Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain once described Kelly and McKee as his "most favorite songwriters in the whole world".
The band released two singles, "Son of a Gun" and "Dying for It", prior to releasing an album. In 1989 they released their only album, Dum Dum, on the record label Rough Trade. Following the closing of the record label 53rd and 3rd, which they had originally signed to, the band broke up in 1990. However, they reunited later that year to open for Nirvana when they played in Edinburgh.
Though they were not widely known when the band existed, covers of their songs by Nirvana and Kurt Cobain's tendency to mention them as an influence brought exposure to the band. With their songs "Son of a Gun" and "Molly's Lips" covered on Nirvana's album Incesticide and "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" covered as "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" on MTV Unplugged in New York, the band gained a new audience from people who wanted to discover the bands that influenced Cobain (a similar situation happened to the band The Meat Puppets). Due to this new exposure, in 1992 Sub Pop released The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History, a compilation that contained The Vaselines' entire body of work on one album.
No longer together, members of the band moved on to new bands. Kelly went on to found the band Captain America (later renamed Eugenius). He currently performs solo. McKee founded the band Suckle and released her first solo album, Sunny Moon, in 2006.
In 2008, the band reformed and began to make sporadic appearences at festivals in the United Kingdom and the United States and various tours supporting Belle and Sebastian. The band will perform at the Belle and Sebastian's second Bowlie Weekender festival in December 2010.
In 2010, the band announced they would release their second album "Sex With An X" on September 14, 2010 on Sub Pop Records.
Dying for It
The Vaselines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got plenty of time,
It's gonna take some time.
Ah I'm hanging out.
I'm hanging out baby, I'm hanging out,
Ah I'm hanging out.
I'm hanging out baby, I'm hanging out,
Come on now, come along sing my song.
She said to me, we're gonna lie on the floor,
Cause we don't need to go and can choose some more.
I'm dying for something, oh what will it be,
I'm dying for you to do something to me.
The Vaselines’ song Dying For It is a track about longing and desire, expressed primarily through its refrain: “I’m dying for something, oh what will it be, I’m dying for you to do something to me.” The opening lines, however, suggest a more playful, almost coy approach to this subject matter. The singer is approached by another character - presumably someone they’re interested in - who asks them if they’d like to be with her. She tells him that she has plenty of time, but that it’s going to take some time for anything to happen between them. This could be interpreted in various ways - perhaps she’s interested but wants to take things slow, or maybe she’s not sure if she’s ready to commit to anything yet.
The references to “lying on the floor” and “choosing some more” could suggest a sense of hedonism or experimentation - the characters are free to explore their desires without any external pressure or expectations. This is reinforced by the chorus, which is upbeat and celebratory - the singer is “hanging out” and inviting others to “sing [his] song.” The song’s title, however, suggests that there is an underlying tension or urgency to these interactions. The singer is “dying” for something that has not yet been revealed - is it sexual gratification, emotional connection, or something else entirely? The ambiguity of the lyrics makes this a song that can be interpreted in many ways, but its central themes of desire and longing are universal and relatable.
Line by Line Meaning
She said to me, would you like to be,
She asked if I wanted to try something new or different.
I got plenty of time,
She assured me that we had all the time in the world.
It's gonna take some time.
She acknowledged that whatever we were about to do would take a while.
Ah I'm hanging out.
I'm feeling relaxed and carefree.
I'm hanging out baby, I'm hanging out,
I'm enjoying the moment and not worried about anything else.
Come on now, come along sing my song.
Let's enjoy each other's company and have fun together.
She said to me, we're gonna lie on the floor,
She suggested we get comfortable and relax.
Cause we don't need to go and can choose some more.
We don't have anywhere else to be, we can take our time and do whatever we want.
I'm dying for something, oh what will it be,
I'm longing for something exciting or thrilling to happen.
I'm dying for you to do something to me.
I want my partner to take control and pleasure me in a way that I can't resist.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EUGENE KELLY, FRANCIS MCKEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind