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.
Reign
UNKLE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am the rain, rain oh, rain oh, reign all day
I am the rain
I'm gonna reign this way again
I am the rain
I am the spy
Before the blade
The ripples that becoming the crashing waves
I am the rain, rain oh, rain oh, reign all day
I am the rain
You thought a different day had come
A day you thought the earth was done
And if you could have said it all
I know you would have said it all
You thought a different day had come
A day you thought the earth was done
And if you could have said it all
I know you would have said it all
I am the rain
I'm gonna reign this way again (reign this way again)
I am the rain, rain oh, rain oh, reign all day
You thought a different day had come
A day you thought the earth was done
I am the rain
And if you could have said it all
I know you would have said it all
I am the rain
The lyrics of UNKLE's song "Reign" convey the idea of power, authority, and control. The metaphorical use of rain, lightning, and heat in the lyrics signifies an unrelenting force that comes down upon everything beneath it, much like a reign of control. The line "I am the rain, reign all day" reinforces this notion of dominance and power.
The lyrics also suggest that the singer is aware of their own strength and influence. They see themselves as a spy, aware of every blade that might try to cut them down, and as a raindrop that causes ripples that become crashing waves. This self-awareness and ability to control the environment around them further highlights the idea of the singer being in charge.
The repetition of the phrase "You thought a different day had come" suggests the surprise or shock of those who come up against the singer's power, indicating that they were not expecting the level of authority and control the singer has. The line "And if you could have said it all, I know you would have said it all" emphasizes the idea that the singer has an overwhelming presence, and those who oppose them are powerless.
In summary, the lyrics of "Reign" by UNKLE explore the idea of power and control, with the singer seeing themselves as a force to be reckoned with, one that dominates everything around them.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the lightning, i am the heat
I represent power and intensity, associated with natural phenomena like lightning and heat.
I am the rain, rain oh, rain oh, reign all day
I am the force of rain, not just a passing shower, but a constant state of downpour for an extended period of time.
I'm gonna reign this way again
I have reigned with this level of power before and will do so again in the future.
I am the spy before the blade
I am a stealthy observer, able to detect danger before it attacks like a blade.
I am the raindrop out I see I cause the ripples that become the crashing waves
I am both the smallest and the largest cause of chaos, as my individual drops create ripples and eventually massive waves in the ocean.
You thought a different day had come, a day you thought the earth was done
You believed that a catastrophic event had occurred that would mark the end of the world, but it was just a shift in power.
And if you could have said it all, I know you would have said it all
You want to express the magnitude of the shift and the impact of this force, but the words cannot fully capture it.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: IAN BROWN, ANTHONY GENN, SCOTT ENGEL, JAMES LAVELLE, RICHARD FILE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alexneo3277
Lyrics...
I am the lightning, i am the heat
I am the rain, rain oh, rain oh, reign all day
I am the rain
I'm gonna reign this way again
I am the rain
I am the spy
Before the blade
I am the raindrop out I see I cause
The ripples that becoming the crashing waves
I am the rain, rain oh, rain oh, reign all day
I am the rain
You thought a different day had come
A day you thought the earth was done
And if you could have said it all
I know you would have said it all
You thought a different day had come
A day you thought the earth was done
And if you could have said it all
I know you would have said it all
I am the rain
I'm gonna reign this way again (reign this way again)
I am the rain, rain oh, rain oh, reign all day
You thought a different day had come
A day you thought the earth was done
I am the rain
And if you could have said it all
I know you would have said it all
I am the rain.
@Prizzy999
When Ian Brown sings a song by UNKLE you know it's a freaking masterpiece.
@livviibabes
Agreed 💯💯💯
@abuddy100
FACT
@middle_of_knowhere_pictures
“Be there”, case in point.
@benjaminbarlow4860
Could be said of a few , but ,I still agree 😊
@BaldricksTurnip1
Not as good as Broken,Ian Brown pales to Mark Hollis.
@frank1766
Timeless song, wish more people could here it’s brilliance. UNKLE is criminally underrated
@charleyrag
Couldn't agree more.
@unklerolly
20 years ago i listened to this track and now i am an UNCLE listening to UNKLE
@Vector_Nectar
Same here! ;) Reflect your sector with VectorNectar! :D