Wallinger recorded the first two World Party albums (Private Revolution and Goodbye Jumbo) practically single-handed. The former reached the US Top 40 and the single ‘Ship Of Fools’ broke into the Top 30 (it was hastily dropped by radio in his native Great Britain because of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster). Goodbye Jumbo took equal amounts of inspiration from the eco movement and the Beatles, and the highly catchy single ‘Message In The Box’ provided Wallinger with his first UK Top 40 hit.
Wallinger’s muse, a relaxed and melancholic take on mid-period Beatles, has not so much been updated as revitalized on his subsequent, sterling work, although a minor breakthrough was made with 1993’s Bang!, which featured Wallinger’s only UK Top 20 hit to date, ‘Is It Like Today’, and reached number 2 on the album charts. On Bang!, Wallinger was joined by Chris Sharrock (drums, ex-Icicle Works) and Dave Catlin-Birch (guitars/keyboards). Some of the reviews for 1997’s Egyptology were unnecessarily cruel (especially the New Musical Express). It was by his standards another good album, which, although still locked into the Beatles’ sound (this time circa 1968), featured some great moments, notably the gentle ‘She’s The One’ and the meatier ‘Curse Of The Mummy’s Tomb’. The former indirectly gave Wallinger a worthy chart-topping single, when Robbie Williams’ cover version reached the top of the UK singles chart in November 1999 (Williams’ songwriting partner Guy Chambers (b. 12 Jan 1963, England) was at one time a member of World Party).
The next World Party album, 2000’s Dumbing Up, retreated from the ambitions of Egyptology, and found Wallinger resorting to his pick ‘n’ mix style of songwriting. He is one of the best magpie songwriters around, and the strong influence of ELO, Bob Dylan (‘Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream’ in the shape of ‘Who Are You?’) and even Rare Bird (shades of ‘Sympathy’ in ‘All The Love That’s Wasted’) could be heard, in addition to strong memories of the Beatles’ ‘Dear Prudence’ and ‘Baby You’re A Rich Man’ in ‘Another 1000 Years’.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin.
What Does It Mean Now?
World Party Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were out on the beach screaming that we are a human race
There was someone who was watching you, they were laughing in the sun
They were feeling that the day was fine and the living had begun
What does it mean now?
What does it mean now?
What does it mean now?
Crawling into light I see the meaning of it all
But I just can't work out why I still feel irrelevant and small
I will look into the night sky and I'll see a blazing sun
It's so far away but it looks like there, your life has just begun
What does it mean now?
What does it mean now?
What does it mean now?
I'm taking my time to say what does it mean?
Like a light surrounds your face
It's like a light surrounds you
What does it mean now?
Seeking out a joy of life, I turned over every stone
In my dreams it was
In reality I just stayed in alone
I was traveling over the mind I couldn't use my eyes to see
I was trying to get to somewhere that was a better place to be
What did I mean now?
What does it mean now?
You're giving it all away
Like a light surrounds your face
It's like a light surrounds you
What does it mean now?
The song "What Does It Mean Now?" by World Party is a reflective and introspective piece that poses questions about the meaning of life and the purpose of existence. The opening verse describes a scene of someone running determinedly against the wind on the beach, screaming that we are all part of the human race. The presence of a spectator laughing in the sun suggests a carefree attitude towards life, in contrast to the intensity and purposefulness of the runner. The chorus then asks the titular question, "What does it mean now?" with a sense of urgency and a need for clarity.
The second verse continues the theme of seeking meaning, and the singer sees the light of the blazing sun in the night sky, suggesting that there is hope and a new beginning even in the darkness of life. However, despite this glimmer of hope, there is still a sense of feeling small and irrelevant, which is a recurring theme in the song. The bridge offers a contrast between the dreams of a fulfilling life, symbolized by the joy of seeking out every stone, and the reality of staying alone and not seeing the beauty that surrounds us.
Overall, "What Does It Mean Now?" is a thoughtful and poetic song that encourages us to reflect on our existence and find meaning in life, even in the midst of uncertainty and darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Thought I saw you running with the west wind in your face
I thought I saw you running with determination, facing challenges head-on.
You were out on the beach screaming that we are a human race
You were letting the world know that we all belong to one human race, and our differences should not be a barrier.
There was someone who was watching you, they were laughing in the sun
Someone was watching you, delighted to see you enjoying life and living in the moment.
They were feeling that the day was fine and the living had begun
The observer appreciated the beauty of the day and the joy of living.
What does it mean now?
What is the significance of all this?
You'd be giving it all away, away
You might be wasting your potential or not fully living up to your capabilities.
Crawling into light I see the meaning of it all
As I gain greater understanding, I perceive the significance of everything around me.
But I just can't work out why I still feel irrelevant and small
Despite my insights, I still struggle with feelings of insignificance and inadequacy.
I will look into the night sky and I'll see a blazing sun
I will contemplate the universe and witness its majesty and power.
It's so far away but it looks like there, your life has just begun
Even though the universe is vast and overwhelming, it seems that your life is just starting with endless possibilities.
I'm taking my time to say what does it mean?
I am reflecting and slowly trying to understand the meaning of everything.
Like a light surrounds your face
You have a radiant and positive energy that is apparent to others.
Seeking out a joy of life, I turned over every stone
I am on a quest to find the meaning of life and experience its joys, exploring every avenue.
In my dreams it was
In reality I just stayed in alone
In my dreams, I had big aspirations, but in reality, I often stayed alone or did not take action.
I was traveling over the mind I couldn't use my eyes to see
I was exploring my own thoughts and ideas, but I was blind to the outside world.
I was trying to get to somewhere that was a better place to be
I was striving for a better state of being, but it was unclear what that better place was.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KARL EDMOND DE VERE WALLINGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
WorldPartyOfficial
This is a unique video!! Honest!! You see all the instruments are playing the ACTUAL recorded parts on the track....It is a live recording and in each of the clips with each instrument I am playing the part for the FIRST TIME not knowing how the tune goes. It is literally a one man JAM. I recorded the audio and filmed me recording the audio for each instrument. There is no miming. This is me LIVE playing however many tracks there are......that's how I have always worked. I.E. before filming this video, there was NO SONG. I did the acoustic guitar first have set up a click track (which is also shown) Then I filmed all the playing of all the other instruments. All the vocals are the real vocals live! I don't think it's been done before. There was no song before filming started.
Shaun McGee
I don’t know how many times I’ve listened to this song, but I never grow tired of hearing it. Stream of consciousness at it’s finest. Channeling God. Genius.
caroline flew
please come to Aus
gary moller
Thank you Karl ...I grew up on the Stones Beatles Robert Johnson etc etc ...but your music / songs are my greatest influence of all ...because of you , that's the way I record my music ...from the bones ...from the soul ... no rules , no expectations ...Thank You
jess bein me
It is so beautiful 💜
David Wilder
I love you ✌
musicsunhappy
Love his beautiful music, all of it. Karl, you are a hit machine. Thanks for creating great real music.
Music Maven
My favorite songwriter of all time. A brilliant song.
Gilbert DeLiso
I keep this one bookmarked and come back to it any time I need a lift. Love the groove. 2-3 repeats and everything is right again......
Tina Garcia
Thank you for your beautiful music