In 1981 Ebbot Lundberg met Patrik Caganis at a U.K. Subs gig. They shared a common musical taste in hardcore music, and the friendship that followed produced the forming of a punk band - "Sure Tråkings Trio". During the years that followed, "Sure Tråkings Trio" was disbanded and Patrik Caganis spent a year as an exchange student in Minneapolis, USA. Going to gigs with bands like Hüsker Dü, Replacements and Soul Asylum, he claims to have been heavily musically inspired. In 1986, Ebbot Lundbergs friend Emrik had tried out as a singer for a band called Heartbeat City. Emrik, (who was also the singer of the domestically famous Swedish funkrockband Stonefunkers), didn't want to stay in the band, and instead suggested that Ebbot Lundberg should audition. Patrik Caganis, a Heartbeat City fan, decided to team up with Lundberg and they went to the audition together.
Heartbeat City then consisted of Björn Olsson on the guitars and Henrik Rylander on the drums. The audition and jams that followed proved to work out well - fitting in Caganis' guitars with Olssons' and adding Lundbergs' improvised lyrics and melodies.[citation needed] After a while Lundberg brought in long time friend Per Helm on bass - an addition that also proved to add to the groups evolving sound. This composition formed Union Carbide Productions. They started writing songs, and on June the 14th 1986 they had their live debut. It took place at the "Save the Forest" festival in Gothenburg. The gig resulted in an amplifier hitting someone's head, and a crowd of skate punk friends creating chaos - a phenomenon that would set the key for many of their gigs to come.
At the end of 1986 the band recorded three songs at Music-a-Matic Studio in Gothenburg: "Financial Declaration", "Summer Holiday Camp" and "So Long". Since they had no record deal, the band paid for the sessions themselves. They sent a demotape to Carl Abrahamsson, the then editor of underground fanzine Lollipop, who liked the band so much that he got Financial Declaration distributed on a flexi-disc that was sold along with the fanzine. In the spring of 1987, the band managed to get a record deal with the small label Radium 226.5, which released their first album "In The Air Tonight". Later the same year, they played at the Swedish festival Hultsfredsfestivalen. In 1988, UCP continued touring in Sweden and also did some gigs abroad. One of the more notable venues being CBGB's in New York where they were the opening act for another band. Before going to USA, Per Helm (bass) was replaced by Adam Wladis (bass) - a former bandmate of Henrik Rylander. During the tour, UCP continued to build on their reputation as a crazy live-act. Before recording their next record, Financially Dissatisfied, Philosophically Trying, Adam Wladis quit and was replaced by returning member Per Helm.
During the years, the band changed its members a lot, but in 1989 they settled and appeared in their final incarnation, consisting of: Ebbot Lundberg, Patrik Caganis, Henrik Rylander, Jan Skoglund, Ian Persson and Christian Martinius. Some of the band's material was produced by Henryk Lipp - a Swedish producer who has worked with Millencolin, Thåström, Håkan Hellström and Sator. The band recorded their last album - "Swing" - in 1992 in Chicago, and it was produced by Steve Albini. The band broke up in 1993. Ebbot Lundberg and Ian Persson later went on to form the successful rockband The Soundtrack of Our Lives, of which also Björn Olsson has been involved both as a musician and as a producer. In 2003, they made a temporary reunion and returned to Hultsfredsfestivalen, sixteen years after their first appearance there.
Golden Age
Union Carbide Productions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While everybody's behind
I'm waiting here for the meek
They will inherit this time
And everybody's laughing
When you say you're gonna rise above
And there's no use asking
When you pray that all you need is love
It doesn't matter to me
Well, does it matter to you
They didn't give you much space
They didn't give you much time
In this golden age
Too much has been told
And too much has been said
But you'll never get old
When everybody's dead
And all your children are laughing
When you say you're gonna rise above
And there is no use asking
When you've got memories to dwell upon
it doesn't matter to me
Well, does it matter to you
They didn't give you much space
They didn't give you much time
In this golden age
I start counting the leaves
While everybody's behind
I'm waiting here for the meek
They shall inherit this time
And everybody's laughing
When you say you're gonna rise above
But there's no use asking
When
You pray that all you need is love
it doesn't matter to me
Well, does it matter to you
I didn't loose my face
I didn't trace my time
In your golden age
The lyrics of "Golden Age" by Union Carbide Productions speak about a person who is waiting for the "meek" to inherit the future in a time where everyone else is focused on themselves. The lyrics point out that everyone laughs when someone talks about rising above it all and how praying for love alone will not lead to success. The song then transitions to the idea that too much has been said and told, but everyone will live on through the memories they leave behind.
The lyrics make a point that the singer does not have much time for people who focus on themselves and do not offer much space or time to others, and this becomes a repeated message throughout the song. The singer alludes to counting leaves and waiting for the meek to inherit the future. The singer seems to have a much more profound understanding of the world and finds most people to be superficial.
Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on how people tend to focus on themselves and forget about others. There is a sense of loneliness in the lyrics as the singer appears to be the only one who is waiting for and hoping for something better. The songwriters may be trying to showcase that there is more to be gained from working together towards a shared future.
Line by Line Meaning
I start counting the leaves
I am more interested in the little things in life; the details that others overlook, so I start observing the leaves.
While everybody's behind
While others are busy chasing after something and moving forward, I am taking my own pace.
I'm waiting here for the meek
I am patient and compassionate towards those who are humble and meek, waiting for them to inherit the world.
They will inherit this time
I believe that the meek and humble will be the ones who succeed in this world.
And everybody's laughing
Others make a mockery out of my beliefs and aspirations.
When you say you're gonna rise above
When you claim to have risen above the status quo or have found success others are not capable of reaching.
And there's no use asking
Asking for help or advice when trying to reach a lofty goal is futile because one needs to figure it out himself.
When you pray that all you need is love
It's unwise to rely only on love to tackle a problem or an issue in life.
It doesn't matter to me
Other people's opinions or validation do not affect me.
Well, does it matter to you
But do other people's opinions matter to you?
They didn't give you much space
You were not given much freedom or liberty in life.
They didn't give you much time
You were not given enough time to pursue your dreams or desires.
In this golden age
In this era of prosperity and opportunity for some, others have been left behind.
Too much has been told
There has been too much spoken and promised but not enough delivered.
And too much has been said
There has been too much talk and not enough action.
But you'll never get old
You will never age or become outdated when everyone else is dead and forgotten.
When everybody's dead
When everyone else has passed away.
And all your children are laughing
Your descendants will find humor in the fact that you once believed you were going to achieve greatness.
But there's no use asking
Asking for advice or guidance from your descendants is useless when you have memories to fall back on.
When you've got memories to dwell upon
When you have the ability to reflect on the past and find solace in the memories.
I didn't loose my face
I did not lose my identity or sense of self.
I didn't trace my time
I did not waste my time or follow a predetermined path.
In your golden age
During a time in which others have found success and wealth, but at the expense of those who did not reap the same benefits.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTIAN JAN PERSON, TORBJOERN LUNDBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
J
One of the few timeless hymns of the 90's. Strong as ever.
Biggy Jiggi
Great Song! Great Album!
Wrich money
great song
Uwe Hoemer
Brilliant !!!
fooman65
can't believe these turned into Soundtrack of our Lives?
kamran102
From genius to mediocricy
Sullen V.Hement
they're right on, the world should change
jens kersten
Genial
Thomas Meyer
more relevant than ever.
Bo Larsson
Been there, done that and now I can be myself again.