1. A four-piece indie rock/punk r… Read Full Bio ↴The View is the name of two bands:
1. A four-piece indie rock/punk rock band from Dundee, Scotland.
2. A five-piece alternative pop-rock band from Sydney, Australia, now known as Planet of the Stereos.
1. The View (Dundee, Scotland) have been active in the music scene since early 2005, supporting more renowned acts including Babyshambles, Primal Scream and The Undertones. The band initially based themselves at The Bayview pub in the Menzieshill district of Dundee, not too far from their native Dryburgh. From this pub, the band took their name. Shortly after they moved to The Doghouse, a respected music venue in Dundee's city centre, where they came to the attention of local music promoters, management and ever-growing fan-base. Currently signed to 1965 Records, the band's debut single, "Wasted Little DJs", was released in 2006. The single entered the UK MTV/NME video charts on tthe 9th July 2006 and climbed to top this chart the same day it reached 15 in the UK singles chart on the 13th August 2006. They have recently released their first album, 'Hats Off to the Buskers, which entered the British album chart at number one.
2. The View (Sydney, Australia) formed in March 2005, and now known as Planet of the Stereos, was an indie band. The group were voted the winners of a prominent Australia-wide unsigned artist competition. According to the band, the name change was triggered by a shift in musical direction.
One Off Pretender
The View Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's the life of the late night bar crawler
Most outrageous man I met he once said
I could take a belly full of lead and wouldn't wind up dead
He wanted his song to make you shiver
A little like there's a ghost coming your way
Have you ever been told that something's forever
Shout it from the rooftop
You can shout it from the rooftop
But you can't tell it to the paper
They've already been paid
To be ten different people that's easy
It's easier than being yourself
I'm the one who pretends that I'm not happy
Picking life off the shelf
He taught me time wasted is time spent well
The a man's dead if he doesn't have a story to tell
Dead if he's lying in a dirty jail cell
'Cause when your down they'll kick you
The jury doesn't matter at all, the jury doesn't matter at all
Tell me officer when your baton kissed me did it make you feel tall?
And no one asked you where you come from
No one told you of these times
No one asked you where you come from
No one told you of these times
This is your life don't waste it
Why don't you run away?
A man to reckon with, he knows how to persuade
You won't get a sun tan in this government shade
Does it make you quiver a little the way they say
That we're gonna fuck you
Take a little bit of freedom away everyday
You can shout it from the rooftops
You can shout it from the rooftops
You can shout it from the rooftops
But you can't tell it to the paper
They've already been paid
The song “One Off Pretender” by The View is a commentary on the perils of living a false and hedonistic life. The verses describe a character who is addicted to pills and lives in squalor, going from bar to bar looking for the next thrill. He is compared to a “late night bar crawler” and is portrayed as someone who lives life on the edge, proclaiming that he could take a belly full of lead and not die. However, there is a sense of emptiness in the life he leads.
The chorus takes a different perspective, describing a sense of disillusionment and broken promises. It speaks of the fragility of promises and how quickly they can be broken. The line “shout it from the rooftop, but you can't tell it to the paper, they've already been paid” suggests that the media and those in power control the narrative and the truth may not always come out.
The song ends with a call to action, urging listeners not to waste their lives and to stand up against those who try to take away their freedom. The lyrics paint a picture of a society where people are swayed by empty promises and the allure of the superficial, but ultimately it is up to the individual to make a stand and fight for what they believe in.
Line by Line Meaning
Living on them pills, he was lying in squalor
He was living a life that revolved around taking pills and was in extreme poverty
That's the life of the late night bar crawler
This lifestyle is common for those who are addicted to alcohol or drugs and spend their nights in bars
Most outrageous man I met he once said
The person being referred to was someone who was known for being bold and saying outrageous things
I could take a belly full of lead and wouldn't wind up dead
The person being referred to had a mentality of being invincible and that nothing could kill them
He wanted his song to make you shiver
The songwriter intended for their lyrics to provoke an intense emotional response in the listener
A little like there's a ghost coming your way
This emotional response is intended to evoke a feeling of fear or anxiety, like encountering a ghost
Have you ever been told that something's forever
The songwriter is asking if the listener has ever been promised something would last forever
And had your heart broken the very next day?
Only to have that promise shattered, causing emotional pain
Shout it from the rooftop
The songwriter is encouraging the listener to speak out and share their voice
You can shout it from the rooftop
Reinforcing the idea that speaking out and sharing your voice is important
But you can't tell it to the paper
The media can be biased or controlled, so it is challenging to share a message through traditional media channels
They've already been paid
The media has been incentivized to share a specific message or narrative
To be ten different people that's easy
It's much easier to pretend to be something you're not than to be authentic and true to yourself
It's easier than being yourself
The songwriter is emphasizing how challenging it can be to embrace your true identity
I'm the one who pretends that I'm not happy
The songwriter is admitting that they too struggle with being authentic and often pretend to be happier than they actually are
Picking life off the shelf
The songwriter is describing how people often pick and choose aspects of themselves to present to the world, like picking items off a shelf
He taught me time wasted is time spent well
The person being referred to taught the songwriter that even if they weren't making progress, the time was not wasted because they learned from the experience
A man's dead if he doesn't have a story to tell
The songwriter is emphasizing how important it is to have experiences and stories to share
Dead if he's lying in a dirty jail cell
Even if someone is physically alive, they may feel dead if they are stuck in a terrible situation, like being in jail
'Cause when your down they'll kick you
The songwriter is highlighting the way society can often kick someone when they are already down and in a vulnerable state
The jury doesn't matter at all, the jury doesn't matter at all
The songwriter is saying that even if there is a justice system in place, it doesn't always matter or serve justice
Tell me officer when your baton kissed me did it make you feel tall?
The songwriter is questioning the actions of law enforcement and asking if they take pleasure in using their power to hurt others
And no one asked you where you come from
The songwriter is pointing out how some people are born into situations that aren't fair or just and are not asked for their input in it
No one told you of these times
The songwriter is emphasizing how some people are not educated or informed about the unfairness that exists in the world
This is your life don't waste it
The songwriter is encouraging the listener to live their life to the fullest and not waste it on things that don't matter
Why don't you run away?
The songwriter is saying that sometimes the best option is just to run away from negative situations
A man to reckon with, he knows how to persuade
The songwriter is describing an influential figure who can convince others to follow their lead
You won't get a sun tan in this government shade
The songwriter is saying that living under the constraints of government regulations and restrictions is not a pleasant experience
Does it make you quiver a little the way they say
The songwriter is asking if the listener feels a bit of fear or unease when thinking about the way the government controls their life
That we're gonna fuck you
The songwriter is using vulgar language to emphasize the negative impact that government control can have on people's lives
Take a little bit of freedom away everyday
The songwriter is describing how government restrictions slowly erode people's freedoms and control over their own lives
You can shout it from the rooftops
The songwriter is reiterating the importance of speaking out and sharing one's voice
You can shout it from the rooftops
Emphasizing the idea that speaking out is powerful and can lead to positive change
You can shout it from the rooftops
Reinforcing the central message of the song - that speaking out is important
But you can't tell it to the paper
Again emphasizing how challenging it is to communicate an authentic message through traditional media channels
They've already been paid
Highlighting the role of money and incentives in shaping media narratives
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KIEREN WEBSTER, KYLE FALCONER, PETER REILLY, STEVEN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind