TRASH MONEY was formed by Chris Tate and Joe Wilson in 1999. Their music ha… Read Full Bio ↴TRASH MONEY was formed by Chris Tate and Joe Wilson in 1999. Their music has a defiantly anti-genre and anti-corporate approach to it and yet it is very catchy and pop at times. Their kitchen sink writing method and D.I.Y ethos has brought them critical acclaim and a considerable fan-base. You Lied Satan released on single sided red 7" (and the band's first release) was single of the week in the NME.

A number of singles followed which were all well received culminating most recently with the release of their debut album TRASHMONEY - a wilfully obtuse testament to the band's integrity, and packed full of mania, melancholy, glee and humour. Fans include Lauren Laverne, The Mighty Boosh and at times Alan McGee, who says "they remind me of a weird Cure". The band frequently play gigs in London and Europe and the live line up includes drummer David Westlake formerly of Sneaker Pimps, guitarist Cary Creed, and guitarist/vocalist Molly Dolittle Slade.

Lucky
Trash Money Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a bridge up on the motorway
There's a hotel if you need to stay
No need to listen to a word I say
An excuse for us to play away

I'm too rock for the city
I'm too slick for the shore
All the things that you showed me

I don't need them no more

Bang out of brains
Stuck out of luck
You're a mentalist
Always pissed
Getting drunk
Getting kissed

There's a church down by the underpass
There's a crash for cousin drive too fast

No need to wait until I'm asked
You bring me luck but it'll never last

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Trash Money's song "Lucky" are rife with ambiguity, and they seem to be cyclical in nature. Starting with a bridge atop a motorway and a hotel nearby for those who need to stay, it's as though the singer is trying to give you an idea of where they're coming from, but it's intentionally vague. The next two lines, "No need to listen to a word I say / An excuse for us to play away" imply that the singer is trying to lure someone into taking a chance with them, regardless of whether or not they know each other well.

The chorus goes on to say, "I'm too rock for the city / I'm too slick for the shore / All the things that you showed me / I don't need them no more," suggesting that the singer might be disillusioned with their current surroundings, whether that be the city or the shoreline. There's also an element of defiance in these lines — the singer is saying that they don't need anyone or anything, and that they're happy (or pretending to be happy) on their own.

In the second verse, the lyrics become even more abstract. "Bang out of brains / Stuck out of luck / You're a mentalist / Always pissed / Getting drunk / Getting kissed" is a cascade of images that come and go quickly, painting a picture of someone who's lost or confused. "Bang out of brains" implies that the person in question is either incredibly stupid or completely unhinged, while "stuck out of luck" suggests that they're simply not having a good time. "You're a mentalist / always pissed / getting drunk / getting kissed" feels like a description of someone who's a bit of a wild card or an unpredictable character, someone who's prone to extremes.

Finally, the last two lines of the song say, "There's a church down by the underpass / There's a crash for cousin drive too fast / No need to wait until I'm asked / You bring me luck but it'll never last." This feels like a bitter twist ending to the song, suggesting that the singer sees their relationship with the person they're addressing as fleeting and doomed to fall apart. The mention of a church implies a sort of solemnity or finality, while the car crash suggests recklessness and risk-taking. The final line, "You bring me luck but it'll never last," feels like a sad sort of resignation, as though the singer knows that they're going to keep making the same mistakes over and over again.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a bridge up on the motorway
The location has convenient accessibility and encourages movement.

There's a hotel if you need to stay
Temporary respite is available if one requires it.

No need to listen to a word I say
Discard my advice and follow your desires.

An excuse for us to play away
Justification for pleasure-seeking escapades.

I'm too rock for the city
My personality is too abrasive for urban settings.

I'm too slick for the shore
I possess too much style to fit into beach culture.

All the things that you showed me
I've absorbed what you've taught me.

I don't need them no more
But I've evolved beyond that now.

Bang out of brains
Mental exhaustion or confusion.

Stuck out of luck
Unfortunate circumstances or outcomes that persist.

You're a mentalist
You think and act in irrational ways.