Portishead

Primary members: Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons, Adrian Utley
Band Biography
Albums of focus: Dummy (1994), Portishead (1997)

Geoff Barrow on the making of Portishead's music:

"We went through a lot of despair and frustration making this record [Portishead, 1997], and I think it came through. Also, I think the music is dark because that's the general mood England was in at the end of the Tory government [note: the Tory party ruled from 1979 to 1997, from Margaret Thatcher to John Major, who took over in 1990]. We had years where the government was making up rules as they were going along and crushing the life out of the people. There were rules that were instated to stop people from gathering in the street and making any sort of protest. So if anybody had a party with over six people, then you could actually be arrested.

When I started making music, I had an eight-year plan that predicted the end of the world, and that affected my life quite heavily. When the Gulf War started, I thought that the end was just around the corner. I've only just gotten over not watching the teletext when I come home from work, but I've still got to sleep with the TV on all night. I just feel like we're spiraling towards our demise. Nostradamus predicted the world would end, and I don't see why not. He was right about everything else. But even if it means the end of us, it doesn't have to mean the end of everything, and that's an important point to me. If something else can carry on living, then it's worth going on." [source: Jon Wiederhorn, "Attitude and Armageddon: A Chat with Portishead's Geoff Barrow," Microsoft Music Central.]

Songs for study:

 

"Sour Times" - from Dummy (1994)

To pretend no one can find
The fallacies of morning rose
Forbidden fruit, hidden eyes
Curtises that I despise in me
Take a ride, take a shot now

Cos nobody loves me
It's true
Not like you do

Covered by the blind belief
That fantasies of sinful screens
Bear the facts, assume the dye
End the vows no need to lie, enjoy
Take a ride, take a shot now

(chorus)

Who oo am I, what and why
Cos all I have left is my memories of yesterday
Ohh these sour times

(chorus)

After time the bitter taste
Of innocence decent or race
Scattered seeds, buried lives
Mysteries of our disguise revolve
Circumstance will decide
Cos nobody loves me
It's true
Not like you
Nobody loves me
It's true
Not like you do

 

"Numb" - from Dummy (1994)

 

Unable so lost
I can't find my way
Been searching, but I have never seen
A turning, a turning from deceit

Cos the child roses like
Try to reveal what I could feel

I can't understand myself anymore
But I m still feeling lonely
Feeling so unholy

Cos the child roses like
Try to reveal what I could feel
But this loneliness
It just won't leave me alone

I'm fooling somebody
A faithless path to roam
Deceiving to breath this secretly
This silence, a silence I can't bear

Cos the child roses like
Try to reveal what I could feel
And this loneliness
It just won't leave me alone
And this loneliness,
It just won't leave me alone, ohh no

A lady of war
A lady of war

"Roads" - from Dummy (1994)

Ohh, can't anybody see
We've got a war to fight
Never found our way
Regardless of what they say

How can it feel, this wrong
From this moment
How can it feel, this wrong

Storm in the morning light
I feel
No more can I say
Frozen to myself
I got nobody on my side
And surely that ain't right
And surely that ain't right

Ohh, can't anybody see
We've got a war to fight
Never found our way
Regardless of what they say

How can it feel, this wrong
From this moment
How can it feel, this wrong
How can it feel, this wrong
This moment
How can it feel, this wrong

Ohh, can't anybody see
We've got a war to fight
Never found our way
Regardless of what they say

How can it feel, this wrong
From this moment
How can it feel, this wrong

 

"All Mine" - from Portishead (1997)

All the stars may shine bright
All the clouds may be white
But when you smile
Ohh how I feel so good
That I can hardly wait
To hold you
Enfold you
Never enough
Render your heart to me

All mine
You have to be

From that cloud, number nine
Danger starts the sharp incline
And such sad regrets
Ohh as those starry skies
As they swiftly fall
Make no mistake
You shan't escape
Tethered and tied
There's nowhere to hide from me

All mine
You have to be

Don't resist
We shall exist
Until the day I die
Until the day I die

All mine
You have to be

 

"Undenied" - from Portishead (1997)

Your softly spoken words
Release my whole desire
Undenied
Totally

And so bare is my heart, I can't hide
And so where does my heart, belong

Beneath your tender touch
My senses can't divide
Ohh so strong
My desire

For so bare is my heart, I can't hide
And so where does my heart, belong

Now that I've found you
And seen behind those eyes
How can I
Carry on

For so bare is my heart, I can't hide
And so where does my heart, belong
Belong
Belong
Belong

 

"Half Day Closing" - from Portishead (1997)

[Note: In the background there is a barely recognisable male voice counting from 1 to 40 throughout the song.]

In the days, the golden days
When everybody knew what they wanted
It ain't here today

Through the times of lasting love
When parents talked of things tried and tested
It don't feel the same

Dreams and belief have gone
Time, life itself goes on

Far beyond the shrinking skies
Where money talks and leaves us hypnotised
It don't pave the way

Underneath the fading sun
The silent sum of a businessman
Has left us choking

Dreams and belief have gone
Time, life itself goes on
In the days, the golden days
When everybody know what they wanted
It ain't here today

Dreams and belief have gone
Time, life itself goes on

 

"Over" - from Portishead (1997)

I can't hold this day
Anymore
Understand me
Anymore
To tread this fantasy, openly
What have I done
Ooh this uncertainty
Is taking me over

I can't mould this stage
Anymore
Recognise me
Anymore
To tread this fantasy, openly
What have I done
Ooh this uncertainty
Is taking me over
Is taking me over

To tread this fantasy, openly
What have I done
Ooh this uncertainty
Is taking me over
Is taking me over
Is taking me over

 

"Humming" - from Portishead (1997)

Closer
No hesitation
Give me
All that you have

And it's been so long, that I can't explain
And it's been so wrong
Right now, so wrong

Naked
My thoughts are creeping
Too late
The show has begun

And it's been so long, that I can't confess
And it's been so wrong
Right now, so wrong

Is it all as it seems
So unresolved, so unredeemed
If I remain, how will I know

And it's been so long, that I can't be sure
And it's been so wrong
Right now, so wrong

 

"Only You " - from Portishead (1997)

We suffer everyday
What is it for?
These crimes of illusion
Are fooling us all
And now I am weary
And I feel like I do

It's only you
Who can tell me apart
And it's only you
Who can turn my wooden heart

The size of our fight
It's just a dream
We've crushed everything I can see
In this morning selfishly
How we've failed and I feel like I do

It's only you
Who can tell me apart
And it's only you
Who can turn my wooden heart

Now that we've chosen to take all we can
This shade of autumn
A stale bitter end
Years of frustration lay down side by side

And it's only you
Who can tell me apart
And it's only you
Who can turn my wooden heart
It's only you
Who can tell me apart
And it's only you
Who can turn my wooden heart

 

"Western Eyes" - from Portishead (1997)

Forgotten throes of another’s life
The heart of love is their only light
Faithless greeds, consolidating
Holding down sweet charity
With western eyes and serpents breath
We lay our own conscience to rest

But I'm aching at the view
Yes I'm breaking at the scenes just like you

They have values of a certain taste
The innocent they can hardly wait
To crucify, invalidating
Turning to dishonesty
With western eyes and serpents breath
They lay their own conscience to rest
But then they lie and then they dare to be
Hidden heros candidly

So I'm aching at the view
Yes I'm breaking at the scenes just like you

[male voice]: I feel so cold on hookers and gin
This mess we're in…

 

"Mysterons" - from Dummy (1994)

Note: The name of the song comes from a sci-fi show called "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons," which first aired in 1967. The Mysterons become sadistic tormentors of the human race, but instead of destroying Earth outright, they wage a war of nerves against the human race. The Mysterons are far more powerful, but the humans begin to develop technology to fight back. In this show, the Mysterons are never seen, but are disembodied voices that "possess" radios or television sets, uttering proclamations of doom that may be referred to in the Portishead song of the same name. The song also contains an uncredited sample from the show's theme.

 

Inside your pretending
Crimes have been swept aside
Somewhere where they can forget

Divine upper reaches
Still holding on
This ocean will not be grasped
All for nothing

Did you really want
Did you really want
Did you really want
Did you really want

 

Refuse to surrender
Strung out until ripped apart
Who dares, dares to condemn

All for nothing

Did you really want
Did you really want
Did you really want
Did you really want

 

 

"Cowboys" - from Portishead (1997)

Note: Geoff Barrow on the song: “Written before the Tories were outed.”

Did you sweep us far from your feet
Reset in stone this stark belief
Salted eyes and a sordid dye
Too many years

But don't despair
This day will be their damnedest day
Ooh, if you take these things from me

Did you feed us tales of deceit
Conceal the tongues who need to speak
Subtle lies and a soiled coin
The truth is sold, the deal is done

But don't despair
This day will be their damnedest day
Ooh, if you take these things from me

Undefied, no signs of regret
Your swollen pride assumes respect
Talons fly as a last disguise
But no return, the time has come

So don't despair
This day will be their damnedest day
Ooh, if you take these things from me
Ooh, if you take these things from me