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)
Virtual World
The Verve Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one knows my name
I'm not in demand
Signs are right
The signs are here
Who needs virtual world
When I can see it now
No one goes no one cares
No one seen it anywhere
She's breathing life into lonely dead stars
Have you ever seen it
I ain't seen nothing at all
Come see the water break my fall
No one knows no one comes
Have you ever seen the book
The one on my help
The one entitled self-death, self-death
How to earn a million pounds
I can see it now oh the hearse
She's breathing down in a hole in my head
In the dirty half light where
Time means nothing at all
I'm calling out to some one
Anyone who'll have me?
Does anyone need me?
Does anyone know how to cry?
What happens when I go?
What happens when it snows?
I bet you could if you wanted to end
The Verve's song "Virtual World" is a thought-provoking and introspective piece that speaks to themes of loneliness, disconnection, and the search for meaning in a world that can seem increasingly artificial and detached. The opening lines of the song, "See the water break my hand, No one knows my name, I'm not in demand," sets the stage for a melancholic exploration of the singer's sense of isolation and anonymity in the face of life's tumultuous waters. The lyrics then turn to an observation on the state of the world, with the singer questioning the appeal of virtual reality when the vividness of the present moment can be so powerful: "Who needs virtual world, When I can see it now, I can see it now, oh now, oh now, now." The song then returns to the theme of isolation and the quest for connection, with the singer musing on the possibility of finding a place for oneself in the world ("Does anyone need me? Does anyone know how to cry?"), before concluding with a sense of unresolved tension ("I bet you could if you wanted to end").
Overall, the song speaks to the longing for authentic experience in a world that increasingly seems geared towards superficiality and escape. Through its vivid, evocative language and brooding instrumentation, "Virtual World" invites listeners to contemplate the deeper questions of what it means to be alive, and to seek out meaning and connection even in the face of life's darkest moments.
Line by Line Meaning
See the water break my hand
I'm standing by the water, watching it splash against my hand
No one knows my name
I feel ignored and insignificant, as if no one recognizes me
I'm not in demand
No one wants or needs me
Signs are right
Everything around me seems to be pointing me in the right direction
The signs are here
I can see the signs clearly, they're all around me
Who needs virtual world
Why bother with a fake, digital world when the real world is here for us to experience
When I can see it now
I don't need a simulation, I can witness the real thing right in front of my eyes
No one goes no one cares
It seems like nobody is paying attention or taking notice of what's around them
No one seen it anywhere
It's as if nobody has ever seen or experienced anything like this before
She's breathing life into lonely dead stars
She's revitalizing and rejuvenating things that were once lifeless and abandoned
Have you ever seen it
Have you witnessed this beauty and wonder for yourself?
I ain't seen nothing at all
I'm still waiting and hoping to experience something truly remarkable
Come see the water break my fall
Join me and witness the water as it catches me and cushions my fall
No one knows no one comes
I'm alone and no one is there to see what I see
Have you ever seen the book
Have you ever come across a book like this?
The one on my help
The one that could save me from my struggles
The one entitled self-death, self-death
It's a book about how to end one's own life
How to earn a million pounds
A contrasting line about the pursuit of wealth and success
I can see it now oh the hearse
I can envision the future and what will happen when I die
She's breathing down in a hole in my head
The person I'm thinking of is deeply ingrained in my thoughts and psyche
In the dirty half light where
In the dim lighting and murky atmosphere
Time means nothing at all
Time seems to stand still, or perhaps time feels meaningless and irrelevant
I'm calling out to some one
I'm reaching out for help and hope that someone will hear me
Anyone who'll have me?
Is there anyone out there who will take me in and give me comfort?
Does anyone need me?
Does anyone see my worth and need me in their life?
Does anyone know how to cry?
Is there anyone who can empathize with me and understand my pain?
What happens when I go?
What will happen to the world once I'm gone?
What happens when it snows?
A metaphorical question about the unpredictability and fragility of life
I bet you could if you wanted to end
A somber ending, suggesting that ending one's life is always an option, but not the only one
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: NICK MC CABE, PETER SALISBURY, RICHARD ASHCROFT, SIMON JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind