Yazoo were formed in early 1982 by former Depeche Mode songwriter Vince Clarke (synthesizers) and English singer Alison Moyet (vocals) and signed to Mute Records in the United Kingdom.
Their debut single "Only You" was released on 15 March 1982 and rose to number 2 on the UK charts. They also released two studio albums: Upstairs at Eric's in 1982 and You and Me Both in 1983.
Shortly after the release of the second album, Moyet and Clarke decided to break up. Moyet pursued a solo career while Clarke first founded (the short lived) The Assembly followed by the successful Erasure.
Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet briefly reunited in 2008 and toured Europe and the United States as Yazoo for the first time in twenty-five years. Also in 2008, their record company issued a 4-disc box set called In Your Room; containing remastered editions of both of their original albums, a disc of b-sides and remixes (imaginitively titled B-Sides and Remixes) and a DVD containing promotional videos, interviews etc.
Official website is at: www.yazooinfo.com
And On
Yazoo Lyrics
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Your father passed her a handkerchief
Their tear-stained faces
Looked to mine for a sign of grief
A thousand raincoats
Always stand around too long
But I stayed to talk with you
After they had gone.
The flowers I brought you
Were beginning to fade under the heavy rain
Your name on the card had run
So I tried in vain to write it again
They didn't understand you, no!
They didn't even try
I'm so glad that you left us now
Before you had the chance to die.
I sat there for a long time,
Expecting to turn and see you there
I ran my fingers through the long grass
Willing it to turn into your hair, and oh
I'm gonna miss you, dear
But I don't have to cry
I'm so glad that you left us now,
Before you had the chance to die
And oh, I'm going to miss you dear,
But I'm not going to cry
I'm so glad that your life stopped now,
Before it had the chance to die.
The song "And On" by Yazoo is a melancholic track that delves into the emotions of grief and loss. The first verse presents a scene where the singer has come to pay respects to someone who has passed away. The mother of the deceased is crying, and the father tries to comfort her with a handkerchief. The singer observes their tear-stained faces and looks for a sign of grief from them. The following lines describe the typical rituals at a funeral where people linger on for too long. However, the singer chooses to stay to talk with the deceased after everyone else has left.
The second verse talks about the flowers that the singer has brought for the deceased, with the name on the card fading away in the rain. The singer says that no one understood the person who passed away and that they are glad that they left before they had a chance to die. The third verse describes the singer's longing for the person who has passed away. They sit there for a long time, expecting to see the person and run their fingers through the grass, hoping it would turn into their hair.
Overall, the song encapsulates grief and loss, and the lyrics evoke intense emotions of sadness and longing. The singer's admission that they are glad that the person left before they had a chance to die adds a layer of complexity to the song, as it raises questions about what led to such a sentiment.
Line by Line Meaning
Your mother was crying
Your mother was deeply upset and visibly showed this through her tears.
Your father passed her a handkerchief
To comfort your mother, your father handed her a cloth to dry her tears.
Their tear-stained faces
Your parents' faces were wet with tears from their sadness.
Looked to mine for a sign of grief
Your parents hoped to see some emotional response from me to show that I cared about your passing as well.
A thousand raincoats
Many people attended the funeral and they all wore raincoats due to the rainy weather.
Always stand around too long
People tend to linger after funerals, not wanting to leave and feeling stuck in their grief.
But I stayed to talk with you
Despite others leaving, I stayed behind to have a one-on-one conversation with you, perhaps at your graveside.
The flowers I brought you
I presented you with flowers as a symbol of my love and respect for you.
Were beginning to fade under the heavy rain
The flowers were starting to wilt due to the heavy rainfall and unfavorable weather conditions.
Your name on the card had run
The ink written on the card next to the flowers had smudged and was no longer legible, blurry due to the rain.
So I tried in vain to write it again
I attempted to rewrite your name on the card but it was pointless, as the new ink would also get smudged due to the rain.
They didn't understand you, no!
The people who had gathered at the funeral did not appreciate or comprehend you, or the wonderful experiences you had in life.
They didn't even try
People did not even make an effort to comprehend you and understand the beauty of everything you went through.
I'm so glad that you left us now
Although your death has caused sadness, I am glad that you did not have to face any more pain in this world.
Before you had the chance to die
I'm grateful that you did not have to suffer for a prolonged period of time before your eventual death.
I sat there for a long time,
I spent a good deal of time lingering at your graveside, deep in thought and remembrance.
Expecting to turn and see you there
During my time lingering, I deeply missed you and even fancied the idea of you reappearing before me once again.
I ran my fingers through the long grass
As a way to connect with your memory, I stroked the blades of long grass that surrounded your graveside.
Willing it to turn into your hair, and oh
I desired for the long grass to transform into strands of your hair in my imagination, and how I wished you were still with us.
I'm gonna miss you, dear
You were held in such high regard by many, and I will personally miss you dearly.
But I don't have to cry
Although many tears have been shed due to your passing, I choose to feel content knowing that you are no longer suffering in this world.
I'm so glad that your life stopped now,
Although your passing has caused pain and sadness, it is a relief that your life was no longer marred by suffering.
Before it had the chance to die.
You were spared any further pain, and your legacy will continue to live on.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: ALISON MOYET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind