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)
Star Sail
The Verve Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Calling out I can see you
Hello it's me, crying out, crying out
Are you there?
Hello it's me, it's me
I want to touch you
It's me throwing stones from the stars
Been circling round for twenty years
And in that time I've seen all the fires and all the liars
I've been calling home for twenty years
And in that time I heard the screams rebound to me
While, you were making history
I could see the fire
And I'll throw the fire back down
The lyrics of The Verve's Star Sail reflect a sense of isolation and a desperate cry for connection. The singer consistently calls out, questioning if anyone will respond. The repetition of "it's me" emphasises the desire for recognition and reassurance of existence. The singer also expresses a desire to touch and impact the world, to throw stones from the stars onto a "mixed up world." The reference to throwing stones from the stars suggests a disconnectedness from reality and a feeling of being an outsider.
The second verse of the song suggests that the singer has been circling around for twenty years, watching the world from a distance. In this time, they have seen "all the fires and all the liars," possibly referring to corruption and deceit on a large scale. Despite calling home for twenty years, the singer has only heard screams rebounding to them, suggesting loneliness and a lack of response. As the world is making history, the singer acknowledges their view of the fire and the potential to throw it back down, perhaps suggesting their desire to make a significant impact on the world.
In summary, The Verve's Star Sail embodies a sense of longing for connection and a desire for impact while acknowledging a sense of isolation and difference from the world. The lyrics suggest a sense of detachment from reality but an understanding and awareness of the happenings in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello it's me, it's me
Introducing oneself, hoping for a response
Calling out I can see you
Making an attempt to communicate and establish a connection
Hello it's me, crying out, crying out
Repeating oneself to emphasize the desire for acknowledgment
Are you there?
Seeking confirmation of the other's presence
I want to touch you
Expressing a strong desire for intimacy and closeness
It's me throwing stones from the stars
Acknowledging one's own distance and separation from the other
On your mixed up world
Commenting on the state of the other's life or world
Been circling round for twenty years
Reflecting on a long period of time spent observing or searching for the other
And in that time I've seen all the fires and all the liars
Noting the negative or destructive things observed during the search
I've been calling home for twenty years
Expressing a sense of being lost or disconnected, seeking a sense of belonging or home
And in that time I heard the screams rebound to me
Noting the intense emotional responses received in return for one's attempts to connect
While, you were making history
Commenting on the other's accomplishments or focus during the time of the search
I could see the fire
Observing something powerful or intense in the other
And I'll throw the fire back down
Expressing a desire to respond in kind or to meet the intensity of the other
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: NICK MC CABE, PETER SALISBURY, RICHARD ASHCROFT, SIMON JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind