The Verve (originally Verve) was an English alternative rock band. The band… Read Full Bio ↴The Verve (originally Verve) was an English alternative rock band. The band was formed in 1989 at Winstanley College, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, by vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones and drummer Peter Salisbury. Simon Tong later became a member. The band originally split in 1995, but reunited in 1996 to great commercial success. They split once more in April 1999. The band reunited once more in June of 2007, but this reunion was short lived, despite the release of the album Forth in 2008, and the band split again in August 2009.

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)

Little Gem
The Verve Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When it comes
I'll know, I know
Just take my clothes and leave
And I'll be gone
The straightest a crow flies
I'll leave this town behind
I'll say goodbye
So afraid that I

Told her things that I
Thought that I left behind
So see what living's done to me
My eyes are huge black balls
And I need company
I'll burn your books
That made your tags
The ones that made the pain
That I was alive
Is that a crime?
So afraid that I
I tried to tell her that I
Didn't like breathing and I
I wanted to live and if I
See the faces that I
I long to kiss and if I
Tread this path one more time...

When I go...I know, I know, I know
When I go...you'll know

Overall Meaning

The Verve's song Little Gem is a personal and melancholic reflection on the singer's inner turmoil and struggles with mental health. The opening lines, "When it comes, I'll know, I know. Just take my clothes and leave and I'll be gone," illustrate a sense of anticipation for an inevitable departure or change. The singer is struggling with his thoughts and is desperate to leave a town behind, as he feels it is holding him down. He is conflicted about the relationships in his life, as he is afraid that he has shared too much with someone he is close to. The pain of living is evident in the lyrics, "So see what living's done to me. My eyes are huge black balls, and I need company."

The singer is distressed and seems to have a strong desire to destroy things that represent the pain he is going through. This is demonstrated in the lyrics, "I'll burn your books that made your tags. The ones that made the pain that I was alive. Is that a crime?" He feels the need to break free from the confines of his own mind and experiences, as he tries to explain how he feels to someone close to him. "So afraid that I. I tried to tell her that I didn't like breathing and I. I wanted to live and if I. See the faces that I long to kiss and if I. Tread this path one more time... When I go...I know, I know, I know. When I go... you'll know."

Overall, the lyrics in Little Gem are deeply personal and philosophical, as they explore life's challenges and the human experience of pain. The song offers a glimpse into the struggles of the songwriter, creating an emotional connection between the singer and listener.

Line by Line Meaning

When it comes
As soon as the situation presents itself

I'll know, I know
I'll be fully aware and certain

Just take my clothes and leave
I'll leave everything behind and start anew

And I'll be gone
I'll disappear without a trace

The straightest a crow flies
The quickest and shortest path

I'll leave this town behind
I'll escape this place

I'll say goodbye
I'll bid farewell

So afraid that I
I'm terrified that

Told her things that I
Shared my feelings with her

Thought that I left behind
Something I believed I had moved on from

So see what living's done to me
To witness the effects of life on me

My eyes are huge black balls
My eyes have dark circles and are filled with despair

And I need company
I crave companionship

I'll burn your books
I'll destroy the items that represent your pain

That made your tags
That caused you to feel a certain way

The ones that made the pain
The items that caused the suffering

That I was alive
Because I existed

Is that a crime?
Is that wrong or punishable?

I tried to tell her that I
I attempted to explain that

Didn't like breathing and I
Disliked the act of living

I wanted to live and if I
I desired to exist, but

See the faces that I
Encounter the people that

I long to kiss and if I
I yearn to embrace and if

Tread this path one more time...
Follow the same course of action once again

When I go...I know, I know, I know
When I depart, I am fully aware

When I go...you'll know
You'll be aware of my departure too

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Nick McCabe, Peter Salisbury, Richard Paul Ashcroft, Simon Robin David Jones

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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