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)

Sonnet
The Verve Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

My friend and me
Looking through her red box of memories
Faded I'm sure
But love seems to stick in her veins you know

Yes, there's love if you want it
Don't sound like no sonnet, my lord
Yes, there's love if you want it

Don't sound like no sonnet, my lord
My lord

Why can't you see
That nature has its way of warning me
Eyes open wide
Looking at the heavens with a tear in my eye

Yes, there's love if you want it
Don't sound like no sonnet, my lord
Yes, there's love if you want it
Don't sound like no sonnet, my lord
My lord

Sinking faster than a boat without a hull
My lord
Dreaming about the day when I can see you there
My side
By my side

Here we go again and my head is gone, my lord
I stop to say hello
'Cause I think you should know, by now
By now
By now
By now
By now
By now
Oh, by now
Oh, by now
Oh, by now
Oh, by now
Oh, by now
Oh, by now

Oh, by now
Oh, by now

Overall Meaning

The Verve's song "Sonnet" seems to be about the complicated nature of love. The first verse expresses the idea of looking through old memories and how love seems to stick around even after the memories have faded. This could mean that even though the relationship has ended, the love remains.

The chorus repeats the phrase "Yes, there's love if you want it, don't sound like no sonnet, my lord." This line suggests that love is not always the beautifully crafted thing that poetry and sonnets make it out to be. It is not always perfect and can have many ups and downs. The singer seems to be saying that love is messy, and not always easy, but it is there if you want it.

The second verse talks about the singer's intuition, and how nature is warning them about something. The line "Eyes open wide, looking at the heavens with a tear in my eye" could mean that the singer is looking for signs from the universe about their love life. The final lines of the song express the singer's desire for their loved one to be by their side.

Line by Line Meaning

My friend and me Looking through her red box of memories Faded I'm sure But love seems to stick in her veins you know
My friend and I are reminiscing through her old, faded memories, but even though they're faded, love still lingers in her heart.

Yes, there's love if you want it Don't sound like no sonnet, my lord Yes, there's love if you want it Don't sound like no sonnet, my lord My lord
Love is available to those who seek it, but it doesn't always come in a traditional, poetic form.

Why can't you see That nature has its way of warning me Eyes open wide Looking at the heavens with a tear in my eye
I can see the signs that nature is giving me, and they make me emotional and introspective.

Sinking faster than a boat without a hull My lord Dreaming about the day when I can see you there My side By my side
I feel like I'm sinking and lost without you, and I dream of the day when we can be together again.

Here we go again and my head is gone, my lord I stop to say hello 'Cause I think you should know, by now By now By now By now By now By now Oh, by now Oh, by now Oh, by now Oh, by now Oh, by now Oh, by now Oh, by now Oh, by now
My thoughts are consumed with you, and I'm saying hello to let you know that my feelings haven't changed and I still long to be with you.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Richard Ashcroft

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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