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)
Life's An Ocean
The Verve Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too much commotion, too much emotion
Dragging me down
Living for today, don't have time to pray
Ready for the game
Take a line of fickle flame
Imagine the future
I was buying some feelings
From a vending machine
Say that I will see
Something more than I have
There's something inside of me
Crying out for something else
And if someone hears my scream
Put it in a letter to me
Slippery slimy road down
Life's an ocean too much commotion
Not enough emotion to satisfy me
Slippery slidy road down
It's slippery slidy road down
Hold my hand and we'll walk down
Dry those eyes and we'll walk down
Slippery slidy road down
Life's an ocean, life's an ocean
Too much commotion, too much emotion
The Verve's song "Life's An Ocean" confronts the struggles of life and reflects on the feelings of being weighed down by society's demands. The first stanza of the song speaks to the turmoil that can come with living in a fast-paced society where there are pressures to always be doing something. The line "life's an ocean, too much commotion, too much emotion" illustrates how life can be compared to a tumultuous ocean, with waves of emotions and arguments coming at us constantly. The phrase "dragging me down" encapsulates the feeling of being pulled under by the weight of societal expectations, while "living for today, don't have time to pray, ready for the game" speaks to the cycle of always moving forward and trying to achieve, without taking time to pause and reflect.
The second stanza of the song takes a more reflective turn, encouraging the listener to "imagine the future" and consider what lies ahead. The lines "woke up with a scream, I was buying some feelings from a vending machine" speaks to the sense of frustration and confusion that can arise when we don't know how to deal with our emotions. The phrase "there's something inside of me, crying out for something else" highlights the idea that there is often something missing in our lives, something that we are searching for but can't quite grasp. The end of the song emphasizes the importance of human connection, with the lines "hold my hand, and we'll walk down" and "dry those eyes, and we'll walk down" speaking to the idea that we need each other to navigate the tricky road of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Life's an ocean
Life is compared to an ocean, vast and full of unknown depths and uncertainties.
Too much commotion, too much emotion
There is too much noise and fuss in life, too much of emotions constantly coursing through one's body.
Dragging me down
The weight of living in this world is heavy and oppressing.
Living for today, don't have time to pray
Life is short and one must seize the day without worrying about the future or religion.
Ready for the game
The artist is ready to take on the challenges of life like a player in a game.
Take a line of fickle flame
The singer suggests taking a path that may be unstable and transient, like a trail of fire.
Imagine the future
The singer urges the listener to have vision and dream about what the future holds.
Woke up with a scream
The artist wakes up in terror, unable to shake off the anxieties of life.
I was buying some feelings
The artist is seeking to purchase emotions to cope with life.
From a vending machine
The emotions are being obtained from a mechanical source; a metaphor for life being mechanized and dehumanizing.
Say that I will see
The singer hopes to glimpse something more meaningful and profound beyond the noise and chaos of life.
Something more than I have
The artist yearns for something greater beyond their current reality, experiencing ennui.
There's something inside of me
The singer feels they are driven by a deep inward desire for more than what life offers.
Crying out for something else
The singer's subconscious wants them to achieve greater things, signified by the use of the word 'crying'.
And if someone hears my scream
If someone can hear the singer's cry and empathize, they will understand the larger issues at play.
Put it in a letter to me
The artist wants to receive words of wisdom and empathy from someone.
Slippery slimy road down
The artist uses vivid imagery to compare life to a greasy slope that is difficult to traverse.
Life's an ocean too much commotion
Once again, the singer repeats the idea that life is a vast ocean with too much going on.
Not enough emotion to satisfy me
The singer is unfulfilled by the emotions they feel, seeking deeper, richer emotions than those being offered.
Slippery slidy road down
Life feels treacherous and unstable, causing anxiety for the artist.
Hold my hand and we'll walk down
The artist invites someone to share their struggles with them as they navigate the slippery slope of life.
Dry those eyes and we'll walk down
The artist encourages someone to dry their tears and face their problems head-on as they walk through life.
Life's an ocean, life's an ocean
The song's title and main idea are repeated for emphasis.
Too much commotion, too much emotion
The final line of the song summarizes the overwhelming nature of life, emphasizing the cost of feeling too much all at once.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: NICK MC CABE, PETER SALISURY, RICHARD ASHCROFT, SIMON JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind