The song “Glycerine” was written by the English band Bush. It was made available as the group’s fourth single from Sixteen Stone, their debut album, in November 1995.
Gavin McGregor Rossdale, an English guitarist, and actor are, most known for his work with the rock group Bush as their lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. He played a significant role in both the 1992 formation of the rock group Bush and its 2002 breakup. He went on to establish a solo career and was later known as Institute’s lead singer and guitarist.
According to Gavin Rossdale, in an interview with Howard Stern, he wrote the song about his ex-girlfriend. While writing it in his London apartment, he sensed that the song was taking on an ancient, mystical quality. In 2017, Rossdale said to Entertainment Weekly, “I was like a conduit, and something about it was bigger than anything we were doing.”
What does «Glycerine» mean?
Doomed love is the subject of “Glycerine.” The kind of relationship you know is unhealthy because you weren’t intended to be together or the kind that has no chance of success because you hurt one another, yet you cannot end it. This is demonstrated in the song’s many lines, “Now that you’re here, now that you’re gone,” “I don’t want this, remember that,” “If I treated you bad, You’d bruise my face, Couldn’t love you more, You’ve got a beautiful taste.” “I’ll never forget where you are,” “I needed you more/when we wanted us less,” “I’m never alone, I’m alone all the time,” and other similar expressions,” etc.
These conflicts virtually make up the entirety of the song. He loves her even if she abuses him. He feels alone even though she is usually there. He’ll always remember her, but I don’t want the relationship, etc. How could you be in love with someone while also being distant, heartbroken, and yearning for something else? The entire relationship is a contradiction.
He accepts the times they are together without doubt or concern at this early (infancy) stage of their arrangement (long-distance relationship). When she is present, everything is great, but when she leaves, everything is sad and empty. By the time she goes, a gloominess has set in. Rossdale based this song on his relationship with his partner at the time. Before their breakup, Rossdale dated her for a few years, and their separation was made worse by their hectic schedules.
They both have busy schedules, yet he doesn’t want to be away from her despite their busy schedules. According to the song “I’ll never forget where you are,” she planned her schedule so she could be away from him. Or they may both be in periods of life where other factors prevent them from being together. He doubts her loyalty to him, her independence from him, and her intentions. How can she bear to be apart from him when he misses and yearns for her so intensely? They both act as though being away for a while is okay for them and that they survive well while together.
You can consider the song’s title and chorus, “Glycerine,” as additional evidence for it. Glycerin, a substance used as a lubricant, elixer, and soap, is really referred to as “glycerine,” a different spelling of the same word (among many other things). But when you stop to think about it, an elixir is something you take to feel better, soap is something that cleans you, and a lubricant is anything that smoothens things out or makes them smoother.
It’s the function of glycerin to make things more manageable, to help you, so to say, swallow a pill. As a result, “Glycerine” is about a difficult relationship. Gavin sings, “could have been easier on you,” claiming that he could have made this terrible relationship easier by using a substance like glycerin. Glycerin is also used to preserve food as well as in perfumes and medications. Knowing that Nitro-Glycerin is explosive is another way to interpret the word “Glycerine” and still supports the song’s theme.
Furthermore, the romance in “Glycerine” is explosive! Doomed to fail from the start, ready to explode at any moment. The word “explosive” refers to glycerin’s use in explosive applications to stabilize nitro. The song, according to Rossdale, is about how love is like a bomb.
The music video for the song “Glycerine,” which was created in a surprisingly brief period, stood out when the band was on tour in the United States. The video was shot quickly since the band’s visas had expired. The video garnered considerable attention and recognition despite being simple and unadorned. At the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards, the Kevin Kerslake-directed video took home the Viewer’s Choice Award and was also nominated for Best Alternative Video. In addition to working with Soundgarden, R.E.M., and Stone Temple Pilots, Kerslake directed four Nirvana music videos around the same time period.
This song is about unexpectedly discovering a love that was so intense that he had no idea it was even possible. Because it is such a strong love, they doubt it and push it away because it seems impossible. “I’m never alone, and I’m alone all the time” implies that he is nothing more than an empty shell without her. “But when we rise, it’s like strawberry fields” implies that his reality is like a dream when he is with her. He merely pleads for more time when he says, “Don’t let the days pass.” He ultimately understands that he has lost and will always regret it at the song’s conclusion.
Glycerine by Bush – Songfacts
- The song is about how the singer, Gavin Rossdale, feels when lead singer of American rock band Stone Temple Pilots Scott Weiland dies. “The concept of the song is that it’s impossible to replace anyone. And if you try to replace them, they’re never going to be like the original person,” Rossdale told.
- The title given by Bush is “Glycerine”. Many people misheard this as “Jealousy” or “Jealous of You”.
- It is a message to his fans that he can’t be replaced.
- Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale wrote this song about his girlfriend, designer Pearl Lowe. She gave birth to their daughter Daisy in 2004, but in 2009 the child’s true paternity came to light. The girl’s godfather, Bush bassist Dave Parsons, was her real dad.
- This was released as a CD single in 1995 and reached #4 in the UK. It was also featured on Bush’s debut album, Sixteen Stone.
- In America this was released as a CD single and charted at #61 on the Hot 100 singles chart in 1996.
- In January 2000 this won Kerrang! magazine’s award for Best Single of the Past 15 Years.
- Bassist Dave Parsons told Songfacts about this song: “It was very much a lyrical piece as opposed to a musical one. We had it in our heads but we didn’t have anything down on paper or recorded. It was still embryonic when Gavin took it home and came up with the chorus.”
- In an interview with MTV News, Gavin Rossdale explained: “The song is just me singing about stuff I see around me.”
- According to urban legend, this song is about a man who died from injecting glycerin into his penis to make it grow. However, Gavin Rossdale has dismissed this interpretation of the lyrics as “ludicrous.”
- The song mentions that something is “drifting into view through brown and purple sky.” The colors were inspired by a sunset over London during one of Rossdale’s drives home.
- Despite generally mixed reviews of the album, critics loved “Glycerine.” Rolling Stone said it was “everything gorgeous about Bush,” while Spin said it was a song that would be on their “infinite repeat” list.
- In this interview with Songfacts, Bush lead singer Gavin Rossdale revealed that the song is about a drug experience. He explained: “It’s a little bit like being psychotic or hallucinating or something like that. It’s kind of that state where you’re off in a world all your own and then subsequently realizing the pain and destruction that you leave in your wake.”
- This features a sample from Kate Bush’s 1982 song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God). After using the sample, Bush made up with Kate and became friendly with her. Rossdale often sings lines from “Running Up That Hill” in concert.
«Glycerine» — Bush lyrics
It must be your skin, I’m sinkin’ inIt must be for real, ’cause now I can feelAnd I didn’t mind, it’s not my kindIt’s not my time, to wonder whyEverything gone white, everything’s greyNow you’re here, now you’re awayI don’t want this, remember thatI’ll never forget, where you’re atDon’t let the days go byGlycerine, glycerineI’m never alone, I’m alone all the timeAre you at one, or do you lieWe live in a wheel, where everyone stealsBut when we rise, it’s like strawberry fieldsIf I treated you bad, you’d bruise my faceCouldn’t love you more, you’ve got a beautiful tasteDon’t let the days go byCould have been easier on youI couldn’t change though I wanted toShould have been easier by threeOur old friend fear and you and meGlycerine, glycerineDon’t let the days go by, glycerineDon’t let the days go byAh, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahGlycerine, glycerineOh, glycerine, glycerineBad moon whine againBad moon whine againAs she falls around meI needed you more, we wanted us lessCould not kiss, just regressIt might just be clear, simple, and plainWell that’s just fine, that’s just one of my namesDon’t let the days go byCould’ve been easier on you you youGlycerine, glycerineGlycerine, glycerine
