* 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.
True Confessions
The Undertones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've been telling me lies
True - true - true - confessions
Its hard to wake up to your makeup
So let's take off that disguise
True - true - true - confessions
Its not so hard to talk about
True - true - true - confessions
I got a picture from your sister
There was writing on the back
True - true - true - confessions
The Undertones' song True Confessions is about confronting someone who has been lying to the singer. The lyrics suggest that the person being addressed has been wearing a figurative mask or disguise in the singer's presence. The line "Don't look so surprised / You've been telling me lies" paints a picture of someone caught in the act of deception.
The lyrics suggest that the singer has been trying to ignore or overlook the deception for some time, but now feels compelled to confront the issue head-on. The lines "Let's sit down and sort this out / It's not so hard to talk about" imply that the singer is trying to take a constructive approach to the situation, even if there is some pain or discomfort involved.
The line "I got a picture from your sister / There was writing on the back" suggests that the singer has evidence of the deception, and is not simply making accusations without cause. Overall, the song is a straightforward and emotional expression of the hurt that can come from dishonesty in a relationship, as well as a call to confront the issue and work towards resolution.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't look so surprised
I am aware that you have not been truthful with me, so do not act shocked when I confront you
You've been telling me lies
You have not been truthful with me, and instead have been hiding things from me
True - true - true - confessions
This is a moment of honesty and complete truth telling between us
Its hard to wake up to your makeup
It can be difficult to accept or see the truth when someone is disguising it or hiding it behind a facade
So let's take off that disguise
Let's remove any pretense or facade and get to the heart of the matter
Let's sit down and sort this out
We need to have a serious conversation to resolve any issues or misunderstandings between us
Its not so hard to talk about
We should not be afraid to have an honest conversation about our feelings and the truth of the situation
I got a picture from your sister
I received a photo from your sibling, which may shed light on the truth of the situation
There was writing on the back
The photo came with a message or note that may reveal something important or significant
True - true - true - confessions
Once again, this is a moment of honesty and complete truth telling between us
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind