THERAPY? is an alternative rock/punk rock band from Northern Ireland. The b… Read Full Bio ↴THERAPY? is an alternative rock/punk rock band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist/vocalist Andy Cairns and drummer Fyfe Ewing. The band initially recorded their first demo with Andy filling in on bass guitar. To complete the line-up, the band recruited bassist Michael McKeegan.
With keen pop sensibilities, a skewed sense of humour and a willingness to draw inspiration from diverse sources (notably punk rock), Therapy? came to attention in the early 1990s rise of alternative rock, but have endured for more than a decade since; Critic Johnny Loftus writes, "After a ten-plus year career that has seen them outlast competitors and outwit industry attempts at categorization, Therapy? are still headbangers with their thinking caps screwed on tight."

Current line-up :
Andy Cairns (guitar, vocals) (1989 - )
Michael McKeegan (bass guitar, backing vocals) (1989 - )
Neil Cooper (drums) (2003 - )

Past members:
Fyfe Ewing (drums) (1989 - 1996)
Martin McCarrick (cello, guitar, backing vocals) (1996 - 2004)
Graham Hopkins (drums) (1996 - 2001)

Discography:
-Hard Cold Fire (2023)
-Cleave (2018)
-Disquiet (2015)
-A Brief Crack of Light (2012)
-Crooked Timber (2009)
-One Cure Fits All (2006)
-Never Apologise Never Explain (2004)
-High Anxiety (2003)
-Shameless (2001)
-So Much For The Ten Year Plan - A Retrospective 1990-2000 (2000)
-Suicide Pact - You First (1999)
-Semi-Detached (1998)
-Infernal Love (1995)
-Troublegum (1994)
-Face the Strange E.P. (1993)
-Shortsharpshock E.P. (1993)
-Nurse (1992)
-Pleasure Death (1992)
-Babyteeth (1991)

Northern Ireland, 1989.

Tango Romeo
Therapy? Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let's pull over at the side of the road
We need to take a break before our heads explode
Keep down the laughter
Keep down the speed
Try to avoid being R.U.Ceen
This neck of the woods can be creepy and cold
You keep your mouth shut and you do as you're told
We kicked off a high at the start of the day

Don't want to end it in Castlereagh
Don't sneak in my underpants
You only had to ask
Don't sneak in my underpants
You only had to ask
I let it slip that we played in a band
Maybe take a change that he knew my old man
Out of the car, stand on my toes and here I was thinking he was letting it go
Don't sneak in my underpants
You only had to ask
Don't sneak in my underpants
You only had to ask

Don't sneak in my underpants
You only had to ask
Don't sneak in my underpants
You only had to ask
Don't sneak in my underpants
You only had to ask
Don't sneak in my underpants
You only had to ask
You only had to ask

Don't sneak in my underpants
You only had to ask

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Therapy?'s song "Tango Romeo" depict a scenario of two individuals in a car, seemingly on the run or trying to avoid trouble. They pull over at the side of the road to take a break and assess the situation. The tone of the song is urgent and anxious, with the suggestion of the threat of the R.U.C. (Royal Ulster Constabulary) looming over them. The lyrics suggest that they have already had a thrilling start to the day, but they don't want it to end in Castlereagh, a former detention center in Northern Ireland known for its association with the Troubles.

The chorus repeats the phrase "Don't sneak in my underpants, you only had to ask" several times. This seems like a strange and out-of-place line until one realizes that it could be interpreted as a metaphor for the idea of violating personal boundaries or crossing lines without permission. It reinforces the idea that the two individuals in the song are on the same "team" and need to work together to avoid getting caught or getting into trouble. Overall, the song creates a feeling of unease and uncertainty, with a sense of paranoia and danger lurking around every corner.

Line by Line Meaning

Let's pull over at the side of the road
We need to stop and take a break before we become overwhelmed

We need to take a break before our heads explode
It's necessary to pause and unwind for the sake of our mental health

Keep down the laughter
We must keep quiet to avoid attracting attention

Keep down the speed
We need to slow down and avoid drawing attention to ourselves

Try to avoid being R.U.Ceen
We need to avoid being seen by the police (Royal Ulster Constabulary)

This neck of the woods can be creepy and cold
The area we are in can be eerie and devoid of warmth

You keep your mouth shut and you do as you're told
It's important to remain silent and follow instructions to avoid getting into trouble

We kicked off a high at the start of the day
We began the day feeling good and hopeful

Don't want to end it in Castlereagh
We don't want to end up in police custody in Castlereagh interrogation center

Don't sneak in my underpants, You only had to ask
Don't invade my privacy without permission when asking is just as effective

I let it slip that we played in a band
I unintentionally revealed that we play in a music group

Maybe take a change that he knew my old man
Perhaps he recognized me as the son of someone he knows

Out of the car, stand on my toes and here I was thinking he was letting it go
Out of the car, I stood on my tiptoes and thought he was letting things slide

You only had to ask
Communication is important, and we should ask before we act

Don't sneak in my underpants
Don't invade my privacy without permission

You only had to ask
We could have avoided an uncomfortable situation with communication

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: ANDREW JAMES CAIRNS, MARTIN JOHN MCCARRICK, MICHAEL GRAHAM HOPKINS, MICHAEL ROBERT MC KEEGAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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