Voice of the Beehive are an Anglo-American college radio/alternative pop ba… Read Full Bio ↴Voice of the Beehive are an Anglo-American college radio/alternative pop band, formed in London in 1987 by Californian sisters Tracey Bryn Belland and Melissa Brooke Belland, daughters of Bruce Belland of The Four Preps.

When the sisters first sang together they called themselves the Beehive Girls, because of their beehive hairstyles. Their initial success came with the 1988 album Let It Bee, on which they recruited former members from ska band Madness to play guitar and drums. The album was popular on college radio stations, and the success was largely due to their brightly-coloured image and shout-along songs that was an antidote to the doom and gloom college rock scene. Their biggest commercial success came in the early 1990s with the single, Monsters and Angels from the album, Honey Lingers. In 1994 the other members left the band. The sisters decided to continue, recording the album Sex & Misery. The album did not sell well in the UK, and early success in the USA for the single Scary Kisses was poorly capitalised on. In late 1996 their record company refused to extend their contract, and the girls disappeared from the music industry, although they re-formed to play three live dates with The Wonder Stuff in 2003.

Just a City
Voice of the Beehive Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(words t.bryn/music t.bryn, m. jones)

it's so near to me
It's so dear to me
I see it in my sleep

and I always know if I've no where to go
It's somewhere I could be

I see you at night in the city light
But it could change so easily

chorus

it's just a city
And on night like this I feel small in this world
It's just a city and I am just a girl

it seems to me that once you stop walking
You don't want to know, you stop wanting to see
Your eyes get used to the same old story
Once you stop talking strangers

chorus

out of place out of time
Nothing to hold me nothing mine
But I'm always told "there's no hurry don't go
There's nothing but time "but how do they know?

chorus

Overall Meaning

The song "Just a City" by Voice of the Beehive depicts the feelings of a person who cherishes the city like their own, referring to it as both near and dear. The singer views the city as a potential destination, a place they could be when they have nowhere else to go. However, they realize that the city could change easily, which appears to create an impression of impermanence in their mind. The chorus "It's just a city, and on night like this, I feel small in this world. It's just a city and I am just a girl" portrays a sense of vulnerability and insignificance, where the vastness of the world is felt against the looming city skyline.

The second verse speaks about the struggle to keep moving ahead in a metropolis, where people tend to lose their curiosity and drive for exploration. The persona here points out that if one stops walking, they stop wanting to see and know, and their eyes get used to the same old story. As a result, they stop conversing with strangers, a fact that the singer finds disturbing as it appears to undermine the very soul of the city, which is the people. The final verse talks about how the singer feels out of place and out of time, with nothing to hold onto, but is reminded continually that there is no hurry to leave since there is an abundance of time. However, they wonder, how does anyone know that?

Line by Line Meaning

it's so near to me
The city is a place that is very close to the singer's heart and holds great significance.

I see it in my sleep
The city is a place that the singer dreams about and thinks of often.

and I always know if I've no where to go
The singer sees the city as a place where she can go if she has nowhere else to go.

It's somewhere I could be
The city offers a sense of belonging to the artist.

I see you at night in the city light
The artist has a vivid picture of the city at night, illuminated by streetlights and other city lights.

But it could change so easily
The singer realizes that the city is not a constant and that it can change in an instant.

it's just a city
The singer acknowledges that the city is just a physical place and not the end-all, be-all of existence.

And on night like this I feel small in this world
The artist feels insignificant in the grand scheme of things while being in the city.

I am just a girl
The artist recognizes her place in the world and that she is simply one person among many in the city.

it seems to me that once you stop walking
The artist thinks that once you become stagnant in the city, you lose the desire to explore and discover new things.

You don't want to know, you stop wanting to see
The singer believes that once you stop walking around and exploring the city, you lose your curiosity and stop wanting to learn new things.

Your eyes get used to the same old story
The artist feels that when you stop exploring the city, everything starts to look the same and it becomes harder to see things with fresh eyes.

Once you stop talking strangers
The singer thinks that when you stop interacting with new people in the city, you lose out on the chance to learn new things and gain new experiences.

out of place out of time
The singer feels displaced and like she doesn't fit into the city or the world around her.

Nothing to hold me nothing mine
The singer doesn't feel a sense of ownership or belonging in the city.

But I'm always told "there's no hurry don't go
The artist is told that she doesn't need to rush out of the city, and that she should take her time and enjoy her experience.

There's nothing but time "but how do they know?
The artist questions how people can be so certain that time is limitless and that she can stay in the city as long as she wants.

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MIKE J, TRACEY BRYN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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