Line #49 Music/TheChameleons


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_chameleons_8.jpg]]
2
3	->''See this, freak out\
4	Nothing's familiar\
5	And nothing seems to fit into the scheme of things\
6	Seeing faces where there shouldn't be faces\
7	No-one's really certain what tomorrow brings\
8	Don't fall, my friend''
9	-->--'''"Don't Fall"''', ''Script of the Bridge''
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11	The Chameleons were a British [[PostPunk post-punk]]/[[GothRock goth rock]] band from Middleton, Greater Manchester. They were formed in 1981 and were active from that year until 1987 before splitting in the aftermath of the death of their manager. They were then active again from 2000 to 2003. In the course of their short career the band released four post-punk albums and two acoustic albums, as well as several live albums.
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13	Despite their relatively short lifespan compared to more famous contemporaries like Music/{{The Cure\|Band}} or Music/TalkingHeads, The Chameleons achieved a cult status among fans of the Manchester scene. This was largely due to their atmospheric guitar sound and lead singer Mark Burgess' haunting lyrics. The philosophical themes in his writing cover a range of dark topics including mental breakdown, violent crime, personal loss, apathy, and urban decay set against the dreary landscape of 1980s Manchester.
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15	The group were heavily inspired by Music/{{U2}}'s earlier ventures into post-punk and to a certain extent by the moody style of Music/EchoAndTheBunnyMen. While somewhat obscure in the grand scheme of popular music, The Chameleons were cited as a monumental influence by various bands including Music/{{Interpol}}, Music/{{Oasis}}, Music/TheFlamingLips and Music/TheVerve.
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17	Following their breakup, Burgess continued playing alone as Chameleons Vox.
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19	They're often called The Chameleons UK so as to not confuse them with an American band by the same name.
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21	[-Selected Discography:-]
22
23	'''Studio Albums:'''
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25	* ''Script of The Bridge'' (1983)
26	* ''What Does Anything Mean? Basically'' (1985)
27	* ''Strange Times'' (1986)
28	* ''Why Call It Anything'' (2001)
29
30	'''Acoustic Albums:'''
31
32	* ''Strip'' (2000)
33	* ''This Never Ending Now'' (2002)
34
35	----
36	!!Tropes:
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38	* AlbumIntroTrack: "Silence, Sea and Sky" from ''What Does Anything Mean? Basically'' is an instrumental track that starts off bombastically and fades away toward the end.
39	* CoverVersion:
40	** The bonus tracks on ''Strange Times'' include covers of "John, I'm Only Dancing" by Music/DavidBowie, and "Tomorrow Only Knows" by Music/TheBeatles.
41	** ''This Never Ending Now'' contains an acoustic cover of Bowie's "Moonage Daydream".
42	* TheEighties: The dark sound of the band's music was fitting for the harsh economic realities of that time in Northern England.
43	* GothRock: A better known example from a genre overfilled with obscure groups in the 80s.
44	* GriefSong: "Tears" from ''Strange Times'' is about a friend of Burgess who died from cancer a few months before the release of the album.
45	* LyricalDissonance: "Singing Rule Britannia (While The Walls Close In)" was a direct jab at Burgess' father and older Brits who celebrated the Conservative Party while their country was falling apart around them.
46	* MagnificentBastard: The song "Mad Jack" is possibly named after Mad Jack Churchill, an Englishman of Scottish ancestry who fought World War II using a longbow, sword and bagpipes. It could very well be about a raving, drugged up 'prophet'.
47	* MurderBallad:
48	** "Here Today" from ''Script of the Bridge'' is from the perspective of a man as he dies after being shot. His mind repeatedly asks where his wife is. According to Burgess, that man was Music/JohnLennon.
49	** "A Person Isn't Safe Anywhere These Days", from the same album, was written after the band's experiences as victims of violent crime, as well as various newspaper reports of muggings and murder all across Manchester.
50	* NeverTrustATitle: "Swamp Thing" has nothing to do with the [[ComicBook/SwampThing comic book character]] or swamps for that matter, instead evoking the crushingly depressing reality of life in Thatcher's Britain.
51	* OldManConversationSong: "Intrigue in Tangiers" was written after Burgess visited his grandfather at Broughton House, a home for war veterans. He'd bring hash for one of the service men who'd tell him stories of far off countries.
52	** A deeper meaning for the song is not wasting your youth since the old man compared his situation in the veterans home to being buried alive.
53	* PostPunk: One of the darker examples of this genre, practically comparable to Music/JoyDivision and Music/KillingJoke.
54	* SarcasticTitle:
55	** "Singing Rule Britannia (While the Walls Close In)"

Context Music / TheChameleons