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
Wanna Be
The Verve Pipe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the radio, with a great video
And all the orchestration
Backing up your screaming guitar
How'd you make it this far?
Do you gotta be straight on the line?
Do you gotta look great all the time?
We'll even pay you, millionaire
Tell us of your abuse, we stand so amused
And what you said about the audience
Simple lyrics will do
Cause they don't have a clue
Do I gotta be straight on the line?
Do I gotta look great all the time?
Do I gotta be straight?
Wannabewannabewishiwereyouknowiwishiwereyouknow
Wannabewannabewishiwereyouknowiwishiwereyou
Now love me I'm a millionaire
Running out of cliches, but I'm keeping the faith
Now, should I repeat the second verse?
Or maybe the third?
It's becoming absurd
But I gotta be straight on the line
And I want to be high all the time
Well, I gotta be straight
Gottakeepthefaith, gottaplayitstraight
Givepeaceachance, sittingonafence
Gottatowtheline, sweetchildo'mine
Pushcomestoshove, allyouneedislove
The lyrics of The Verve Pipe's song "Wanna Be" critique the music industry's obsession with millionaire celebrities who are successful partly because of their looks, marketability, and simplistic lyrics rather than their musical talent. The song suggests that such artists are often pampered and their audiences are patronized. The opening lines of the song portray a sarcastic admiration among fans for the glitter and glamor of millionaire musicians, as they are fascinated with the orchestration and screaming guitar in hit songs. However, the singer soon wryly wonders how these simple tunes full of cliches managed to be so successful.
The following verses of the song question the superficial standards imposed by the music industry upon aspiring musicians. The lyrics convey that, to 'make it,' musicians are supposed to be straight on the line, look great all the time, and stick to simple lyrics, all of which suggests a formulaic approach to music making. The chorus of the song highlights the singer's wish to be like the millionaire celebrity, but ultimately relents that they will have to be straight on the line instead, implying that they will not be able to attain the status of their idol.
Overall, the lyrics of "Wanna Be" are critical of the music industry's approach to making and promoting music, suggesting a disregard for real talent and a focus on superficiality, while yet acknowledging the widespread aspiration among musicians to be famous and successful.
Line by Line Meaning
We all love a millionaire
We, as listeners, are drawn to successful musicians who have amassed a large fortune.
On the radio, with a great video
These successful musicians are commonly played on the radio and have popular music videos to accompany their songs.
And all the orchestration
The music is often arranged with supporting instrumentation beyond just the guitar and vocals.
Backing up your screaming guitar
The orchestration is intended to amplify the power of the guitar playing.
How'd you make it this far?
The artist is reflecting on how these musicians have made it to the top and become successful.
Do you gotta be straight on the line?
Is it necessary to follow the conventional path to success as a musician?
Do you gotta look great all the time?
Is it necessary to have a certain image or appearance in order to achieve success?
Do you gotta be straight?
Is it necessary to conform to societal norms and expectations in order to be successful?
We'll even pay you, millionaire
People are willing to spend money to see and hear these successful musicians perform.
Tell us of your abuse, we stand so amused
Audiences are fascinated and entertained when successful musicians share stories of their tumultuous personal lives.
And what you said about the audience
The singer is interested in the way musicians perceive their fans and their role as entertainers.
Simple lyrics will do
The artist suggests that musical lyrics don't necessarily need to be complex or profound to be successful.
Cause they don't have a clue
The audience is often unaware of the true nature of a musician's personal life or emotional struggles.
Wannabewannabewishiwereyouknowiwishiwereyouknow
The singer wishes they could trade places with the successful musician.
Now love me I'm a millionaire
The singer is imagining what it would be like to be a successful musician in this position of power and influence.
Running out of cliches, but I'm keeping the faith
The artist acknowledges the limitations of their own creativity, but remains committed to their artistic vision.
Now, should I repeat the second verse?
The artist is unsure of what to do next, and is considering repeating a previous verse.
Or maybe the third?
The singer is continuing to debate what the next step should be.
It's becoming absurd
The singer feels as though they are stuck in a creative rut with no clear way forward.
But I gotta be straight on the line
The artist recognizes the pressure to conform to societal norms in order to be successful.
And I want to be high all the time
The artist is drawn to the idea of constantly being at the top of their game, both creatively and professionally.
Well, I gotta be straight
The artist continues to feel the pressure to conform in order to achieve success.
Gottakeepthefaith, gottaplayitstraight
The singer must remain committed to their artistic vision while continuing to play by the rules of the music industry.
Givepeaceachance, sittingonafence
The artist advocates for peace and neutrality in their approach to creativity and life in general.
Gottatowtheline, sweetchildo'mine
The singer continues to toe the line, but also acknowledges the sweetness of life.
Pushcomestoshove, allyouneedislove
The singer recognizes the competitive nature of the music industry, but ultimately believes that love is the most important thing.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bonnie K Keen, Darrell R Brown, David Hurst Batteau
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind