Tunng are a London, England, neo-folk / folktronica band, formed in 2003. … Read Full Bio ↴Tunng are a London, England, neo-folk / folktronica band, formed in 2003. The band consists of Mike Lindsay (vocals, guitar), Becky Jacobs (vocals, percussion, synths), Ashley Bates (banjo, guitar), Phil Winter (electronics, sampling, keyboards), Martin Smith (percussion, keyboards/piano) and Simon Glenister (drums). Their latest album is "Songs You Make at Night" (Aug 2018, Full Time Hobby).

Former members include co-founder Sam Genders (vocals, guitar), who left the band before the release of "...And Then We Saw Land" (Mar 2010, Full Time Hobby).

Tunng started after Genders and Lindsay met, in the latter's Soho basement studio (below a clothes shop). Genders was a singer-songwriter and Lindsay had the studio (making electronica and living through advertising music production). They found that Lindsay's distinctive way with twinkling sounds, and tight production, significantly enhanced the folky songs they were writing - A signature sound developed.

Tunng's first album was "Mother's Daughter And Other Songs" (Jan 2005, Static Caravan) - However, since Genders made at first the choice not to play live, Lindsay found Jacobs and Bates. to help with live shows. Over time, Winter and Smith became part of the band and have all contributed more to recordings, first on "Comments Of The Inner Chorus" (May 2006, Full Time Hobby), then more so on "Good Arrows" (Aug 2007, Full Time Hobby).

The 2010 album, "...And Then We Saw Land", has been the most successful to date and was recorded in the semi-legendary Play Industries Studio, Shoreditch, with access to its vast collection of vintage synthesizers helping develop a more delicate and inter-woven production style. Glenister added live drums to the gigs, from 2009, for a heavier sound, a long way from the seated studio project Tunng once was.

On "Turbines": "...often beloved for its bucolic oddness and modernist gleam, Tunng's polyphonic future folk blossoms with enchanting melodies, simmering grooves, and found sound that has propelled the band into a paradise of exceeded expectations" (Absolute Punk).

Red and Green
Tunng Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Red heels and bright blue eyes
Walking a steady line
Fire bombs and mortar shells
Deep kisses through the night
Dancing on thin ice
Chained up at the ankles
I look in your red eyes
And cover my green skin

Twist like an adder
Fall like a slice of snow
Dart between rocks
And I know what the darkness knows
Annie don't cry it's a delicate thing that we made
Sparrow don't cry it's a delicate thing that we made

Blind time, weighed out in time
Smite our own private sea
Time, gargantuan beat
Red and Green

Pick up my skin from the shelf by the bed
I can slip into my old ways, slip down the stairs
Let me make you sweet tea
Let me make you hot toast
Let me kiss you all over my only, my host

And in time, time, somewhere in time
Sail our own private sea
Time, sweet, terrible, sweet
Red and Green

Annie don't cry it's a delicate thing that we made

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tunng's song Red and Green are open to interpretation but seem to describe a turbulent yet delicate relationship between two people. The first stanza sets the scene with a contrasting image of red and green, symbolizing the passion and jealousy between the two lovers. The red heels and bright blue eyes of one person indicate sensuality and confidence, while the other person feels vulnerable and insecure with their green skin. The imagery of fire bombs and mortar shells paired with deep kisses suggests a love that is both dangerous and intoxicating. The line "dancing on thin ice" implies a sense of peril, while being "chained up at the ankles" indicates a feeling of being trapped. The singer is aware of their precarious situation, and seeing the other person's red eyes causes them to cover their green skin, as if hiding their vulnerability.

The second stanza describes the passing of time and how it affects the relationship. "Blind time weighed out in time" suggests that time is moving forward, but neither person knows where they are headed or what their future holds. They are living in their "own private sea" and struggling to navigate through it. The use of the word "smite" implies a sense of violence or conflict, while "gargantuan beat" suggests the magnitude of the passing of time. The chorus, "Red and Green", could be interpreted as a reminder of the passionate intensity of their love, as well as the jealousy and insecurity that is causing them to struggle.

The final stanza seems to be an attempt by the singer to offer comfort to their partner. They refer to them as their "only" and "host", indicating that they are dependent on each other. The mention of making sweet tea and hot toast implies a sense of home and nurturing, as if to say "let me take care of you". The final use of the line "Annie don't cry it's a delicate thing that we made" is a reminder to both people that they have something special and fragile in their relationship, and they should treat it with care.

Line by Line Meaning

Red heels and bright blue eyes
Describing someone's physical appearance, but not giving much insight to their character.

Walking a steady line
They're navigating their life with care, possibly avoiding risks or conflict.

Fire bombs and mortar shells
Referencing violence, war, or destruction. A stark contrast to the 'steady line' in the previous line.

Deep kisses through the night
Intimacy, passion, and affection.

Dancing on thin ice
Taking risks or living dangerously, walking a fine line between safety and danger.

Chained up at the ankles
Feeling trapped or confined in some way, unable to move freely.

I look in your red eyes
Observing someone's mood, likely implying anger or passion due to the color red.

And cover my green skin
Green skin is an unusual trait and may be a metaphor or symbol representing something. Covering it suggests a sense of shame or embarrassment.

Twist like an adder
Move sinuously or violently, like a snake, potentially referencing deception or danger.

Fall like a slice of snow
Fragility, delicacy, or innocence, but with a sense of inevitability or impermanence.

Dart between rocks
Moving quickly and stealthily, possibly with a sense of danger, uncertainty, or urgency.

And I know what the darkness knows
A shared sense of knowledge or understanding, particularly of something considered dark, difficult, or hidden.

Annie don't cry it's a delicate thing that we made
Acknowledging the fragility of something, but reassuring someone that it's worth protecting or fighting for. The repetition of this line suggests its importance.

Sparrow don't cry it's a delicate thing that we made
Same as the previous line, but addressed to a different person or entity.

Blind time, weighed out in time
Time is often used as a metaphor in this song, and this line describes it as unknowable, unpredictable, or beyond our control.

Smite our own private sea
The 'sea' could represent many things, such as our emotions, thoughts, desires, or relationships. 'Smite' suggests either destruction or control over it.

Time, gargantuan beat
Another reference to time as a powerful, inescapable force.

Red and Green
It is unclear from the song what exactly these colors represent, but they are repeated numerous times and could suggest a theme of contrast or duality.

Pick up my skin from the shelf by the bed
Another metaphorical reference to skin, this time implying a degree of emotional or physical detachment from it.

I can slip into my old ways, slip down the stairs
Returning to familiar patterns or behaviors, but with a sense of ease or effortlessness.

Let me make you sweet tea
Offering comfort, care, or hospitality to someone else.

Let me make you hot toast
Another gesture of warmth or nourishment, also suggesting a sense of domesticity or home.

Let me kiss you all over my only, my host
Expressions of love or desire for someone, but with a sense of ownership or dominance.

Time, sweet, terrible, sweet
A final reference to time, again with a sense of both pleasure and pain or difficulty.

Contributed by Amelia E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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