The band was formed in 1995 and all the songs on the debut album, Her handwriting (the title is a quote from Part company by The Go-Betweens) were recorded in Mitcham, south London, in December '95/ January '96, with long-time The Field Mice/Northern Picture Library producer Ian Catt, also known for his work as producer/arranger/co-songwriter for Saint Etienne. Released on Shinkansen Records (the label launched by Matt from Sarah Records) the album, which intimately details the break-up of a relationship, received universally good reviews.
Subsequent albums, Lips that taste of tears (1998) and Broken by whispers (2000), showed a band constantly improving their skills, combining their usual melancholy with transparent pop.
In 2001 the fourth album Alive to every smile appeared featuring a new line-up with many ex-Sarah Records band members in its ranks: Keris Howard from Brighter/Harper Lee, Beth Arzy from Aberdeen and Harvey Williams from Another Sunny Day/The Field Mice. Annemari Davies (ex-The Field Mice) also collaborated with the band. The album was very well received in Spain due to a release on Elefant Records (eventually TBS' main label) and in February 2002 the band visited Spain for the first time.
In 2003 A certain evening light was released, a compilation of singles and B-sides.
In 2004 the band left Shinkansen; The seven autumn flowers was released by Elefant Records worldwide.
In September 2005 Bobby Wratten announced that the band would no longer appear live. He had been uneasy about performing for some time, and had decided to concentrate on studio recordings instead. April 2007 saw the release of The Last Holy Writer.
2010 is expected to see the release of their new album, titled "Fast Trains And Telegraph Wires".
Sometimes I Still Feel the Bruise
Trembling Blue Stars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And to let you know
I think of you from time to time
I know I never really knew you
But somehow I miss you
And wish that you'd stayed in my life
Making contact gets harder
And isn't it only me
Who'd like us to see each other?
How I would hate to be a bother
The way we left it was you'd ring
I'm under no illusion
As to what I meant to you
But you made an impression
And sometimes I still feel the bruise
Sometimes I still feel the bruise
Now and then I stumble on
What I've misplaced but never lost
An ache I first felt long ago
Though you've appeared and disappeared
Throughout these past few years
I'd be surprised if you now showed
Making contact gets harder
As the silence grows longer
And why would you think of me
When you were not the one in love?
When you were not the dreamer?
When you were just the dream?
In "Sometimes I Still Feel the Bruise," Trembling Blue Stars relates the longing and nostalgia for someone who has left their life. The singer confesses that they never really knew this person, but they still miss them and wonder what could have been. They lament the distance that has grown between them, and despite the hesitation, they express a desire to reconnect. The lyrics are tinged with a sense of regret and longing, creating a poignant and bittersweet atmosphere.
As the song progresses, the singer acknowledges that they were likely never very important to the person they miss. They recognize that they were just a passing figure in the other's life. Nevertheless, the impact this person had on the singer was undeniable. The song ends with a wistful recognition that the person they long for is not thinking of them in the same way, serving as a final note of resignation.
Line by Line Meaning
This is just to say "hello"
The singer acknowledges the enormity of the task ahead of them, which is essentially to reconnect with someone who has been out of their life for a long time and who they don't really know. They are taking the first steps and saying "hello".
And to let you know
The singer isn't just reaching out randomly. They have a specific motivation - to let the other person know that they've been on their mind.
I think of you from time to time
The singer has not forgotten about the other person, even though they haven't had contact for a long time. They still wonder what their life is like and occasionally think about them.
I know I never really knew you
The artist acknowledges that they had a limited relationship with the other person. They never got the chance to know them well, which makes the attempt to reconnect more difficult.
But somehow I miss you
Despite the limited connection, the artist feels a sense of absence now that the other person is not in their life.
And wish that you'd stayed in my life
The singer wonders what their life would have been like if they had stayed close. They believe that things might have been different, better even.
Making contact gets harder
The longer that the two people have been out of contact, the more difficult it is to reconnect. The singer recognizes that there is a growing distance between them.
As the silence grows longer
There is no conversation between the two people, just silence. The longer the silence goes on, the harder it is to break.
And isn't it only me
The artist wonders if they are the only ones who feel regret and a desire to reconnect. Are they alone in missing the other person?
Who'd like us to see each other?
The artist is tentatively suggesting that they meet up. They aren't sure if the other person will want to, but they are hoping that they will.
How I would hate to be a bother
The singer doesn't want to be a nuisance to the other person. They fear rejection, so they are approaching the situation carefully and with sensitivity.
The way we left it was you'd ring
There was an agreement between the two people that the other person would contact them. That hasn't happened. The artist is taking matters into their own hands now.
I'm under no illusion
The singer is not fooling themselves about their relationship with the other person. They know that they were never close and that they do not occupy a huge place in their thoughts.
As to what I meant to you
The singer understands that they were not hugely significant to the other person. They didn't share that kind of connection.
But you made an impression
Despite the lack of closeness between them, the other person left an impression on the singer.
And sometimes I still feel the bruise
That impression has lasted. Even though they don't talk now, there is still a hurt or ache lingering from their brief connection.
Now and then I stumble on
The feeling is not constant. It comes and goes. The artist is taken by surprise when it resurfaces.
What I've misplaced but never lost
They haven't forgotten the other person but they have lost the connection. It is something they are trying to regain.
An ache I first felt long ago
That hurt or ache has been with the singer for a while. It is not a new feeling.
Though you've appeared and disappeared
The other person has been in and out of the artist's life over the years.
Throughout these past few years
It hasn't just been a couple of weeks or months since they last spoke. It has been years.
I'd be surprised if you now showed
The artist is not optimistic that the other person will want to reconnect. They don't think there is a high chance of that happening.
And why would you think of me
The singer wonders why the other person would even think of them. They were not close, and the singer did not play a significant role in their life.
When you were not the one in love?
The artist is recognizing that they had a crush on the other person, but the feelings were not reciprocated. They were not the one in love, and the other person was not in love with them.
When you were not the dreamer?
The singer was the one with the dream of a deeper connection. They were the one with a fanciful idea of what could have been.
When you were just the dream?
To the other person, the singer was a dreamer or a figment of their imagination. They never came to represent anything more than that.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sassasdfghjkl
This is just to say "hello"
And to let you know
I think of you from time to time
I know I never really knew you
But somehow I miss you
And wish that you'd stayed in my life
Making contact gets harder
As the silence grows longer
And isn't it only me
Who'd like us to see each other?
How I would hate to be a bother
The way we left it was you'd ring
I'm under no illusion
As to what I meant to you
But you made an impression
And sometimes I still feel the bruise
Sometimes I still feel the bruise
Now and then I stumble on
What I've misplaced but never lost
An ache I first felt long ago
Though you've appeared and disappeared
Throughout these past few years
I'd be surprised if you now showed
Making contact gets harder
As the silence grows longer
And why would you think of me
When you were not the one in love?
When you were not the dreamer?
When you were just the dream?
I'm under no illusion
As to what I meant to you
But you made an impression
And sometimes I still feel the bruise
Sometimes I still feel the bruise
@bellicose432
Those moments when you hear a song for the first time and it's like you could have written the lyrics yourself....
@TheDrapetomanic
How are you doing today, bellicose432? Have you found a love to replac the old one? Are you still here?
@sailcvl3976
living that currently
@autumnsky8409
Esa es una buena pregunta, me pregunto lo mismo.
@TathwemEssenuejal
It's a shame this group is no longer together. I love their music. *Says the guy who just discovered them today* -__-
@sassasdfghjkl
This is just to say "hello"
And to let you know
I think of you from time to time
I know I never really knew you
But somehow I miss you
And wish that you'd stayed in my life
Making contact gets harder
As the silence grows longer
And isn't it only me
Who'd like us to see each other?
How I would hate to be a bother
The way we left it was you'd ring
I'm under no illusion
As to what I meant to you
But you made an impression
And sometimes I still feel the bruise
Sometimes I still feel the bruise
Now and then I stumble on
What I've misplaced but never lost
An ache I first felt long ago
Though you've appeared and disappeared
Throughout these past few years
I'd be surprised if you now showed
Making contact gets harder
As the silence grows longer
And why would you think of me
When you were not the one in love?
When you were not the dreamer?
When you were just the dream?
I'm under no illusion
As to what I meant to you
But you made an impression
And sometimes I still feel the bruise
Sometimes I still feel the bruise
@Paddaricko
It sure hits the spot... played it over and over, until my flatmate walked out, and left me to it.
@hcv500
Only came across this group a few months back and find it hard to get hold of the cd's, got the sort of best off...love this song so meaningful
@craniifer
Mountain Goats does this song justice, but I gotta say I like the original more.
@budybradley8257
They do a great cover