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.
Strawberry Wine
my bloody valentine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Close your eyes, crystal eyes
On the darkside let the light shine
Please, please stay with me tonight
These lips will find strawberry wine
I was looking at your window
Lurking there beneath my feet
(searching) I, for dreams in sleep
These lips will find strawberry wine
Misty morning in the springtime
Lurking there beneath your feet
On the darkside let the light shine
Think of me, don't let me keep
These lips will find strawberry wine
The lyrics to My Bloody Valentine's "Strawberry Wine" evoke memories of springtime, nostalgia, and just a touch of desperation. The opening lines set the scene: a misty morning in the springtime. The singer asks the listener to close their eyes and let their "crystal eyes" take in the beauty around them. Yet there is a sense of yearning here, a sense that the moment might be brief and fleeting. The singer implores the listener to "please stay with me tonight," as if they know that this idyllic scene will soon come to an end.
The chorus of the song is where the title comes in. The singer declares that "these lips will find strawberry wine." The phrase is repeated several times and takes on a mystical quality. It's not entirely clear what the singer means by "strawberry wine" – is it a literal drink, or a metaphor for something else? However, the phrase is undeniably poetic and adds to the dreamlike quality of the song.
The rest of the lyrics continue to paint a picture of a serene, natural world. The singer references "cherry apples," "long grass meadows," and dreams that they are searching for in their sleep. There's a sense of the singer being lost in this beautiful world, unsure of where they fit in or what they're looking for. Yet they know that somehow, "these lips will find strawberry wine."
Overall, "Strawberry Wine" is a hauntingly beautiful song that captures a specific moment in time. The lyrics suggest a desire to hold onto that moment and make it last, even though the singer knows that it's impossible. It's a song that's open to interpretation, but one thing is clear – there's something magical about that strawberry wine.
Line by Line Meaning
Misty morning in the springtime
Setting the scene of a refreshing and rejuvenating spring morning
Close your eyes, crystal eyes
Encouraging the listener to embrace and enjoy the beauty of the moment
On the darkside let the light shine
Acknowledging that even the darkest aspects of life can have a glimmer of hope and positivity
Please, please stay with me tonight
Expressing a desire for companionship and human connection
These lips will find strawberry wine
Promising to indulge in life's pleasures and enjoy the moment
I was looking at your window
Revealing a yearning to be close to someone and observe them
Lurking there beneath my feet
Eager to explore and discover new experiences
Cherry apples, long grass meadows
Painting a picture of idyllic surroundings and simple pleasures
(searching) I, for dreams in sleep
Admitting to the search for something more in life, possibly in one's subconscious
Misty morning in the springtime
Repeating the opening line for emphasis and a sense of continuity
Lurking there beneath your feet
Highlighting a sense of intrigue and fascination with someone
On the darkside let the light shine
Encouraging optimism and positivity even in dark times
Think of me, don't let me keep
Requesting the recipient to keep the person in mind and maintain communication
These lips will find strawberry wine
Repeating the promise of enjoying life's pleasures and being present in the moment
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Kevin Patrick Shields
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
applepine
my bloody valentine - strawberry wine
[Verse 1]
Misty morning in the springtime
Close your eyes, your crystal eyes
On the darkside let the light shine
Please, please stay with me tonight
These lips will find strawberry wine
[Verse 2]
I was looking at your window
Lurking there beneath my feet
Cherry apples, long grass meadows
Close your eyes, for dreams in sleep
These lips will find strawberry wine
[Verse 3]
Misty morning in the springtime
Lurking there beneath your feet
On the darkside let the light shine
Think of me, don't let me keep
These lips will find strawberry wine
Sevrin-13
Its amazing to me that a band can have the back-up vocals as the 'hook' of most of their songs.
Iry-Hor
Tempering with channel volume knobs did the trick.
Steve
Genius
Daniel Ramirez
This song gets me moving instantly, I love the way it starts. I'm so glad I have this band in my life.
Ron G
nice and jangly
Raul Anton
When Bilinda Butcher joined the band was the reach of perfection. It's like hear singing an angel.
a
This song is what you hear in your mind at the very moment you fall in love.
chris cooke
lovely
Vader 22
I am priviliged to have this album on vinyl, and all the tracks are so special... jaunty, bouncy, even melodic. I saw them last year in Manchester..... the end of the session was literally 23 minutes of feedback... 23 minutes!!!! Like a plane engine overhead.... but refusing to move. The stewards were handing out ear plugs... it was intense! To play constantly like that for 27 minutes is pretty hard-core. I loved the gig and I love this band.
Barney Cooper
saw them at Moles in Bath in early Oct 1988. I'd hitched up from West Cornwall with a friend only to be told that Moles was a members only club with a capacity of about 10. Called the club and blagged a conversation with Colm who put us on the guestie. Shared a few beers and spliffs with them after. What a lovely unassuming lot. You Made Me Realise remains firmly in my Top 5 EPs of all time. You cannot underestimate their influence although they would admit the debt they to JaMC.