The band’s key member is guitarist/singer/composer Kevin Shields, a reclusive perfectionist and radically inventive guitarist/engineer. The band’s other original member is drummer/studio maven Colm Ó Cíosóig; during their heyday MBV also included singer-guitarist Bilinda Butcher and bassist Debbie Googe. Their band shares its name with a low-budget Canadian slasher film.
MBV influences include The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, Cocteau Twins, late-1970s Wire, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and independent artists such as The Pastels. Kevin Shields has also named The Beach Boys and The Ramones as a personal influence.
After leaving Creation Records in 1992 and signing with Island Records, the band fell into a creative black hole. Rumors spread among their fans of albums being recorded and then shelved. Debbie Googe left the band to form Snowpony; she had not played bass on their recordings since You Made Me Realise. Colm Ó Cíosóig eventually left and formed a band with Hope Sandoval, formerly of Mazzy Star, called Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions. Kevin Shields sporadically collaborated with other artists, most notably Experimental Audio Research, Curve, and Primal Scream. He revealed in a fall 2003 National Public Radio interview that Island Records quit financing his My Bloody Valentine endeavors after he spent half a million pounds of their money.
As of 2006, many rumors mentioned the possible reformation of MBV for a new studio album, but none of these were true. On November 15 2007, My Bloody Valentine announced three upcoming live gigs in the UK for 2008. On June 13 and 14, the band played in public for the first time in thirteen years, offering a pair of "Live Rehearsal" presentations at the ICA in London and officially starting their series of comeback performances. The band went on to play a slew of festivals in Summer and Fall of 2008. Following their appearance at the 2008 All Tomorrow's Parties festival, the New York Times reported that Shields was planning to complete the unfinished album.
On 2 February 2013 they self-released the self-titled album m b v as a download with both vinyl and CD copies shipping on 22nd Feb 2013. The Huffington Post reported that it caused such a public stir that the official MBV website crashed when fans attempted to access the site to purchase a copy.
Don’t Ask Why
my bloody valentine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But be happy tomorrow
From the back of my mind
I was searching (and I...)
From the look
In your face
I believe
See where you are
When did we go that far
From the things that we said
I was wishing us dead
Turn around
To the fool
Who believed
Don't ask why
(Pillow) pretend
That I do not defend
My own love in the back
Need no question to ask
If you need
To see
The (real)
Don't ask me
The lyrics to My Bloody Valentine's Don't Ask Why is a contemplation of the complexities and contradictions of love. The singer is aware of the sorrow and pain that comes with love but encourages the listener to look beyond those emotions and find happiness for the future. They admit to searching for something in the back of their mind, perhaps a memory or a feeling that they can't quite grasp. They acknowledge a belief that it's not too late to change things and make them better.
The second verse has the singer reflecting on the past and how far they've come from the things they once said. They admit that at one point, they wished the relationship was over and they were dead. They then address their lover, telling them not to ask why they believed in the relationship, but rather to turn around and see what they have. The reference to 'Pillow' likely indicates that the singer is talking to their lover while laying in bed, pretending not to defend their own love in the face of doubt. The final line of the song tells the listener not to ask for the truth or 'real' behind the relationship, as the singer can't provide an answer.
Overall, the lyrics to Don't Ask Why capture the confusion and complexity of love. The singer is navigating their own emotions, while also trying to reassure their lover that everything will work out. The mention of death and sorrow brings a sense of melancholy to the song, but the underlying message is one of hope and the possibility of a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
See all your sorrow
I can perceive your sorrow and pain
But be happy tomorrow
However, there is hope for a better future
From the back of my mind
Subconsciously, I have been thinking about something
I was searching (and I...)
I have been looking for an answer or a solution
From the look
Judging from the expression on your face
In your face
Your expression and demeanor suggest
I believe
I think or suspect
It's not too late
There is still time to make things right
See where you are
Reflect on your current situation
When did we go that far
How did we allow things to get this bad
From the things that we said
The words we exchanged and the promises we made
I was wishing us dead
I regret our current state and wish it could change
Turn around
Take a different direction or approach
To the fool
Towards the person who was naive or misguided
Who believed
Who trusted or had faith in something or someone
Don't ask why
Do not inquire about the reasons or justifications
(Pillow) pretend
Putting on a facade, pretending
That I do not defend
That I am not fighting for or supporting something
My own love in the back
My feelings of love and attachment, hidden away
Need no question to ask
There is no need for explanation or justification
If you need
If you require or desire
To see
To understand or perceive
The (real)
The truth or reality of a situation
Don't ask me
I cannot provide an answer or explanation
Contributed by Sebastian A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.