Despite the similarity in name to the British band The Verve, there is no relation between the two.
In 1992, working with producer/engineer Jon Frazer, they released their first album, I've Suffered a Head Injury, which featured an acoustic version of the band's calling-card hit, "The Freshmen." The original 10-song version of the CD is no longer available. A 7-song version, without the original recording of "The Freshmen" and two songs written by Stout, was later released as an EP.
The band, known for its energetic live performances, built strong followings during its early years, especially in the college towns of Kalamazoo and East Lansing.
In the fall of 1993, the band released a second album, Pop Smear again working with Frazer that helped them gain a devoted following in their native state of Michigan and their eventual signing with RCA Records in 1995. AJ Dunning replaced Stout on guitar for the recording of Pop Smear and remained in the band for their three RCA records. This album featured the popular tracks "Spoonful of Sugar" and "Victoria" among others. While Doug Corolla played on Pop Smear, he was not a full member of the band until 1994.
Their first major label release was 1996's Villains, which was a minor hit and launched two respectably-selling singles, first Photograph then the #1 hit The Freshmen. They came back with The Verve Pipe in 1999, with such tracks as "Supergig," "Generations" and "She Has Faces." The album, however, failed to contain the commercial appeal of its predecessor.
The band's final release for RCA Records was 2001's Underneath. The song "Colorful," from Underneath, was featured on the soundtrack of Rock Star. Underneath's release unfortunately coincided with the September 11th terroist attacks which contributed to the album's poor sales which led to the band being dropped from RCA.
On September 15, 2009, Brian Vander Ark announced on his Web site that the band would be releasing a new album called A Family Album in October, 2009. The band had been approached to contribute a song for an album called "Calling All Kids" which led to them creating an entire album of family friendly songs.
Lead singer Brian Vander Ark has also released four solo albums: 2003's Resurrection, 2006's Angel, Put Your Face On, 2008's self-titled release Brian Vander Ark and 2011's Magazine.
Since the release of Underneath, the band's line up has changed frequently with former members including Joel Ferguson, Dan Matheny and John Conners. The current line up is as follows:
* Brian Vander Ark – lead vocals, guitars
* Donny Brown – drums, background vocals
* Andy Reed – bass, background vocals
* Randy Sly – keyboards, background vocals
* Lou Musa - guitars, background vocals
* Craig Griffith - harmonica, background vocals
The F word
The Verve Pipe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I should have known that I can't change the world by staring at it
My arms have little feeling from lifting to the ceiling
A recipe for stealing hearts I have no power in healing
And I suppose the Jesus pose is tired and superficial, lame
I wrote a song, I'm moving on, I'm praying you can do the same
Oh my god, I've dodged the unexpected bullets behind accolades and
Shake your head of leisure get your head and body into seizure
And battle with whoever hides assault disguised as dancing
This rotting phase of hands that raise, bumping heads that pass each other
It's a boring phase, so part the wave and drop the dead as driftwood surfer
Another song, it all went wrong, the radio refused to play it
I'm not afraid to serenade, the f word saved and sucked the life from me
I've got to get arrested to keep you interested
The lyrics "I've got to get arrested to keep you interested" from The Verve Pipe's song The F Word depict the singer's desperation to keep the attention of a lover who seems to be growing tired of him. He acknowledges that he has been trying too hard to change the world and impress the lover, but is left feeling powerless and ineffective. The line "My arms have little feeling from lifting to the ceiling" could represent the singer's exhaustion from reaching to try and please the lover.
He admits that the "Jesus pose" is a tired and superficial way of trying to impress someone, and decides to change his direction and make a correction. The line "Shake your head of leisure get your head and body into seizure / And battle with whoever hides assault disguised as dancing" could suggest that the singer needs to shake off their complacency and actively fight against those who hide their malicious intentions with a facade of enjoyment.
The singer reflects on a "rotting phase" of bumping heads and raising hands without any meaningful engagement, and decides to drop the "dead as driftwood surfer" and move on. Despite a failed attempt to impress with a song, the singer is not afraid to continue expressing himself and even sees the power in using the "f word" to evoke emotion. Overall, the lyrics highlight the struggles of trying to maintain a relationship and find purpose in a world that can seem overwhelming and unresponsive.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got to get arrested to keep you interested
I feel like I have to do something extreme just to get your attention
I should have known that I can't change the world by staring at it
I've realized that just sitting and watching the world go by won't create any real change
My arms have little feeling from lifting to the ceiling
I've been working hard to try and impress you, but it's left me feeling empty and maybe a little used
A recipe for stealing hearts I have no power in healing
I used to think I could charm my way into anyone's heart, but I've come to realize that I don't have the power to fix what's broken in others
And I suppose the Jesus pose is tired and superficial, lame
I used to think being a martyr and playing the hero was the way to go, but now I see that it's just cliché and ineffective
I wrote a song, I'm moving on, I'm praying you can do the same
I've used music to process my feelings and now I'm ready to move on from this stagnant situation, hoping you can too
I'm changing my direction making a correction
I've decided to change my path and make better choices for myself and my future
Oh my god, I've dodged the unexpected bullets behind accolades and
I've realized that sometimes the success and praises we receive can actually be harmful and come with unexpected consequences
Shake your head of leisure get your head and body into seizure
I'm encouraging you to snap out of your complacency and really engage with the world and its problems
And battle with whoever hides assault disguised as dancing
I want you to see that not everything is as it seems and that sometimes people are hiding their true intentions behind a facade of fun or entertainment
This rotting phase of hands that raise, bumping heads that pass each other
I feel like we're all just going through the motions, blindly following each other without really making any impact or change
It's a boring phase, so part the wave and drop the dead as driftwood surfer
I'm tired of this uneventful phase and want to break away from the crowd and find a new path, leaving behind those who aren't really alive or present
Another song, it all went wrong, the radio refused to play it
I wrote another song, but it didn't resonate with anyone else and was rejected by the mainstream
I'm not afraid to serenade, the f word saved and sucked the life from me
I'm not afraid to speak my truth, even if it's not popular or accepted, and that same controversial stance has taken a toll on me personally
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: A.J. DUNNING, BRAD VANDER ARK, BRIAN VANDER ARK, DONNY BROWN, DOUG CORELLA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind