From the sleeve notes for the latest release End Titles...Stories For Film released in July 2008, the current line-up is stated as James Lavelle and Pablo Clements, also a member of the Psychonauts.
The original line-up was James Lavelle, Tim Goldsworthy (now a member of DFA) and Kudo (Major Force West, Skylab). This incarnation released several EPs and singles, usually involving collaborations with other Mo'Wax affiliated artists.
In 1998, after the departure of Goldsworthy and Kudo, Lavelle enlisted US producer DJ Shadow to help complete UNKLE's debut album, "Psyence Fiction". On this album they collaborated with a variety of guest artists including Thom Yorke (Radiohead), Mike D (Beastie Boys), Badly Drawn Boy and Richard Ashcroft (The Verve). The album contained songs which merged indie-rock with hip hop.
In 2003 UNKLE released "Never, Never, Land". At this time UNKLE consisted of Lavelle and new collaborator Richard File, and the album also featured Ian Brown (The Stone Roses), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), Robert Del Naja (Massive Attack), Mani (The Stone Roses, Primal Scream) and others.
A third album entitled "War Stories" was released in July 2007. It features collaborations with Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), Ian Astbury (The Cult), Autolux, Robert Del Naja (Massive Attack), The Duke Spirit, and Gavin Clark, and is far more strongly rock-influenced than previous releases. The album was preceded by an EP, Nights Temper, of which a limited pressing was released in May 2007.
Lavelle has also released several mix albums and remixes under his own name and under the name UNKLEsounds (together with Richard File).
UNKLE is known for remixing music from artists such as Explosions in the Sky, Massive Attack, and Oasis.
Heaven feat Gavin Clark
UNKLE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where's the money that we made
Where's the open gate
Where's the fortune that we saved
Heaven's here for you and me
With every falling curl
Heaven's here for you and me
Hit the Motorway
I can take it all at speed
I got everything
I got everything you need
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Heaven's here for me and you
Scattered out with pearls
Heaven's here for me and you
We gained ourselves the world
Where's the warrior of light
With gates of solid gold
Paranoia, through the fight
With dreams that never fold
Heaven's here for me 'n' you
The lyrics of UNKLE/Gavin Clark's song Heaven echo the human quest for meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. The opening lines ask a series of questions about the whereabouts of essential things and experiences: the Seraphim (a class of angels), the money made, the open gate (possibly a metaphor for opportunity), and the fortune saved. These lines suggest a sense of loss, disappointment, or disillusionment with life's promises and expectations. The repetition of "Where's" emphasizes the singer's bewildered or resigned tone.
However, the chorus offers a contrasting view of heaven, which is presented as something that is already here and available for "you and me." There is no need to wait or strive for it; it is already present in "every falling curl" and "scattered out with pearls." These lines can be interpreted as a celebration of life's beauty, spontaneity, and richness. The second half of the chorus claims that "we gained ourselves the world," implying that heaven is not a distant or otherworldly ideal, but a lived experience that arises from seizing the moment, taking risks, and valuing what matters.
The last stanza introduces new images and themes, such as the warrior of light (a character from Paulo Coelho's writings) who guards the gates of heaven made of solid gold. This motif suggests that heaven is not only an inner state of mind but also a destination that requires courage, perseverance, and trust. The reference to "paranoia" and "dreams that never fold" implies that the journey to heaven is not without obstacles, doubts, or setbacks, but that it can be pursued with a sense of purpose and hope.
In sum, UNKLE/Gavin Clark's song Heaven reflects on the human search for heaven, which can be both a source of frustration and a cause for wonder. The song portrays heaven as a multifaceted and dynamic reality that is both present and future, both personal and collective, both joyful and challenging.
Line by Line Meaning
Where's the Seraphim
Where are the angels, the ones who are supposed to watch over us
Where's the money that we made
Where did all the money we earned go
Where's the open gate
Where is the entrance to the promised land
Where's the fortune that we saved
Where is all the wealth we accumulated over the years
Heaven's here for you and me
With every falling curl
We can experience heaven on Earth, in each and every moment, if we pay attention to the little things
Heaven's here for you and me
we gained ourselves the world
We don't need to look for happiness outside of ourselves, we have everything we need within us
Hit the Motorway
I can take it all at speed
I got everything
I got everything you need
Let's go on a journey, I can handle anything that comes our way, and I have everything you could possibly want or need
Heaven's here for me and you
Scattered out with pearls
Heaven's here for me and you
We gained ourselves the world
Once again, there's no need to search for happiness elsewhere, we have all we need within us and in the world around us
Where's the warrior of light
With gates of solid gold
Paranoia, through the fight
With dreams that never fold
Heaven's here for me 'n' you
Even in times of darkness, we can find hope and light, and we can conquer our fears and realize our dreams
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Spirit Music Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: MALLARY HOPE, TODD CLARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind