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.
Performance
Tones on Tail Lyrics
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Hangs over your head
The one thing you could never burn
Its shadow's hanging over you
The shadow's never there
Explodes all over again
Shakes, we take control today
Shakes, give us your soul today
Shakes, give it all away
To crush this foolish pride
I'm standing under glass
Trying to break through all the time
But deception never fails
Can't discover what's seen
What's seen behind these cold eyes
Shakes, give us your soul today
Shakes, give all your secrets away
Shakes, we take control today
Shakes, give it all away
Shadows over masses
Faces gun charge
It was too much fun all the time
She said your death must come first
To make this dream more real
You'll never be free again
Shakes, give us your soul today
Shakes, give all your secrets away
Shakes, we take control today
Shakes, give it all away
Shakes [Repeat: x3]
The lyrics in Tones on Tail's song "Performance" contain vivid imagery and metaphors that convey a sense of overwhelming pressure and a struggle to break free from it. The opening lines describe a "branch of cold flames" hanging over the singer's head, representing something that they could never destroy or escape from. The shadow of this object constantly hangs over them and explodes repeatedly, suggesting that it is a never-ending source of anxiety and stress.
The chorus of the song, which repeats multiple times, urges the listener to "give us your soul today" and "give it all away." This can be interpreted as a call to surrender oneself completely and let go of any illusions of control or autonomy. The lines "to crush this foolish pride / I'm standing under glass" suggest that the singer is aware of their own limitations and is willing to try to break through them, even if it means exposing themselves to vulnerability.
The final verses of the song depict a scenario of societal pressure and oppression, with "shadows over masses / faces gun charge" and a woman who tells the singer that their "death must come first" in order for the dream to become more real. This highlights the theme of sacrificing oneself for the sake of conformity and acceptance, echoing the message of the chorus to give in to external authority and relinquish one's own agency.
Line by Line Meaning
A branch of cold flames
A representation of an unusual element that is cold despite being associated with fire.
Hangs over your head
Looms ominously, causing one to feel anxious or threatened.
The one thing you could never burn
Refers to the one obstacle that is seemingly insurmountable.
Its shadow's hanging over you
The lingering effects of this obstacle continue to affect you even when it is physically absent.
The shadow's never there
Despite its impact, the obstacle itself is nowhere to be found.
Explodes all over again
The impact of this obstacle is felt more strongly whenever it resurfaces.
Shakes, we take control today
We are seizing power and taking control of the situation.
Shakes, give all your secrets away
We demand complete honesty and transparency.
Shakes, give us your soul today
We want the entirety of your being; nothing held back.
To crush this foolish pride
Desire to eliminate excessive ego or arrogance.
I'm standing under glass
A sense of confinement or separation from the world.
Trying to break through all the time
Attempting to overcome this confinement or limitation.
But deception never fails
Despite efforts to break through, there is always the possibility that things are not as they seem.
Can't discover what's seen
Unable to discern the truth of what is observed, even when it appears transparent.
What's seen behind these cold eyes
The true intentions or motivations of someone is obscured by their impenetrable or emotionless exterior.
Shadows over masses
Suggests something ominous looms over society as a whole.
Faces gun charge
Perhaps referencing society's tendency to blame individuals rather than addressing systemic issues.
It was too much fun all the time
Implies a sense of recklessness or lack of caution in the face of impending danger.
She said your death must come first
An ominous warning, perhaps from an outside force or one's own conscience.
To make this dream more real
Highlighting the idea that some sacrifices must be made to achieve a desired outcome.
You'll never be free again
Self-explanatory; there are consequences to our actions and not all of them are pleasant.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANIEL GASTON ASH, GLENN DEREK CAMPLING, KEVIN HASKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
californioxochipilli
Remember:
Those quiet nights with the headphones on in the 1980's
The power that ran through the spirit and imagination with the music and sound of this song
The empowerment captured from the energy of this ensemble.
The future you saw, ready to confront what awaits...
All in the beautiful work of Ash.
Jo mateix
A branch of cold flames
Hangs over your head
The one thing you could never burn
Its shadow's hanging over you
The shadow's never there
Explodes all over again
Shakes, we take control today
Shakes, give all your secrets away
Shakes, give us your soul today
Shakes, give it all away
To crush this foolish pride
I'm standing under glass
Trying to break through all the time
But deception never fails
Can't discover what's seen
What's seen behind these cold eyes
Shakes, give us your soul today
Shakes, give all your secrets away
Shakes, we take control today
Shakes, give it all away
Shadows over masses
Faces gun charge
It was too much fun all the time
She said your death must come first
To make this dream more real
You'll never be free again
Shakes, give us your soul today
Shakes, give all your secrets away
Shakes, we take control today
Shakes, give it all away
Ana Alina
Lyrics:
A branch of cold flames
Hangs over your head
The one thing you could never burn
It's shadow's hanging over you
The shadow's never there
Explodes all over again
Shakes - we take control today
Shakes - give all your secrets away
Shakes - give us your soul today
Shakes - give it all away
To crush this foolish pride
I'm standing under glass
Trying to break through all the time
But deception never fails
Can't discover what's seen
What's seen behind these cold eyes
Shakes - give us your soul today
Shakes - give all your secrets away
Shakes - we take control today
Shakes - give it all away
Shadows over masses
Faces gun charge
It was too much fun all the time
She said your death must come first
To make this dream more real
You'll never be free again
Shakes - give us your soul today
Shakes - give all your secrets away
Shakes - we take control today
Shakes - give it all away
Shakes
Shakes
Shakes
Shakes
Shakes
Shakes
Shakes
Shakes
Shakes
Shakes
californioxochipilli
Remember:
Those quiet nights with the headphones on in the 1980's
The power that ran through the spirit and imagination with the music and sound of this song
The empowerment captured from the energy of this ensemble.
The future you saw, ready to confront what awaits...
All in the beautiful work of Ash.
M H
You had me at headphones :)
marvin kaae larsen
37 years after release and still a mesmerizing track. Can't even imagine hearing this in the 80's!
C H
It was glorious! eesh, 37 yrs. At least I know they're old with me lol
Marilina Lopez
amor total por esta canción 🖤
daijirogd
Best song ever?
Ricardo Loureiro
Quanto tempo não escuto essa música maravilhosa...
Christopher Adderley
This is the perfect Performance 🖤
Jo mateix
A branch of cold flames
Hangs over your head
The one thing you could never burn
Its shadow's hanging over you
The shadow's never there
Explodes all over again
Shakes, we take control today
Shakes, give all your secrets away
Shakes, give us your soul today
Shakes, give it all away
To crush this foolish pride
I'm standing under glass
Trying to break through all the time
But deception never fails
Can't discover what's seen
What's seen behind these cold eyes
Shakes, give us your soul today
Shakes, give all your secrets away
Shakes, we take control today
Shakes, give it all away
Shadows over masses
Faces gun charge
It was too much fun all the time
She said your death must come first
To make this dream more real
You'll never be free again
Shakes, give us your soul today
Shakes, give all your secrets away
Shakes, we take control today
Shakes, give it all away
MPGuill
I just can't get enough of this song...