The Virginmarys are not part of the Curtis club. Their music blends the dynamics of platinum class ‘grunge’ (basically Nirvana, Mudhoney and Screaming Trees) with the spikiness of punk and the attention to detail and honesty of prime British rock of the early 1970’s, before the wizards and capes overcame the attack and dynamic. Their belief system begins with a devotion to the idea of playing. Live or in rehearsals, the three are at their most comfortable instruments in hand. Whether this is cool or not in a world where we sometimes seem to want our bands to devote themselves to studiously not playing is of no consequence to them. So, the debut album, ‘King Of Conflict’, was recorded live in the studio with Toby Jepson producing and Chris Sheldon (Pixies, Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro, etc) at the mixing controls to capture the band at their thrilling best.
But this is not ‘muso’ territory. Whilst Ally may have learnt his playing via a local blues maestro and lived in a house sound tracked by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Free and The Allman Bros courtesy of his dad, the revelation of Nirvana and the digging backwards to punk and forwards to the diverse likes of Elbow and Arcade Fire meant that when Ally, Matt and Danny set out to write rock songs, those were never likely to be dumb, despite being a hell of a lot of fun. Further, Ally’s nature and his position as lyricist pretty much guaranteed that The Virginmarys would share much in common with those bands who eschewed the brainless cartoons of metal to create a rock music that used its words to deal with real life, real feelings and serious subjects. So a typical song from the trio rocks as hard as anything you are likely to hear but can talk about making the wrong calls despite yourself (‘Dead Man’s Shoes), domestic violence from the less thought out position of male as victim (‘Portrait Of Red’) and anti-capitalism (‘You’ve Got Your Money’).
It’s that blend of rock schooling and intelligence that makes The Virginmarys such a thrilling proposition. Unlike so many contemporaries, the three are unlikely to fall into any of the obvious traps that bedevil young bands in their world. Having spent three years touring and playing alongside a series of self-released EP’s the band have built a fan base that encompasses the likes of Slash (a regular VM’s T shirt wearer), We Are Scientists, Eagles Of Death Metal and Ash, all of whom have invited the band to support them and thousands of devoted fans across the globe. In the process they have featured on BBC Breakfast, scored an iTunes single of the week both in the UK and US, had a track featured on Rockband 3 and sold out London’s Garage at a canter as part of HMV’s Next Big Thing series of shows at the close of 2011.
Those beginnings have fostered a band that are ambitious without being arrogant, Ally claims that honesty is at the heart of everything he does, Danny wants The Virginmarys to be a catalyst for new bands to form and create great new music and Matt sees success as blowing away the dross that currently populates daytime radio and creating a world in which their music, and that like it, makes the music world an exciting place to be once more.
In a world crying out for a band with substance, The Virginmarys could well prove to be the answer to all our prayers.
Lewis Jamieson
In the City
The Virginmarys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need to get myself away
Change my name and find a place to call my own
And live allone untill my dieing day
I'm running out of reasons to be in this game
You know my heart don't play my way
I'm drowning in the bullshit and the constant drone of all the talking when there is nothing to say
A lot of talking when there is nothing to say
The battle marches on
To Mother Natures' ruin
Whats that all you were
Give me somthing can feel
Give me people I can trust
Its a sin that we ma poke her fist
And we crumble into dust
HEY!
In running on the fine line
Love and hate
The digging all the seas I've sewn
Everywhere I turn another someone to pay
Another step I take away from home
Im looking for a hope like a needle in hay
Will someone look their body parts
I threw your letter seven years too late
They were a plaster on a broken heart
A dirty plaster on a broken heart
And thats another dream thats broken
What you want from life is gone
So where you gonna stand girl
Whats that all you were?
Give me something I can feel
Give me people I can trust
Its a sin that we ma poke her fist
And we crumble into dust
Give me something I that is real
Give me people that I love
Its a sin that we ma poke her fist
And I crumbled into dust
TO DUST X3
Give me something I can feel
Give me people I can trust
Give me somthing that is real
As it crumbles into dust
Give me somthing I can feel
To the people that I love
CRUMBLE INTO DUST!
The Virginmarys' song In the City seems to be about feeling stuck in a certain situation and wanting a change. The central theme of the song is the feeling of being fed up with the monotony of life and an unfulfilling existence. The lyrics suggest that the singer is tired of living a life that doesn't feel authentic, and they're desperate for a change. Lines such as "I need to get myself away, change my name and find a place to call my own" express the desire to escape from a mundane life and start anew.
The song also has a strong environmental message, advocating for the protection of nature. The line "the battle marches on to Mother Nature's ruin" implies that our actions are harming the environment, and we must take responsibility before it's too late. The song is a lament for the destruction caused by human beings and the need for change.
Overall, In the City is a powerful and emotional song that captures the frustration of wanting to break free and find something more meaningful.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna' Say im tired but I'm Fucking bored
I'm exhausted and disillusioned with my current situation.
I need to get myself away
I need to escape and find a new place to call home.
Change my name and find a place to call my own
Starting fresh and finding a new home will help me reinvent myself.
And live alone until my dying day
I'm ready to be independent and be my own person for the rest of my life.
I'm running out of reasons to be in this game
I'm losing my motivation and purpose for living my life a certain way.
You know my heart don't play my way
My emotions and desires are not aligned with the path I'm currently on.
I'm drowning in the bullshit and the constant drone of all the talking when there is nothing to say
I'm overwhelmed and exhausted by all the meaningless conversations and noise around me.
A lot of talking when there is nothing to say
People are talking just to talk, without anything meaningful to contribute.
And another dream gets broken
My hopes and aspirations keep getting crushed.
The battle marches on
To Mother Natures' ruin
The fight for survival continues, even at the expense of the environment.
What's that all you were
What did you hope to accomplish with your life?
Give me something I can feel
Give me people I can trust
I want genuine experiences and relationships in my life.
It's a sin that we ma poke her fist
And we crumble into dust
It's a mistake to mistreat the earth, which will eventually lead to our downfall and decay.
Hey!
An expression of frustration and urgency.
In running on the fine line
Love and hate
Navigating the complexities of relationships and emotions is challenging and precarious.
The digging all the seas I've sewn
Everywhere I turn another someone to pay
Another step I take away from home
I'm constantly dealing with the consequences of my past actions and struggling to find my place in the world.
I'm looking for a hope like a needle in hay
I'm searching for a glimmer of hope in a seemingly hopeless situation.
Will someone look their body parts
Will someone take responsibility for their actions and the harm they've caused.
I threw your letter seven years too late
They were a plaster on a broken heart
A dirty plaster on a broken heart
I ignored a message from someone who could have helped me heal emotionally, and now I'm stuck with a temporary fix for a deep wound.
And that's another dream that's broken
My hope for something better has been shattered once again.
What you want from life is gone
So where you gonna stand girl
What's that all you were?
Your dreams and aspirations have vanished, so what will you do now? What was your purpose in the first place?
Give me something that is real
I want authenticity and honesty in my life.
To the people that I love
I long for deep and meaningful connections with the people in my life.
Crumble into dust!
Everything eventually fades away and vanishes into nothingness.
Contributed by Callie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.