The Message

Released : September 1995

 

Personnel

Peter Nuttall - Music/Lyrics/Vocals
Douglas Hunter - Lyrics
Chris Barber - Music

This was the first album that had more than one decent song on it. Each of the predecessors had one stand out song with a lot of fillers. ‘Want you’ deserved better technology than we had and someone who could play a guitar. ‘When I hear Luther sing’ was our first tribute to one of our heroes, of which there’d be a few more. The Beatles covers were probably a mistake but then, all the cover versions we did back then were. This album was practice for producing something approaching an actual coherent collection of songs that worked as a unit. That would come next.

- Peter

Track Listing

1.Want you – Hunter/Nuttall
2. When I hear Luther sing – Hunter/Nuttall
3. Darkest Hour – Hunter/Nuttall
4. The River – Hunter/Nuttall
5. Love Love – Nuttall
6. Love You – Nuttall
7. If There’s a God in heaven – Hunter/Nuttall
8. Idiot House – Barnes
9. Let it rain (Demo) – Hunter/Nuttall
10. Women of Ireland – Nuttall
11. Light a fire – Nuttall/Hunter
12. Greed – Nuttall
13. What a night – Nuttall
14. Helter Skelter – Lennon/McCartney
15. I Feel fine – Lennon/McCartney
16. We can work it out – Lennon/McCartney
17. Yesterday – Lennon/McCartney
18. War Memory – Nuttall
19. Urban Fox (Ext mix) – Hunter/Nuttall/Barber

Lyrics

What have we got? Is it Love love?

When did it start? We don’t know

What did you do? I can’t explain

What did you say? Say it again

 

Try to speak, no sound

Nothing said? Say it aloud

What did it mean? Nothing at all

Why did I say it? These words won’t fall

 

Did you understand? It seemed that way

What did I mean? I loved you today

 

Spoken so soft? The words I hear

Rain of time? Time so near

Say ‘love love’ and mean it too!

It’s so easy to say it to you

 

The time we spent, so unreal

So good but was it all a dream?

Together our minds are one

It’s as if time was never too long

 

If we last into time no one can see

We’ll be together where I want to be!

 

Lyrics/Music – Nuttall

10/5/95 2:01:47pm (In an immunology lecture)

 

(My attempt at rewriting Gary Numan’s ‘Noise Noise’)

There’s no tomorrow, there’s only tonight

So don’t even try, don’t try to put up a fight

 

To hell with the consequences

I’ll take them all in my stride

I’ll take whatever comes my way

To get you here by my side

 

Chorus

I want you so bad

I can’t put it any other way

It’s driving me mad

Why don’t you come on and say

You want me and no other

Say it why don’t you

Say you want me for your lover

Say you want me so bad too

 

If I can’t make you mine

I swear I’ll go insane

I’m serious about all this

I’m not playing games

I have to admit that I’m obsessed

But I just don’t care

You’ll be more than a friend soon

This I swear

 

I’ll do anything it takes

Just to get it through, never let go

To make you see

How bad I want you

 

Lyrics – Hunter

Music – Nuttall

25/7/95

If I was with you now alone

We could wish upon the same star

My love for you has grown

And I know exactly where you are

 

I loved the way we were back then

I forgot how we could be

In your arms I would lie

I never thought I’d see you leave

 

Had to leave, my need unsupplied

We’re in the same world together

I’ll see you again, of that I’m sure

I can live without you forever

 

Star shines on, our love no more

Our love with two different souls

We’re so close but so far away

Love takes on different roles

 

Decision (more) different than the same

How does he cope? Sad virtue

I knew you when love came

But now I know I love you

 

Lyrics/Music – Nuttall

7/8/95

 

(Lyrics were butchered and cobbled together from three different sets of lyrics, one of which was called “Bye!” and another “I hate you”.  The last line was originally ‘I know I hate you’)

I told you I'd love you forever

Why should that change?

While we are not together

And all I feel is pain

 

It always ends the same lonely and confused

Let's go one more time and sing the Blues

 

I love you but that don't mean a thing

It always happens when I hear Luther sing

 

Chorus

A wrong word and a door will slam

Sorry is never heard

Just the last sound of a lonely man

And your unspoken words

 

I sorry, I was wrong

You didn't listen or understand

I hate it when we don't get on

This ain't going to plan

 

I planned to love you forever

But it ain't turning out right

Something's stopping us from being together

It's just one more lonely night

 

Lyrics – Hunter

Music – Nuttall

8/8/95

Mickey was born by the river

But now it’s run dry

Used to have something to believe in

Now he’s only got tears in his eyes

 

He’s all grow up now

Too old to try to pretend

The fantasy’s so real

When the bottle’s your best friend

 

Chorus

The river flows on forever

 

Mickey ran to America

To the land of the free

But he’s back now and he says

‘It’s got nothing to offer me’

They found him by the river

And they took him back home

Now our boy Mickey

Ain’t ever gonna be alone

 

Lyrics – Hunter

Music – Nuttall

8/8/95

When the sunshine turns to blackest night

And the rain seems to pour and pour

There’s something gives me the strength to fight

So I can smile at the storm that roars

 

When you’re here, by my side

There’s always a brighter way

No need to fear or to hide

Cause there’s always a brand new day

 

Even in my darkest hour

I know I can count on you

When I start to falter

I know you can pull me through

 

In my darkest hour

I know you can bring me light

Just the thought of you can help me

Make it through the night

 

It seems like roads are going nowhere

Run into a brick wall

I know you will always come

To help me when I fall

 

Lyrics – Hunter

Music – Nuttall

13/08/95

 

(Only one recording was ever made as the music went missing shortly afterwards.)

I walk the darkness through the streets

Hear the Urban Fox cry

Through all the hatred and deceit

We don’t see the tears in the children’s eyes

 

It’s so long since men stood together

Side by side hand in hand

But now we stand in darkness forever

And I just can’t understand

 

Chorus

If there’s a God in heaven

Why’s he forsaken us?

When so many worship evil

Where’s it taken us?

 

Pray to God if he’d care to listen

Hope he’s there to hear

‘Cause there’s got to be someone to take away

All the pain and all the fear

 

If men decided to fight evil

Instead of killing our own kind

Then maybe a brighter day

Is something we might just find

 

If hell freezes over and it all comes to earth

Will he show his hand to help us for what it’s worth?

 

Lyrics – Hunter

Music – Nuttall

26/08/95

This is the place I love to be

Distant sound breaks the silence

They see how it feels

Stop me with this stinging violence

 

Listen to me I can’t solve the future

Oh, when the time escapes

Another sound is so far building

 

The wall hides a vision, can’t see the other side

It’s filled with war memory, see my fear inside

 

Clouded sky yet no rain, the wind so clear and so out there

I cannot dare to hide my pain

 

Warm night filled with inspiration, there’s the sound of my tears

For the times I’d best forget, times that were you and me

 

Hear words spoken silently and all the voices that I hear

Our love the only sound, nothing’s been that clear

 

No one likes hate, there’s a better way to waste time

To love is new fatal, now I know what’s mine

 

Dreaming for too long, pleasure is pain if you hate it

Love so unemotional, here’s my fear, so take it

 

Turn out the light, need to fight

Break your back see in the black

You know it’s all real, the echoes I hear sound so severe

What’s over my shoulder, I’ll miss time in front of me

I’m young growing older, those flowers grow for me

 

Lyrics/Music – Nuttall

07/09/95

Fatal seems so final

But fate seems to write my songs

Everything is so right

What possibly went wrong?

 

Worried? About what?

I don’t know!

 

Chorus

You’re perfect in a perfect world

Let me in, it’s you I need

When we met I knew

I’d use you for my Greed!

 

The way you are helps me breathe

Nothing can steal the memory of you

I just hope you’ll never leave

You wouldn’t, would you?

 

I felt this way about someone else

You’re nothing new

Last time it all went wrong

You’re nothing new

 

Where do we belong?

Are we one?

Together alone

Will I ever love another like I loved you?

 

Lyrics/Music – Nuttall

7/9/95

 

(The ‘greed’ in the song is wondering if you’re with someone for the craic or so you don’t feel lonely)