electronic :: songs :: second nature

(marr and sumner)

i used to think that i was lonely
when i was a young boy
doing what they told me
too many lessons in the school class
stated my allegiance
mixing with the wrong class

i lived at home with all my family
even had my own key
it was given to me
i like to be alone
there was never any friction
starring in my own film
it was my addiction

you don’t have to wait, the world will carry on
it’s there in your face, but it won’t stay for long
let’s be a nation and sit upon a throne
don’t ever hesitate, just carry on

you don’t have to wait, the world will carry on
it’s there in your face, but it won’t stay for long
let’s be a nation and sit upon a throne
don’t ever hesitate, just carry on

the older boys were rather surly
living in the wrong place
made me grow up early
but it was my home
as i complete my own existence
staring at my old life
fading in the distance
down a semi-tone

smiling faces of the neighbours
proud of their endeavours
unemployed forever
watch tv at home

you don’t have to wait, the world will carry on
it’s there in your face, but it won’t stay for long
let’s be a nation and sit upon a throne
don’t ever hesitate, just carry on

you don’t have to wait, the world will carry on
it’s there in your face but it won’t stay for long
let’s be a nation and sit upon a throne
don’t ever hesitate, just carry on

don’t ever wait, don’t hesitate
don’t ever wait, don’t hesitate

you don’t have to wait, the world will carry on
it’s there in your face, but it won’t stay for long
let’s be a nation and sit upon a throne
don’t ever hesitate, just carry on

you don’t have to wait, the world will carry on
it’s there in your face, but it won’t stay for long
let’s be a nation and sit upon a throne
don’t ever hesitate, just carry on

don’t wait, let’s carry on
your face will get along
let’s be a nation and sit upon a throne
don’t ever hesitate, just carry on

album version—4:54
alternative dub—6:19
edge factor dub—8:08
extended journey mix—10:10
extended modern mix—8:41
journey mix radio edit—3:57
modern mix radio edit—4:37
plastik mix—6:21
plastik vox—7:05
sweet remix—7:01
trance atlantic dub—8:10
uk promo edit—4:13
uk single edit—4:31
us promo edit—4:00

raise the pressure
second nature
get the message: the best of

the sombre intro to this catchy song cheekily recalls the smiths’ final single last night i dreamt that somebody loved me, before the groovy, infectious beat kicks in and sumner’s words evoke images of a restless childhood and adolescent aspirations. although it suffers from over-production and too many superfluous grinding noises (thankfully kept to a minimum for live performances on tv shows), and was remixed to death when belatedly released as a single in february 1997, second nature remains the focal point of raise the pressure and a real highlight of the marr and sumner partnership.

bernard: “i’m an only child, so i grew up looking at myself because there was no-one else to look at. i used to lie in bed at night for hours, just thinking about myself. that’s why most of my songs are about me, me, me. second nature is totally autobiographical. it’s about where i come from and the attitude [it] has left me with—which is, that no matter what you do, the world will keep on turning and if you don’t do anything, it’ll just carry on without you. i’ve realised that if you don’t grab the world by the bollocks, the world will grab you by the bollocks.” .