The band met up with fellow anarchists Crass when, legend has it, their van broke down on the road. They made their way to nearby Dial House, where Crass were based, who helped them with repairs. The two bands became friends, and although musically very divergent, they shared many common political views. Zounds shortly afterwards released their first EP, "Can't Cheat Karma", on the Crass Records label.
In November 1980, they were on tour on the European continent. The first concert of that tour was in Rotterdam, with local band Bunker OESO. The other dates of that tour were with Dutch band Cheap'n'Nasty (who had played with Crass and Poison Girls as well), playing in the Netherlands, Belgium and West Berlin.
In 1981, they came again, to play in Leiden and elsewhere in the Netherlands.
The band released their first album The Curse of Zounds on Rough Trade Records in 1981. The cover art, by anarchist artist Clifford Harper, featured a painting of firefighters apparently trying to put out a blaze at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. However, the picture continued onto the back cover, which showed that in fact, they are spraying the fire with petrol, thus feeding it!
The band split up in late 1982. Bass player and vocalist Steve Lake and guitarist Laurence Wood continued to work together for a while as The World Service, whilst drummer Josef Porta (AKA Joseph Porter) went on the join The Mob and later formed Blyth Power. Lake continues to work as a solo artist, and Zounds occasionally reform for benefit gigs with a line-up augmented by Protag (formerly of Instant Automatons, Alternative TV and Blyth Power) and drummer Stick (previously of DIRT, Doom and Extreme Noise Terror). A remixed version of the bands song "This Land" was released in 2001 as a CD single benefit for the McLibel support campaign.
The name of the band is derived from the old English curse-word "zounds", which is a contraction of "Gods wounds", referring to Christ's crucifixion wounds.
True Love
Zounds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hear yet another song about
True love
I wonder what it's all about
I'd like to taste a little bit of that
Don't know if I've ever encountered it
It seems to hang so many people up
Sweet dreams are something that I never get
True love
Every newspaper that I pick up
Has some ways to help me in my search
New shoes, or maybe a new pair of jeans
Got to find a way to sell myself
One girl for every boy that's 21
One boy, that's the way it's always been
Watch out if that's not who it is for you
Some folks they find it hard to handle that
Boy meets girl and girl meets boy
Live through pain, tears and joy
But that's not how it looks to me
Looks just like a drag to me
Sometimes it seems just like a joke to me
Read it in someone's glossy magazine
About the love that is a special thing
Ends up with
Look twice, it's not such a funny thing
Not just the hots and songs and wedding rings
Can be a whole lot of different things
Can be of pettiness and jealousy
True love, what's it really all about
True love, what's it really all about
True love, what's it really all about
True love, what's it really all about
True love
The song 'True Love' revolves around the singers' search for true love amidst the constant chatter and pressure from society to find that perfect match. The lyrics suggest that the concept of true love is elusive and has caused many people to despair. The buzzing on the radio and every newspaper offers tips on finding true love, but the singer is skeptical of the entire idea.
The lyrics also suggest that true love is not just about finding the right partner or having hots for someone, and it is not just about the songs, wedding rings or the showy displays of love manifested in the movies. True love is much more complex than that; it is about navigating through pain, tears, and joy; it is about pettiness and jealousy, and it is not always found through the conventional Boy meets girl scenario.
Zounds captures the anxieties of a generation grappling with a societal pressure to find and secure true love. The lyrics are thought-provoking and urge the listeners to question the concept of true love and whether or not it is just an illusion or a socially constructed idea.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear the buzzing on the radio
I notice the constant songs on the radio about true love.
I hear yet another song about true love
I recognize that there always seems to be another tune about true love.
I wonder what it's all about
I am curious about what true love really means.
I'd like to taste a little bit of that
I am open to the idea of experiencing true love.
Don't know if I've ever encountered it
I am unsure if I have ever experienced true love before.
It seems to hang so many people up
It appears that true love is something that causes many people to struggle or become stuck.
Sweet dreams are something that I never get
I feel like I don't often get to experience the joy of dreaming about true love.
Every newspaper that I pick up has some ways to help me in my search
It seems like every newspaper I read has tips or advice on how to find true love.
New shoes or maybe a new pair of jeans, got to find a way to sell myself
It's like I need to improve my appearance or personality in order to increase the likelihood of finding true love.
One girl for every boy that's 21
People often assume that there is a perfect match for everyone, like one girl for every boy who is 21.
One boy, that's the way it's always been, watch out if that's not who it is for you
Although people may expect certain gender pairings in relationships, it's important to recognize that it's not always the case and to be aware of that possibility.
Some folks, they find it hard to handle that
Some people struggle with the idea that not all relationships or attractions follow traditional gender expectations.
Boy meets girl and girl meets boy, live through pain, tears and joy
Traditional love stories often involve meeting someone and going through ups and downs together.
But that's not how it looks to me, looks just like a drag to me
Personally, I don't find the traditional love story very appealing, as it seems like a hassle to me.
Sometimes it seems just like a joke to me
At times, the idea of true love can seem comical or ridiculous to me.
Read it in someone's glossy magazine about the love that is a special thing
I often read about true love in magazines that portray it as a unique and miraculous thing.
Ends up with, look twice, it's not such a funny thing
However, upon further inspection, true love may not be as funny or lighthearted as it initially seems.
Not just the hots and songs and wedding rings, can be a whole lot of different things
True love is not just about physical attraction, music, and weddings. It can take on various meanings and forms.
Can be of pettiness and jealousy
Unfortunately, true love can also manifest as negative emotions like pettiness and jealousy.
True love, what's it really all about
The song continues to question what the true nature of love really is.
True love, what's it really all about
The repetition emphasizes the ongoing uncertain search for the meaning of true love.
True love, what's it really all about
The last repetition solidifies the idea that there is still much to learn about true love.
True love
The final line emphasizes the theme of searching for the true meaning of love that runs through the entire song.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LAKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind