"Oranges and Apples", an advance single from the band's fifth album In the Music, was released as a download-only single on 13 October 13, 2008. The song was inspired by Syd Barrett, one of the founding members of Pink Floyd. The single was released in connection with The City Wakes, a festival which took place in Cambridge and London in October 2008. The festival is a tribute to Barrett and intended to raise funds and awareness for mental health issues and the arts. The band is donating proceeds from the download to the Syd Barrett charitable trust.
The band released In The Music, in the UK and Japan in 2009 and in the USA in 2010, touring all three countries. They completed a short acoustic tour in the western part of the USA in October, including a show supporting Belle & Sebastian and have announced a follow-up acoustic tour in the USA for March 2011. As part of the 20th anniversary of their first album, they're also releasing a live acoustic CD, Brel, and expect to re-release their back catalog in 2011.
Trivia:
* "Hayfever" made an appearance on MTV cartoon "Beavis and Butthead." Interestingly, the two, who usually poke fun at every video they watch, thought that Hayfever was "not bad."
* "The lead singer is the brother of Eddi Reader of 'Fairground Attraction' fame.
The Main Attraction
Trashcan Sinatras Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A curious relationship.
It'll end in tedium or it'll end in bed.
We're commonly crossed legged but regally spread.
We're like the carpet-burned knees of desire
Both of us are blushing
Both of us are skint (again)
Don't blow a hole in the royal mint
(these suckers are skint)
You can fool some people all the time
And you can suffer fools some of the time
You can even fool all the people
All of the time...
But you cannae kid yourself
You're the main attraction
And you'll get your hands on her
Off to the trough and the cubicle
To get pharmaceutically full of yourself
I'm pushing my boat out
To greet your ship coming in
Don't kid yourself
You're the main attraction
That i won't get my hands on her
Between the trough and the cubicle
Just stop for a bloody good look at yourself...
I'm pushing my boat out
To greet your ship coming in
Between the trough and the cubicle
You sure made a bloody good fool of yourself
The lyrics of "The Main Attraction" by Trashcan Sinatras paint a picture of a dysfunctional or uncertain relationship. The first lines suggest that the two people are going to separate bathrooms or possibly, they are going to meet other people. The following lines capture the essence of the relationship which is either going to end up with boredom or sex. The fact that they are described as "commonly crossed legged but regally spread" implies that these two people might be of different classes or backgrounds. In this context, the metaphor of the carpet-burned knees of desire further reinforces the idea of a sexual encounter or intercourse.
The song then shifts its focus onto the concept of image and perception. The chorus repeats the phrase, "Don't kid yourself, You're the main attraction" where the singer advises the listener not to deceive themselves that they can fool other people or even themselves. The final line also adds weight to this assertion with a taunt, "You sure made a bloody good fool of yourself." The metaphor of pushing "my boat out to greet your ship coming in" can be interpreted as a desire to forge a relationship or to arrive in the same place in life, however, the final line of the song clarifies that this desire may not have been met.
Interesting facts about the song, "The Main Attraction," include that it was first released in 1990 and was performed by the Scottish indie rock band, Trashcan Sinatras. The song was included in the group's debut album called "Cake." Another fact is that the song was produced by John Leckie, who also produced such albums as Radiohead's The Bends and The Stone Roses' self-titled debut album. The song features different musical elements and instruments, including a saxophone solo. Additionally, the band has been said to have stated that the title of the song was inspired by the circus, and the idea of being a spectacle. The song's lyrics have been interpreted in different ways, with some seeing it as a commentary on the shallow nature of the entertainment industry. Finally, the song has been covered by different artists over the years, including The Pogues.
Chords (as provided at Ultimate-guitar.com):
Verse: G, C, D7
Chorus: D, G, D.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm off to the ladies, she's off to the gents...
We will be going to separate restrooms, but our intentions are the same.
It'll end in tedium or it'll end in bed.
Our relationship will either fizzle out or turn physical.
We're commonly crossed legged but regally spread.
We present ourselves as modest but can be quite indulgent.
We're like the carpet-burned knees of desire
Our passion has caused us to make sacrifices and suffer painful consequences.
Both of us are blushing
Our mutual attraction is obvious and causing us to feel embarrassed.
Both of us are skint (again)
We are broke once more and unable to indulge in our desires.
Get up and throw another plug on the fire
We need to rekindle our passion and excitement for each other.
Don't blow a hole in the royal mint
(these suckers are skint)
We cannot afford to be extravagant or reckless with our money.
You can fool some people all the time
And you can suffer fools some of the time
You can even fool all the people
All of the time...
But you cannae kid yourself
It is impossible to lie to yourself and believe it indefinitely, no matter how convincing the lie may be.
You're the main attraction
And you'll get your hands on her
Off to the trough and the cubicle
To get pharmaceutically full of yourself
You are the focus of attention and will likely succeed in your pursuit of her. However, you will indulge in drugs to feel better about yourself.
I'm pushing my boat out
To greet your ship coming in
I will make an effort to meet you halfway and be receptive to your desires.
Between the trough and the cubicle
You sure made a bloody good fool of yourself
Your behavior in the restroom was embarrassing and foolish.
Contributed by Isabella P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.