This person seems to be a catalyst for something, as if their presence has stirred things up in the pub. The chorus, with its repeated use of the word "fascination", suggests that this person has some kind of power, something captivating that draws people in, but is ultimately mysterious and unknown.
In the second verse, the singer reflects on their own preoccupations with looking inside the pub rather than out, until "someone opened the door / everything was changing". The line "I wasn't even standing / when someone opened the door" suggests a feeling of being swept up in something beyond the singer's control. The chorus repeats, with its emphasis on the enigmatic nature of the person in the corner. The final verse introduces a new character, a woman who the singer seems to associate with the person in the corner. The imagery of "down by the parking meter" reinforces the mundane reality of everyday life that is disrupted by these mysterious and alluring figures.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting in a fun pub
The singer is currently sitting in a pub, which is meant to be enjoyable and fun.
Nothing ever gets done
Despite the enjoyable atmosphere of the pub, there is no real progress or achievement in the singer's life.
Then someone opened the door
Suddenly, someone enters the pub by opening the door.
Lying in the corner
It is described that someone is lying in the corner of the pub, possibly sleeping or in a drunken stupor.
Just by the window
There is someone or something located near the window of the pub.
Til someone opened the door
The singer then notes that everything changed when someone entered the pub, which is in contrast with the unchanging, stagnant atmosphere of the pub prior to this event.
Fascination - nobody sees
The singer describes a sense of wonder, fascination or perhaps even confusion, that may be going unnoticed by everyone else in the pub.
Fascination - what did he say?
The sense of fascination grows stronger as it is unclear what the person who entered the pub said or did to cause such a stir.
Instead of peering outside
The artist is not looking outside the window, but rather inside the pub, and has likely been doing so for some time.
I'm always looking inside
The artist admits to having an inward focus, possibly feeling stuck or unable to break out of their current situation.
Everything was changing
With the sudden entrance of someone new, the atmosphere of the pub is transformed and everything becomes different. The singer is likely excited or intrigued by this shift.
I wasn't even standing
The artist was not even on their feet when everything started to change because of the new arrival.
When he used to see her
There is a change in subject now, as the singer reminisces on a story or past experience.
Down by the parking meter
The singer remembers an encounter with someone at a parking meter, which has some significance or impact on them.
She used to make him a man
The other person involved in the parking meter encounter had some sort of effect on the singer's development, self-esteem or confidence.
All sorts of places visiting cases
The two involved in the parking meter encounter seemingly travelled together to a variety of different locations, with varying degrees of importance or necessity.
He remembered the shape of her hand
The artist has a very specific, vivid memory of something physical about the other person involved in the parking meter encounter, which holds some sort of significant meaning for them.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN JOSEPH O'NEILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@willieluncheonette
Might as well stay with the Undertones for a while since some friends have asked about their Positive Touch album. Like their sensational Irish punk mates Stiff Little Fingers, the Undertones third album, Positive Touch is largely overlooked. With SLF it was their third studio album, Go For It (1981) that has been unjustly neglected. It is probably understandable in these instances since both groups' first two albums are absolutel classic punk outings, revered the world over. With Positive Touch the Undertones took a little breather, slowing things down a bit on many songs and adding horns and a piano. The songs were not so simplistic now and more finely crafted. Let's hear five of them from this excellent album. Not too many posts to choose from here and the sound is a bit harsh compared to an original vinyl pressing, but you'll get a feeling for the album. Fascination was the first song on Positive Touch (1981)
@iconicshrubbery
+willieluncheonette Experimentation in use of instrumentation , changes of pace and ambience and wonderful (as usual)songwriting.The 'boys' reached adulthood musically speaking.Pure art.
@willieluncheonette
iconicshrubbery very well put. thank you.
@jamiestuart4017
Reminds me of the mighty slade ..in a good way
@echorich
Biggest missed opportunity for EMI - this would have been a blinder of a single!