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.
U.N.K.L.E. Main Title Theme
UNKLE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put aside the everyday world and come with us
Into the realm of imagination
The middle ground between light and shadow
U-N-K-L-E
Would've ordinarily unveiled themselves as a guarantee of anonymity
But could include among other notable figures, .
Keep on rockin, keep on rock, rock, rock, keep on rockin
Keep-keep-keep on rock, K-L-E, keep on, .K-L-E
Keep on, L-E, L-E, rockin'
You-N-K-L-E, you-N-K, you-N-K, you-N-K-K-L-L-E
It's the awesome eternal Unkle word-word-word, .word
Science fiction, science, science fiction, science fiction
Fiction, fiction, science, science fict- bio breaker
An adventure unlike anything on your planet
Keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on
Keep keep on rockin'
Keep keep in keep keep keep in keep keep on keep keep in keep on
Keep on keep keep keep on rockin'
Keep on you keep on N keep on K keep on L keep on E
Keep on rockin' E
U (U-N) N (L-L-L) K-L-E,
There were too many of us
We had access to too many, uh, too much money
Too much equipment, and little by little we went insane
Fiery the angels fell, burning in the fires of Orc
You-N-K-L-E, you-N-K, you-N-K, you-N-K-K-L-L-E
A ticket to nothingness,
Unkle
The song U.N.K.L.E. Main Title Theme is an invitation to the listeners to put aside their everyday world and enter into the imaginative realm of U.N.K.L.E. The song starts with a repetitive chant of "there, there, there, there" which acts as a bridge to the realm of imagination. The middle ground between light and shadow is where the listeners are invited to enter with the help of U.N.K.L.E. The lyrics recall the 1959 hit television series’ intro 'The Twilight Zone' and resonate with its theme of mysterious and supernatural events taking place in the middle ground between light and shadow. U.N.K.L.E. is an acronym for 'United Nations of Love' and 'Knowledge Era'. The song highlights that U.N.K.L.E. is an eternal and awesome word.
The lyrics hint that U.N.K.L.E. was unveiled to ensure anonymity, but it included notable figures such as DJ Shadow and James Lavelle. The song encourages listeners to continue to rock on and mentions science fiction as an adventure unlike anything on your planet. The final lines of the song seem to hint at a descent into madness, mentioning access to too much equipment and money, while quoting the line "fiery the angels fell, burning in the fires of Orc" from William Blake's 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell'. The song's lyrics are cryptic and allude to the mystique of the U.N.K.L.E. project, inviting listeners to decode their meaning and enter into the project's imaginative and experimental soundscapes.
Line by Line Meaning
There, there, there, there,
Let go of your mundane reality and embark on a journey with us
Put aside the everyday world and come with us
Escape from your ordinary routine and join us on an adventure
Into the realm of imagination
Enter a world of infinite possibilities
The middle ground between light and shadow
A place where reality and fantasy meet
U-N-K-L-E
The name of our group, a symbol of our creativity and innovation
Would've ordinarily unveiled themselves as a guarantee of anonymity
Our name was originally meant to be anonymous and mysterious
But could include among other notable figures, .DJ Shadow and James Lavelle
Our group includes famous musicians such as DJ Shadow and James Lavelle
Keep on rockin, keep on rock, rock, rock, keep on rockin
Continue creating awesome music and rocking out
Keep-keep-keep on rock, K-L-E, keep on, .K-L-E
Keep the music going and represent our group, Unkle
Keep on, L-E, L-E, rockin'
Don't stop creating music and representing our innovative group
You-N-K-L-E, you-N-K, you-N-K, you-N-K-K-L-L-E
Our group's name is Unkle, spelled out in a unique and creative way
It's the awesome eternal Unkle word-word-word, .word
Our name embodies a powerful, everlasting concept
Science fiction, science, science fiction, science fiction
Our music embraces futuristic and imaginative themes
Fiction, fiction, science, science fict- bio breaker
Our art incorporates fictional stories and futuristic concepts, such as bio-breaking
An adventure unlike anything on your planet
Our music provides a unique and unparalleled experience unlike anything else on earth
Keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on
Continue performing and creating music with passion
Keep keep on rockin'
Don't stop the music and keep the creative energy flowing
Keep keep in keep keep keep in keep keep on keep keep in keep on
Keep the momentum going and stay dedicated to our art
Keep on keep keep keep on rockin'
Keep creating music and rocking out with our unique sound
Keep on you keep on N keep on K keep on L keep on E
Represent our group, Unkle, with passion and dedication
Keep on rockin' E
Rock out and represent our innovative group, Unkle
U (U-N) N (L-L-L) K-L-E,
Our name, Unkle, is represented and spelled out in a unique and creative way
There were too many of us
Our group is comprised of a large number of talented individuals
We had access to too many, uh, too much money
Our group had an excess of resources, which led to some complications
Too much equipment, and little by little we went insane
Our group had access to so much technology that it drove us crazy over time
Fiery the angels fell, burning in the fires of Orc
This line is a reference to a quote from William Blake's poem, creating an ominous and thought-provoking tone
A ticket to nothingness, Unkle
Our music provides an escape from reality and offers a different perspective for listeners
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSH PAUL DAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind