Known for its outrageous and controversial stage performances led by the bands' theatrical singer/songwriter Friday, they first began playing small shows in Dublin gaining them a cult audience and ridicule from the culturally conservative community. With an audience the band were able to issue their first single in 1980, the independently-produced Twenty Tens (I've Been Smoking All Night), which led to a deal with the Rough Trade Records.
Gavin Friday and Guggi, along with third vocalist 'Dave-iD Busaras' (David Scott Watson), guitarist Dik Evans (brother of U2's The Edge), bassist Strongman (Trevor Rowan, brother of Guggi) and drummer Pod (Anthony Murphy), completed the original lineup. Soon after the release of their first single the bands drummer, Pod, left the group and was replaced by Haa-Lacka Binttii (aka Bintii, aka Princess Tinymeat, neé Daniel Figgis), who was in turn replaced by drummer Mary D'Nellon.
1981 to 1982 would see the band release many innovative and creative projects such as A New Form of Beauty, a project that contained four chapters, each on a different format. In 1982 the Virgin Prunes released their debut album ...If I Die, I Die. Heresie, a French boxset, was also released. The boxset contained two 10 inch records, one with studio recordings from just before the "If I Die I Die" sessions and one with a registration of a Paris concert .
In 1984 both Guggi and Dik Evans, unhappy with the music business, left the band. This forced drummer, Mary D'Nellon to take up the guitar and allowed Pod to return as the band's drummer. The Virgin Prunes started to record the album Sons Find Devils, which has never been released.
In 1985, confusingly enough, a retrospective video titled Sons Find Devils was released; this video had nothing to do with the unreleased album of the same name. Later that same year, Over the Rainbow, a compilation of rarities, was also released.
In the summer of 1986 the band, now a four-piece recording music written for Sons Find Devils, finally released a new album, The Moon Looked Down and Laughed. Also that year frontman Gavin Friday left the group. His departure was confirmed in the liner notes of the band's 1987 live album The Hidden Lie which contained a short statement confirming the band's break-up.
After disbanding as The Virgin Prunes, D'Nellon, Strongman and Busaras formed an offshoot group called The Prunes, which released three albums between 1988 and 1990 (Lite Fantastik, 1988; Nada, 1989; and Blossoms & Blood, 1990). Dik Evans played on The Prunes' album Lite Fantastik.
In 1998, Cleopatra Records re-released the Sons Find Devils video, along with a soundtrack album on CD. This was the first commercially-available Virgin Prunes material to be released since 1993 and, for a few years, the only commercially available full-length Virgin Prunes album on compact disc.
Gavin Friday has since had a reasonably successful solo career in both music and film. Guggi remains an influential artist in Dublin. Dave-id still records as a solo artist in Ireland. After 20 years of self-imposed seclusion from the rock world, Dik Evans recently gave an overview of his and brother Edge's early years in U2 for the December 2005 issue of 'Word Magazine'. Trevor, Mary and Anthony Murphy live quietly throughout Europe.
Betrayal
Virgin Prunes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now what are we supposed to be
Were so afraid of something new
You know its true
You turn around and then its gone
You cant be sure if its the same old song
Were so afraid of everyone
Please let this be love
A love that is so true
Its all up to me
Its all up to you
Time will let you know
Whatever will be
Whatever you do
Time will let you know
You see your folks and all their friends
Aint it funny how the story ends
You wonder why youre hanging on
When its gone
Please let this be love
A love that is so true
Its all up to me
Its all up to you
Time will let you know
Whatever will be
Whatever you do
Time will let you know
Repeat chorus
Look at you and look at me
Now what are we supposed to be
Were so afraid of something new
You know its true
The lyrics to Virgin Prunes's song "Betrayal" talks about the fear of change and the struggle to find true love. The first verse talks about the uncertainty of relationships and how people are afraid to try new things, instead, sticking to old habits or conforming to societal norms. The fear of rejection and failure is expressed in the line, "You can't be sure if it's the same old song." The fear of being judged is further highlighted with the line, "Afraid of everyone, afraid of the sun."
The second verse shifts the focus to the concept of love. The chorus pleads for a genuine, everlasting love that will stand the test of time. The repeated lines, "Please let this be love, a love that is so true", emphasizes the desire for a secure and consistent relationship. The lyrics suggest that the responsibility of love falls on both parties, "It's all up to me, it's all up to you." Time is portrayed as the ultimate test of any relationship.
Overall, the song conveys a sense of desperation for something more meaningful than the same old thing. The fear of change and the vulnerability of love are present throughout the lyrics, highlighting the human condition and the struggles that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at you and look at me
Let's take a moment and reflect upon the differences and similarities in our personalities and appearances
Now what are we supposed to be
What is our purpose - individually and together?
Were so afraid of something new
We are fearful of stepping out of our comfort zones into uncharted territories
You know its true
There's an acknowledgement that even though it's scary to try something new, it can also be rewarding or beneficial to us
You turn around and then its gone
Sometimes opportunities only come around once and require immediate action to be taken, as hesitation can result in missed chances
You cant be sure if its the same old song
Things may appear to be familiar, but it's possible that it could be different now, so don't assume
Were so afraid of everyone
Fear of judgement and criticism from others can hold us back
Afraid of the sun
The light can reveal things that are hidden in the darkness, which can be a scary thing for some
Please let this be love
Expressing a desire for a true, genuine and fulfilling romantic love
A love that is so true
The love that is desired is one that is genuine and honest
Its all up to me
The responsibility for shaping one's future and creating one's own happiness rests on the individual
Its all up to you
Others can offer support and guidance, but in the end, it's up to the individual to make their own choices and create their own destiny
Time will let you know
Only through the passage of time and experiencing the consequences of our actions will we truly know whether our choices were wise or not
Whatever will be
It is impossible to predict or control the future, so it's better to let things naturally unfold
Whatever you do
Ultimately, the decisions that you make will have an impact on your future and determine your path in life
Repeat chorus
Repeat the same lines from the chorus as they encapsulate the main message of the song
Look at you and look at me
End the song with the same line as the beginning to emphasize reflection upon oneself and others
Now what are we supposed to be
End the song with the same line as the beginning to emphasize questioning of individual and collective purpose
Were so afraid of something new
End the song with the same line as the beginning to emphasize the theme of fear and reluctance to explore the unknown
You know its true
End the song with the same line as the beginning to emphasize the truth that people often avoid facing
Contributed by Mia O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sekkiano Rin
So good!