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
State Farm
Yazoo Lyrics
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Fill her up now before the table starts turning
Souped up, jacked up, cracked up, stacked up
Louie's got the gear
And Charlie's got his back up
And don't it make you feel good?
Says she's a dirt box
You're like a cannibal
Somebody feeds her, sure ain't the State Farm
Who buys the tickets and who buys the clothes
Puts the liquor in her stomach and the powder up her nose
Move. That's right
And don't it make you feel good?
Don't mind me honey
I'm just looking
Smelt your chicken
And I watched you cooking
Souped up, jacked up, cracked up, stacked up
You're a bad stain
And you need to be cleaned up
And don't it make you feel good?
And don't it make you feel good?
The lyrics to Yazoo's song State Farm, although somewhat cryptic, seem to revolve around the theme of drug addiction and exploitation. The first stanza opens with a description of a car race or chase with the lines "High & dried, tyre rubber starts burning/Fill her up now before the table starts turning." This sets the scene for a hectic and dangerous situation. The rest of the stanza references drug use with lines like "Souped up, jacked up, cracked up, stacked up/Louie's got the gear/And Charlie's got his back up." It appears that these characters, Louie and Charlie, are involved in the sale or distribution of drugs. The chorus, "And don't it make you feel good?" could be seen as ironic, as it follows a description of a rather bleak and grimy scene.
The second stanza focuses on a female character, who is described as a "dirt box" and a drug addict who is being exploited by someone who is not the "State Farm." The chorus follows again, almost as a comment on the situation. The final stanza continues the objectification of the female character, with lines like "Smelt your chicken/And I watched you cooking/Souped up, jacked up, cracked up, stacked up/You're a bad stain/And you need to be cleaned up." The last line is particularly telling, as it indicates that the singer views this character as something to be cleaned up or disposed of, rather than a person to be helped. Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the seedy underbelly of urban life, where drug addiction and exploitation are commonplace and people are reduced to commodities.
Line by Line Meaning
High & dried, tyre rubber starts burning
Driving fast and aggressively, causing the tires to heat up and smoke.
Fill her up now before the table starts turning
Refuel the car before running out of gas and getting stranded.
Souped up, jacked up, cracked up, stacked up
The car is highly modified and has been improved for performance.
Louie's got the gear
Louie has all the necessary equipment for this type of activity.
And Charlie's got his back up
Charlie is supporting and has the back of the person involved in this activity.
And don't it make you feel good?
The excitement of these activities can be thrilling and satisfying.
Says she's a dirt box
The person being referred to is unkempt and unclean.
You're like a cannibal
You consume and use up resources or people without regard for their well-being.
Somebody feeds her, sure ain't the State Farm
The person being referred to is being supported, but not by a legitimate or official source.
Who buys the tickets and who buys the clothes
The person being referred to has someone else paying for their expenses and possessions.
Puts the liquor in her stomach and the powder up her nose
The person being referred to is engaging in alcohol and drug use.
Move. That's right
Get out of the way or prepare for action and excitement.
Don't mind me honey
Don't be bothered or concerned with what the singer is doing or saying.
I'm just looking
The singer is observing or scoping out the situation.
Smelt your chicken
The singer is smelling the scent of food being cooked nearby.
And I watched you cooking
The artist is observing the person cooking food.
You're a bad stain
The person being referred to is a negative influence or problem that needs to be dealt with.
And you need to be cleaned up
The person being referred to needs to change their behavior or clean up their act.
And don't it make you feel good?
The satisfaction of confronting a problem and taking action can be personally rewarding.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: VINCE CLARKE, ALISON MOYET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind