Song Lyric Sunday. Alternative Rock.

Jim Adams

Good Sunday people, this week our host for Song Lyric Sunday, Jim Adams has given us the prompt of Alternative Rock, not mainstream.

Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock, or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. “Alternative” refers to the genre’s distinction from mainstream or commercial rock or pop music. The term’s original meaning was broader, referring to musicians influenced by the musical style or independent, DIY ethos of late-1970s punk rock.

Traditionally, alternative rock varied in terms of its sound, social context, and regional roots. Throughout the 1980s, magazines and zines, college radio airplay, and word of mouth had increased the prominence and highlighted the diversity of alternative rock’s distinct styles (and music scenes), such as noise pop, indie rock, grunge, and shoegaze. In September 1988, Billboard introduced “alternative” into their charting system to reflect the rise of the format across radio stations in the United States by stations like KROQ-FM in Los Angeles and WDRE-FM in New York, which were playing music from more underground, independent, and non-commercial rock artists.

Initially, several alternative styles achieved minor mainstream notice and a few bands, such as R.E.M. and Jane’s Addiction, were signed to major labels. Most alternative bands, however, remained signed to independent labels and received relatively little attention from mainstream radio, television, or newspapers. With the breakthrough of Nirvana and the popularity of the grunge and Britpop movements in the 1990s, alternative rock entered the musical mainstream, and many alternative bands became successful.

Bands such as the White Stripes and the Strokes found success in the early 2000s, influencing an influx of new alternative rock bands that drew inspiration from garage rock, post-punk and new wave found commercial success in the early and mid 2000s, establishing the garage rock revival and post-punk revival movements. So much more information here.

So Alternative Rock has been around under different guizes forever. So around 1994 the older boys were in their early twenties and our youngest lad was eleven years old so the music I was listening to was quite varied music and that’s when I first heard Placebo and that was it I was hooked! So I have chosen The Bitter End as my track today.

The Bitter End” is a song by British alternative rock band Placebo. It was released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Sleeping with Ghosts (2003), on 10 March 2003. The song is based on the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. There are several references to it throughout the song, one of the most noticeable being the reference to 2 May – the date on which the two main characters, Winston and Julia, first spend the night together. “The Bitter End” and “Every You Every Me” are the two most often played songs in the Placebo’s live shows.

Critics generally praised the single upon its release. Reviewing Sleeping with Ghosts, BBC.co.uk‘s rock/indie reviewer Dan Tallis described “The Bitter End” as “a good pop tune”, having “just the right amount of dark, gothic atmosphere to please their fans and enough radio friendly guitars to please the new generation of indie kids.” The Times thought the song “ramped up the energy level to devastating effect.” Information Wikipedia.

Since we’re feeling so anesthetized
In our comfort zone
Reminds me of the second time
That I followed you home
We’re running out of alibis
On the second of may
Reminds me of the summertime
On this winters day

See you at the bitter end
See you at the bitter end

Every step we took that synchronized
Every broken bone
Reminds me of the second time
That I followed you home
You showered me with lullabies
Had you walking away
Reminds me that its killing time
On this fateful day

See you at the bitter end
See you at the bitter end
See you at the bitter end
See you at the bitter end

From the time we intercepted
Feels a lot like suicide
Slow and sad, getting sadder
Arise a sitting mine (see you at the bitter end)

I love to see you run around
And I can see you now
Running to me
Arms wide out
See you at the bitter end
Reach inside
Come on just gotta reach inside
Heard your cry
Six months time
Six months time (see you at the bitter end)
Prepare the end

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Brian Molko / Stefan Olsdal / Steven Hewitt

The Bitter End lyrics © BMG Rights Management.

Happy Sunday everyone 💜