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)
Velvet
The Verve Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's been long
And yes
I still feel strong
Into the half light
Another velvet morning for me, yeah
Stands still
As you take
Your last pill
Into the half light
Another velvet morning for me, yeah
And now I'm trying to tell you
About my life
And my tongue is twisted
And more dead than alive
And my feelings
They've always been betrayed
And I was born a little damaged man
And look what they made
I said, don't you find
That it's lonely
The corridor, you walk there alone
And life is a game
You've tried
And life is a game
You're tired
Yes
I'm coming down
Your beauty is
A color surround
Into the half light
Another velvet morning for me, yeah
And now I'm trying to tell you
About my life
And my tongue is twisted
And more dead than alive
And my feelings
My feelings, they've been betrayed
And I was born a little damaged man
And look what they made
He said, don't you find
That it's lonely
The corridor, you walk there alone
And life is a game
You've tried
And life is a game
You're tired
And life is a game
You've tried
The Verve’s song Velvet Morning is a melancholic ballad that explores themes of drug addiction and betrayal. The song opens with the singer admitting that it’s been a long time since he’s felt strong, telling us that he’s been struggling with something for a while. As the lyrics continue, we see that he’s struggling with addiction, as he describes someone taking their “last pill” as time stands still.
The chorus, “Into the half light, another velvet morning for me, yeah,” seems to represent a drug-induced haze that the singer is caught in. He’s stuck in a cycle of addiction, where every morning feels the same – another velvet morning. Later in the song, he talks about his feelings being betrayed, perhaps by those he trusted most, and how he was “born a little damaged man” because of it.
The singer’s struggle with addiction is compounded by his loneliness, as he walks the corridors alone. At the same time, he’s tired of the game of life, which he’s tried to play but can’t seem to get ahead. Ultimately, the message of the song is a tragic one – that addiction and isolation can trap us and make life feel like an endless cycle of half-light and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes
The singer acknowledges the situation at hand.
It's been long
The singer has been in this situation for an extended period of time.
And yes
Despite the length of time, the singer persists in their feelings.
I still feel strong
The artist's emotions have not weakened over time.
Into the half light
The artist is entering a state of partial darkness.
Another velvet morning for me, yeah
The singer anticipates a new day with the same familiar feelings.
Time
The passing of moments.
Stands still
The artist perceives that time remains stagnant or frozen.
As you take
Someone, possibly the artist, is ingesting or becoming dependent on medication.
Your last pill
The medication regime may soon end or the patient may be near death.
And now I'm trying to tell you
The singer desires to communicate their experiences to someone else.
About my life
The artist wants to share their personal story.
And my tongue is twisted
The singer finds it difficult to articulate their words.
And more dead than alive
The act of speaking saps the remaining energy from the singer's being.
And my feelings
The singer's emotions are complex and intense.
They've always been betrayed
The artist's emotions have repeatedly let them down or have gone unacknowledged by others.
And I was born a little damaged man
The artist feels inadequate or broken.
And look what they made
The singer attributes their flaws to external forces that shaped them.
I said, don't you find
The singer asks their audience if they share their experience or observation.
That it's lonely
The artist feels isolated or disconnected from others.
The corridor, you walk there alone
The artist describes a solitary path or journey that one must undertake.
And life is a game
The artist views life as a contest or challenge.
You've tried
The singer acknowledges that the listener has attempted to succeed in life's game.
And life is a game
The artist reiterates that life must be navigated like a competition.
You're tired
The listener has grown weary of the demands and obstacles of life.
Yes
The singer agrees with an unidentified assertion.
I'm coming down
The singer may be returning from an emotional high or coping with a physical reaction to medication.
Your beauty is
The artist is addressing someone else.
A color surround
The beauty is all-encompassing and pervasive.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Richard Paul Ashcroft
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@StrangeAttractor
maybe the most beautiful song ever written. Since you're here I know it means something profound to you, as it does to me. Maybe existence is all we share, but what a trip it is.
@tonymannion8480
Perfectly put
@arkman2237
It has a special in my heart indeed, weird how time and space joined us for a particular song we love, whag a trip it is
@IsraelForlife-nb7zq
Superb.
@billy78son77
Reminds me of my partner who passed away 3 yrs ago. I always thought of her and played this when I was away working
@sillysausage4549
Harmonically, the "don't you find, that it's lonely" parts are just beautiful. I'm a musician myself, and this is the best song on the album, for me, just for those little segments. Watch the footage of them performing it live at Glastonbury. Wonderful.
@liamgilchrist5447
Hihi the okkooo I k k
@liamgilchrist5447
Kk Ookk on Ono o on Nikki on it innovation onkn lo lol oh iik
@needleseupins
Oh, so glad to read this. I'm not a musician and lately, listening to the album, which I didn't for years, and particularly to this song, I became blisfully lost at that part of the chorus, and finding it strangely perfect without knowing the technical reason, and thinking how superb it is and sadly so underrrated. Best song no doubt. One Day is quite special as well.
@andrewshipley7660
The transition from the verse you mention leading onto ‘the corridor you walk down alone’ at 3:52 on is brilliant.