Tones on Tail's music is psychedelic/surrealist with a heavy English gothic rock vibe. It is textural and introspective and exhibits Ash's characteristically clean production. The band made a point of having each song sound as different as possible. In concert, the band sported all-white as a reaction to Bauhaus's all-black look. They never achieved a large following, though the track Go! is a retro dance club staple and a frequent addition to 1980s music compilations.
The band's back catalog has been subjected to a lot of compilations and reissues over the years; collecting the entire Tones on Tail discography was a difficult task. This was the situation until the 1998 release of Everything!, an appropriately named two-CD set of every track, fully remastered, plus a radio interview with Ash and Campling. The first disc contains the band's sole album Pop, while the second disc collects the rest of the band's work.
Never Never
Tones on Tail Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were so fast and flash it stings
But life's too short - never came through
The last straw never waits
Than its bang goes your bomb
Sparks keep flying then - broke in two
A flash of white light
A thrilling hope, some pure surprise
And right now
The never never is forever, just forever
Nothing's wrong - fault is you
Your white face against the wall
Always waiting in vain,
This mental tortures on the cards for you
You, you, you spin yourself blind
You spin so fast and flash it flickers
Running backwards then - smashed in two
And right now
The never never is forever, just forever
Nothing's wrong - fault is you
And right now
The never never is forever, just forever
There's nothing wrong - the fault is you
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
The lyrics in Tones on Tail's song Never Never depict a chaotic and thrilling night that ultimately leads to disappointment and a sense of forever being stuck in a negative loop. The first verse describes the intense excitement of the night, with the subject being "fast and flash" to the point of causing pain. However, despite this rush, "life's too short" and things never seem to go as planned. The "last straw" always comes, and "bang goes your bomb," showing that there is always a point of no return where everything falls apart.
The chorus expresses the frustration and hopelessness of being stuck in this cycle of disappointment, with "the never never" (a phrase that can be interpreted as a state of mind or a cycle of negative experiences) being "forever, just forever" and nothing seeming to change. The blame for this is placed on the subject, as they are told that "nothing's wrong - fault is you."
The second verse describes the subject's further descent into this cycle, with their "white face against the wall" always waiting for something that never seems to come. They are described as "spin[ning] themselves blind" with the constant excitement and anticipation of the night, only to end up "smashed in two" and stuck in the same cycle. The repetition of "down for you is up" at the end of the song adds to this feeling of being stuck in a negative loop, with the idea that everything is constantly turning upside down and nothing can be relied on.
Overall, the lyrics of Never Never convey a sense of chaos, excitement, and disappointment, with the subject stuck in a cycle of negativity that seems impossible to escape.
Line by Line Meaning
On the wild, wild night
This song takes place during a night of chaos and excitement where things are unpredictable
You were so fast and flash it stings
You moved and acted with so much energy that it affected the people around you
But life's too short - never came through
But for some reason, you failed to achieve what you wanted in life even though time was limited
The last straw never waits
Problems and challenges don't wait for anyone, and eventually, they add up to reach their tipping point
Than its bang goes your bomb
And when that tipping point is reached, things can explode or fall apart quickly
Sparks keep flying then - broke in two
The resulting explosion or fallout continues to have an impact, and relationships or situations can be permanently damaged
A flash of white light
There can be moments of hope and excitement
A thrilling hope, some pure surprise
But unfortunately, those moments are usually short-lived and come crashing down just as quickly
But it's always smashed in two
Sadly, the hope and excitement never last long and end up being shattered
And right now
Currently, in this moment
The never never is forever, just forever
The feeling of hopelessness and disappointment seems to last forever and never goes away
Nothing's wrong - fault is you
Despite the situation, it's important to take responsibility for one's actions and not place blame elsewhere
Your white face against the wall
This line describes feeling trapped and defeated, with no way out of a bad situation
Always waiting in vain,
Despite expectations and hopes, nothing ever seems to change or improve
This mental tortures on the cards for you
The emotional pain and stress are inevitable and always present
You, you, you spin yourself blind
Focusing too much on one's problems can lead to becoming overwhelmed and losing perspective
You spin so fast and flash it flickers
However, for some people, constantly moving and staying occupied can help them deal with their problems
Running backwards then - smashed in two
Unfortunately, there is no escaping from the problems and they will eventually catch up and cause more damage
And right now
Currently, in this moment
The never never is forever, just forever
Once again, the feeling of hopelessness and disappointment seem to last forever and never goes away
Nothing's wrong - fault is you
Taking responsibility for one's actions and not placing blame elsewhere is crucial for moving forward
Down for you is up
This repeated line suggests that things may seem upside down or confusing, but that is a matter of perspective
Down for you is up
Again, this repeated line emphasizes the importance of seeing things from different angles and perspectives
Down for you is up
The repetition of this line suggests that the song is coming to an end and reiterates the theme of perspective
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Down for you is up
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANIEL GASTON ASH, GLENN DEREK CAMPLING, KEVIN HASKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ivorytower99
One of my faves, along with "Slender Fungus".
datcomment
Thank you for uploading
Nicely done Daniel Ash!
Laurel Cutland
love this song
Vance Burdge
Horrible. Stuck..