Before Underworld, Hyde and Smith started out in 1979 on The Screen Gemz band while working together in a diner in the city of Cardiff, where both had been studying. In 1983 they recorded two albums for CBS Records with a new wave synthpop band whose name was a graphic squiggle, later entitled Freur.
In 1986 Hyde and Smith formed Underworld, after disbanding of Freur. They tried a more guitar-oriented funky electropop sound on their two albums released on Sire Records: Underneath the Radar (1987) and Change the Weather (1989). This initial lineup (also called Underworld Mk1) consisted of Karl Hyde, Rick Smith, Alfie Thomas, Bryn Burrows, Baz Allen and Pascal Consoli before sinking back into obscurity and disbanding in 1990.
British DJ Darren Emerson hooked up with Hyde and Smith in 1992 and helped them refine their sound into something more sleek and beat-oriented, yet still shot through with tinges of blues, rock and spoken-word streams of consciousness. After several releases on Junior Boy's Own as Lemon Interupt, the trio re-adopted the Underworld name in 1992. Two songs from this era are Rez and Spikee.
In addition to their music, Hyde and Smith are members of Tomato, a graphic design company which has done high-profile work for clients around the world as well as art for all of Underworld's releases. Hyde, along with former Freur keyboardist John Warwicker, has also published two typographic journals, Mmm... Skyscraper, I Love You (1994) and In The Belly Of Saint Paul (2003).
Their first full-length, dubnobasswithmyheadman, was released in 1994 to rave reviews and is still considered a landmark. It spawned several hit singles (Dark & Long, Cowgirl, Dirty Epic) and was followed a couple years later by the Born Slippy single.
The sophomore album Second Toughest in the Infants was released in 1996. This album showed Underworld maturing as a trio, mixing elements of techno, house, drum and bass and pop music to spectacular effect. The first track Juanita/Kiteless/To Dream of Love (three parts) is one of the longest songs recorded by Underworld, with a length of over 16 minutes.
In the same year they issued an EP Pearl's Girl, containing various mixes of the song Pearl's Girl and five new tracks (one of them is Cherry Pie, an early version of Rowla). Underworld's much-praised remixography also grew, including Björk, Saint Etienne, Simply Red, Massive Attack and Leftfield.
After licensing out a remix of Born Slippy (entitled Born Slippy .NUXX) for the 1996 cult classic film Trainspotting, Underworld gained instant worldwide fame and found themselves touring the world. Their fame continued to run high into the release of Beaucoup Fish in 1999. Five singles were released: Moaner, Push Upstairs, Jumbo, King of Snake, and Bruce Lee.
Underworld issued a live set and a DVD named Everything, Everything in 2000, after which Emerson left the group to concentrate more on his DJ career. The mellower album A Hundred Days Off followed in 2002. It was promoted by two singles: Two Months Off and Dinosaur Adventure 3D.
In 2003 Underworld released a 2 CD compilation entitled 1992-2002, comprising some of their best songs. Also since 2003 the group has been trickling out new music on their official website www.underworldlive.com via a series of downloadable mp3s dubbed "The Riverrun Project". Each mp3 bundle features 25-or-so-minute of mixed new material, hundreds of photographs and traditional album art.
In 2005 the band issued another live album, Live in Tokyo 25th November 2005, a recording of Underworld's live performance at the Electraglide festival in Tokyo on 25 November 2005. There were apparently only 7000 copies of the album made.
Oblivion with Bells, their fifth studio album was released in October 2007, the first with additional collaboration with Darren Price who joined the band's live setup in 2005. It spawned four singles: Crocodile, Boy, Boy, Boy, Beautiful Burnout, and Ring Road.
On 13 May 2010, Underworld released a new single Scribble (Radio Edit), available for free download on their official site. This single was followed by a new album later that year, called Barking, which is still in the process of releasing singles, beginning with the aforementioned Scribble, Always Loved a Film and finally Diamond Jigsaw. Also released on a beatport remix contest was Bird 1 where amateur producers were able to put their take on Underworld's collaboration with Dubfire. As of 2011, the duo can also attach to their resumes soundtracking a live stage play. Frankenstein, produced and directed by Danny Boyle, starring both Johnny Lee Miller & Benedict Cumberbatch who are, on alternating nights, both Frankenstein, or the Creature. The Soundtrack is available through Underworld's Website.
January 2016 saw the release of I Exhale, in advance of Barbara Barbara, we face a shining future, released in March 2016.
In April 2018, Underworld released a standalone single, Brilliant Yes That Would Be, an ambient piece with its accompanying video inspired by the Icelandic landscape and their first performance in Reykjavík since 1994.
In May 2018, Underworld unveiled the World of Underworld project, which focuses on reflecting and re-imagining their nearly 30 year body of work. It also serves as an outlet for experimentation, new releases and spontaneous creativity. Brilliant Yes That Would Be was the first track to be released through the World of Underworld, which was recorded and mixed just days before it was released.
Later in that same month, Underworld debuted a new collaboration with Iggy Pop titled Bells & Circles, live at the BBC Biggest Weekend 2018. Shortly after, a four-track collaborative EP with the two artists was released, Teatime Dub Encounters.
On November 1st, 2018, Underworld announced the Drift project, an ongoing music-and-video experiment that publishes new Underworld material on their official website every week. The first instalment began with Another Silent Way, also released on the same day.
On November 1st, 2019, Underworld released Drift Series 1, their tenth studio album. It is the conclusion of the first year of the band's year-long music-and-video experiment Drift. Underworld announced the Drift project will continue on for another year. The now-renamed Drift Series 1, was released exactly one year after the launch of the series, as a box set featuring 7 CDs, a Blu-ray, and an 80-page book documenting the creative process around Drift. A single-disc Drift Series 1 Sampler Edition was also released simultaneously.
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Underworld Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pull up a chair and unwind
Dog we don't share
The taxi left us behind
Silhouette of a psychic reader in the market
And the straw wrapped around a bottle to take home
Barbecue chicken oil in a drum, double strong wrong
Here comes the horn you call for
Speaks french when spoken like a tourist french
Hey classic coca-cola in a can when you want to cool down
Heat, she move up the street in waves
Sugar, sugar, clear your mind leave it all behind
Get in the boat and float
Join in on a high spot and ride, ride
Put on some smile
Stay for a while
[x2]
The opening lines of "Heat in your skin, Pull up a chair and unwind" suggest a sense of comfort and relaxation. It is as if the singer is addressing the listener directly, inviting them to take a break from the chaos and enjoy some downtime. The line "Dog we don't share, The taxi left us behind" could be interpreted as a reference to a friend who was left behind after a taxi ride, but it could also be read as a metaphor for being left behind in life. The next lines, "Silhouette of a psychic reader in the market, And the straw wrapped around a bottle to take home," paint a picture of a marketplace, filled with exotic and mysterious sights and sounds. The image of a psychic reader suggests a sense of mysticism and spiritual exploration.
The reference to "barbecue chicken oil in a drum, double strong wrong," seems to be a more visceral and sensory experience, perhaps suggesting a strong and intense flavor. The line "Here comes the horn you call for" suggests anticipation, as if something exciting is about to happen. The image of a "woman in a box with her head in her box" is a strange and surreal image, potentially suggesting confinement or isolation. Her "speaking French like a tourist" adds to the sense of exoticism and cultural exploration that permeates the song. The mention of "Classic coca-cola in a can when you want to cool down" further emphasizes a sense of comfort and relaxation.
The lines "Heat, she move up the street in waves, Sugar, sugar, clear your mind leave it all behind" seem to suggest a call to escape from the stresses of everyday life, allowing oneself to be carried away by the rhythm and heat of the city. The image of "Get in the boat and float, Join in on a high spot and ride" suggests a willingness to let go and surrender oneself to the experience. Finally, the chorus "Put on some smile, Stay for a while" suggests a return to a sense of comfort and relaxation, a call to stay and take it all in.
Line by Line Meaning
He-he-heat in your skin
The sensation of warmth on your skin
Pull up a chair and unwind
Relax and take a seat
Dog we don't share
We don't have anything in common
The taxi left us behind
We missed our ride
Silhouette of a psychic reader in the market
A vague outline of someone claiming to be able to predict the future
And the straw wrapped around a bottle to take home
A way to carry a bottle with you
Barbecue chicken oil in a drum, double strong wrong
A strong and possibly unpleasant smell of barbecue sauce
Here comes the horn you call for
The sound you've been anticipating
Woman in a box with her head in her box
A woman with her head down, lost in thought
Speaks french when spoken like a tourist french
Someone trying to imitate French but failing
Hey classic coca-cola in a can when you want to cool down
A refreshing drink choice when you need to cool off
Heat, she move up the street in waves
The sensation of heat moving up the street
Sugar, sugar, clear your mind leave it all behind
Forget your worries and let your mind rest
Get in the boat and float
Relax and let yourself drift
Join in on a high spot and ride, ride
Get caught up in the moment and enjoy the experience
Put on some smile
Choose to be happy
Stay for a while
Take your time and enjoy the moment
Put on some smile
Choose to be happy
Stay for a while
Take your time and enjoy the moment
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Mute Song Limited
Written by: K. HYDE, R. SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@particuleselementals
He-he-heat in your skin
Pull up a chair and unwind
Dog we don't share
The taxi left us behind
Silhouette of a psychic reader in the market
And the straw wrapped around a bottle to take home
Barbecue chicken oil in a drum, double strong wrong
Here comes the horn you call for
Woman in a box with her head in her box
Speaks french when spoken like a tourist french
Hey classic coca-cola in a can when you want to cool down
Heat, she move up the street in waves
Sugar, sugar, clear your mind leave it all behind
Get in the boat and float
Join in on a high spot and ride, ride
Put on some smile
Stay for a while
@nym5qu17
this song is the feeling of finally having a nice soda on a hot summer day when you can finally relax and let loose. Underworld creates some of the best moods
@caesarjulius2675
I really like Underworld a lot, but I find this song to be the most addictive of any of their songs
@KinkyOutsider
+caesar julius and sola sistim from the same LP (Y)
@miltonvivas4013
Sola sistim
@philclip23
I didn't get this one at first. Now I understand. This is like watching the sun go down with your best friends and a cold one in your hand. The fireflies start to blink with gently off-kilter rhythms in the hazy distance. Nothing but good vibes, smiles, and comfort here.
@candleg72
Underworld always puts me in a GOOD tRaNcE!!!🎶
@richardrain3945
Timeless and freaking sublime this song is...♥♥♥♥♥
@patsywelsh7724
Love Underworld and love this track its sublime and a classic awesome track X
@abeerjumani9678
this song was something that I heard once. And I had been searching for a good 10 years off and on.. couldn't shazm Since i heard it the first time back in 2007. some massive memories associated with this song....
put on some smile... stay for a while!!!!!
@moneydepp
awesome track