Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to space rock and shoegazer music, by the mid-1990s the band had released several EPs and two acclaimed records. They also endured name and lineup changes, breakups, health problems, drug abuse and various lawsuits. The band's commercial breakthrough was Urban Hymns and its single Bitter Sweet Symphony, which became a massive worldwide hit.
Soon after this commercial peak, the band quit amid creative struggles within, and Ashcroft went onto a successful solo career. Tong briefly joined Blur as a replacement for Graham Coxon. It is rumored that Simon Jones did a studio album with Ari Pap of the Floor Monks called 'Aint Nothing To It' and was never released because they both had bigger projects going on at the time. Close family and friends assure us its a fabulous indie/rock/alternate album and they really wish it would have been released.
The Verve were chosen to close the 2008 Glastonbury festival which they did with a set based on the classic 1997 album 'Urban Hymns'.
Discography:
A Storm in Heaven • 21 June 1993 • #27 (UK)
A Northern Soul • 3 July 1995 • #13 (UK)
Urban Hymns • 29 September 1997 • #1 (UK) #23 (US)
Forth • 25 August 2008 • #1 (UK) #23 (US)
Echo Bass
The Verve Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lie the broken hearted
In the rooms in a million houses
Die the broken hearted
Tell me why, I just started.
In the bridges, in the arches
Lie the broken hearted
Die the broken hearted
Tell me why, I just started.
Maybe we're gonna take ya
Maybe we're gonna take ya (maybe you save me)
Maybe we're gonna take ya (babe you save me)
Maybe we're gonna take ya (yeh you save me)
In the subway when you walk home
All those lonely names
Some have long gone
In the bridges, in the arches
Where I lie, broken hearted.
Maybe we're gonna take ya
Maybe we're gonna take ya (maybe you save me)
Maybe we're gonna take ya (babe you save me)
Maybe we're gonna take ya (yeh you save me)
You gotta go now
You gotta go now (maybe we're gonna take ya)
Oh no, no, no
Don't let me down again now now
Oh no, no, no (maybe you save me)
Don't let me down again now now (babe you save me)
Oh no, no, no (yeah you save me)
Don't let me down again now now
You gotta go now (maybe we're gonna take ya)
The lyrics to The Verve's song Echo Bass convey a sense of heartbreak and loneliness. The first verse speaks of the broken-hearted who are lying in beds and rooms in countless homes. The repetition of "tell me why, I just started" suggests that the singer is feeling overwhelmed by the emotional weight of these broken hearts, perhaps questioning why they have only recently become aware of the depth of others' pain. The second verse introduces the imagery of bridges and arches, adding to the hauntingly beautiful nature of the song. The chorus, with its repetition of "maybe we're gonna take ya", feels almost like a lullaby, as if the singer is trying to offer comfort to those who are suffering.
The third verse brings the listener into the urban landscape, specifically underground in a subway. Here, the listener is confronted with "lonely names" and the reminder that some have already passed away. The metaphorical use of bridges and arches is repeated again, and the singer identifies themselves as one of the broken-hearted. The chorus repeats once more, this time with positive inflection in the second line, as if the singer is hopeful that someone might save them from their own heartache. The song ends with the repetition of "don't let me down again now now", indicating that the singer has been let down before and is still searching for a way to heal.
Line by Line Meaning
In the beds of a million homes
In many homes, people are heartbroken and struggling.
Lie the broken hearted
These heartbroken individuals are lying in their beds.
In the rooms in a million houses
In many houses, people are experiencing heartbreak.
Die the broken hearted
These heartbroken individuals are struggling and dying from their pain.
Tell me why, I just started.
The singer expresses confusion about why these heartbroken individuals exist and what caused their pain.
In the bridges, in the arches
Even in public locations like bridges and arches, heartbreak is present.
Maybe we're gonna take ya
The singer seems to suggest that he may take someone away from their pain.
In the subway when you walk home
Even in a busy subway station, people may be struggling with heartbreak.
All those lonely names
The singer is likely referring to names and messages written on the subway walls, expressing loneliness.
Some have long gone
Some of the people who wrote these messages may have already passed away.
Where I lie, broken hearted.
The singer is also struggling with heartbreak and likely lying somewhere broken.
You gotta go now
The singer is urging someone to leave, possibly to escape their pain.
Oh no, no, no
The singer expresses concern and sadness.
Don't let me down again now now
The singer is likely referring to someone who has let him down in the past and is hoping it won't happen again.
Maybe we're gonna take ya
The singer repeats the hope that they can take someone away from their pain.
Contributed by Micah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.