This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Standing at the bus stop with my shopping in my hands
When I'm overhearing elder ladies as the rumours start to fly
You can hear them in the school yard scrap yard chip shop phone box
In the pool hall at the shoe stall every corner turned around
It started with a school girl who was running running home to her mum and dad
Told them she was playing in the change room of her local footballside
They said tell us again so she told them again
They said tell us the truth they found it hard to believe
Cause he taught our Steve he even trained me
Taught uncle John who's father of three
But it only takes one tree to make a thousand matches
It only takes one match to burn a thousand trees
You see it in the class room in the swimming pool where the match stick
Men are made at the scouts hall at the football where the wise we trust are paid
They all honour his name he did a lot for the game
He got his name knocked up above the sports ground gates
But now they are ripping them down stamping the ground
Picture gathers dust behind the bar in the lounge
It only takes one tree to make a thousand matches
It only takes one match to burn a thousand trees
Wake up and smell the rain shake up he's back to stay
He hasn't been on a holiday his growing seeds don't believe why he's been away
In the school yard change room playing fields bathroom phone box office blocks
Corner turned around they keep doubting the flame tossing the blame
Got his name knocked up above the sports ground gates
But now they're ripping them down stamping the ground
Picture gathers dust in the bar in the lounge
It only takes one tree to make a thousand matches
It only takes one match to burn a thousand trees
When I'm overhearing elder ladies as the rumours start to fly
You can hear them in the school yard scrap yard chip shop phone box
In the pool hall at the shoe stall every corner turned around
It started with a school girl who was running running home to her mum and dad
Told them she was playing in the change room of her local footballside
They said tell us again so she told them again
They said tell us the truth they found it hard to believe
Cause he taught our Steve he even trained me
Taught uncle John who's father of three
But it only takes one tree to make a thousand matches
It only takes one match to burn a thousand trees
You see it in the class room in the swimming pool where the match stick
Men are made at the scouts hall at the football where the wise we trust are paid
They all honour his name he did a lot for the game
He got his name knocked up above the sports ground gates
But now they are ripping them down stamping the ground
Picture gathers dust behind the bar in the lounge
It only takes one tree to make a thousand matches
It only takes one match to burn a thousand trees
Wake up and smell the rain shake up he's back to stay
He hasn't been on a holiday his growing seeds don't believe why he's been away
In the school yard change room playing fields bathroom phone box office blocks
Corner turned around they keep doubting the flame tossing the blame
Got his name knocked up above the sports ground gates
But now they're ripping them down stamping the ground
Picture gathers dust in the bar in the lounge
It only takes one tree to make a thousand matches
It only takes one match to burn a thousand trees
Lyrics submitted by Jay
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Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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No Surprises
Radiohead
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
i can confirm that the song is about a schoolgirl who was raped by a well-respected PE teacher. when she told her parents, they didn't believe her at first because he'd taught everyone they knew! it turned out he had (or at least he was accused), then ended up going back to teaching but the kids (growing seeds) didnt believe that he'd been on holiday. his reputation was dented, so he quit. The line 'it only takes one tree to make 1000 matches, only takes 1 match to burn 1000 trees' is saying it took 1 teacher to teach 1000 kids down the years, but just 1 of those kids could dent the reputation of 1000 teachers. that is 100% genuinely true about what the song is about.
This sounds like a good interpretation but how do you know that is "100% genuinely true"? Have you talked to Kelly Jones yourself?
definitely agree on the one match=thousand trees thing. I think that it only either takes one event to start a thousand rumors, or that it takes one man (preferably one with a good reputation) to start the rumors.
i believe this song is about a case of child-abuse in the small welsh community where the Stereophonics originate from, and how it shocked the community, as everyone knew the accused, and he was like a part of everyones lives in some way.
could it be that the coach is falsely accused ? when I read the lyrics I have a feeling the accent lies more on the gossip than on the child abuse. one day he is a celebrated coach, the next day rumours start to spread and he ends up being 'ripped down'
just an idea
this song typifies a small south wales valley community, and how scandal and news travels. how mud sticks so to speak and how ironic life can be, when every thing is going great it can change so quickly.i think the coach has been falsely accused... (welsh girl 4 eva)
This song is most definately about a case of abuse, as has been mentioned already.
Living in a small community as I do, i find the lines "keep doubting the flame tossing the blame Got his name knocked up above the sports ground gates" very revealing.
in small communities, people often dismiss accusations against people as nonsense simply because they know the person, rather than whether or not it's true. Hence, rather than accept the person in the song is guilty, they are throwing the blame around elsewhere.
This one person (the match) has likely had a negative, abusive effect over a number of people over a number of years destroying their lives (burned a thousand trees) and it is only coming out once someone finally made an accusation
(sorry for duplication, but I posted a reply and not a comment, being new! oops! :-0)
I love the double meaning of the line 'his growing seeds don't believe why he's been away' ie the seeds in the containers are like the kids; needing nourishment and care and attention in order to grow and develop. They in their innocence don't believe why he's been away, since they are oblivious to the more serious issues that they don't fully understand or aren't aware of, having more basic needs.
I agree that the emphasis in the song is more about the rumour, partly because the incident is merely alluded to. I think it's interesting that a lot of the comments mention the abuse as if it's true, which kind of mirrors the sense of the tendency of people to gossip without knowing the facts. It's a shame that the accused loses his innocent name whether he is guilty or not, which of course the song can't tell us.
I like the use of the word 'match', since it both represents the start of a rumour, which can cause much destruction - and the playing fields where a football match is played, a possible breeding ground for gossip and group-think. Also, the match burning a thousand trees could be to do with how abuse itself causes many wide-reaching and terrible consequences, such as loss of faith in authority, innocence and relationships; breeds suspicion and mistrust, negative emotions such as shame and guilt - and even abuse itself.
The writer(s) are clearly lamenting the small town mentalities which give rise to the damaging effects of rumour and hearsay. It is sad not just how a reputation can hang on a thread, but how the collective reality of a community can be on shaky foundations; and that more often than not, people will scapegoat an outsider, an oddball, the falsely accused, or any other unfortunate victim who upsets the prevailing belief in what's right, truthful or the norm. Truth can be the casualty and pretentiousness wins.
Having said all that, this song rocks and sounds cool loud!
Stereophonics, for me at least, went downhill after this song, so early in their career too, not saying they never produced another decent song, far from it, but nothing holds a candle, no doubt lit with a match to this
'It only takes one tree to make a thousand matches but only takes one match to burn a thousand trees' came from the back of a box of England's Glory matches as I'm sure has been mentioned before, I'm trying a similar thing with cigarette boxes, so far I have one lyric, " Smoking seriously harms you and others around you, You can do it we can help, your Doctor or pharmacist can help you stop smoking" not quite as catchy is it?
Crap nothing to do with matchboxes its about child abuse . Have you heard In a moment. Very up hill and it aint about clocks
this song is in my opinion the BEST phonics song with local boy in the photograph a close second.
I love the double meaning of the line 'his growing seeds don't believe why he's been away' ie the seeds in the containers are like the kids; needing nourishment and care and attention in order to grow and develop. They in their innocence don't believe why he's been away, since they are oblivious to the more serious issues that they don't fully understand or aren't aware of, having more basic needs. <br /> <br /> The song is a song about the loss of innocence, in different ways. The child who told her parent loses her sense that her parents can take her seriously. The accuser loses his innocent name, whether he is guilty or not. The kids can be just as open to being let down and confused by what has happened, as the parents, since when you get to know someone at face value, the real story (if true) can be bewildering. <br /> <br /> I agree that the emphasis in the song is more about the rumour, partly because the incident is merely alluded to. I think it's interesting that a lot of the comments mention the abuse as if it's true, which kind of mirrors the sense of the tendency of people to gossip without knowing the facts.<br /> <br /> I like the use of the word 'match', since it both represents the start of a rumour, which can cause much destruction - and the playing fields where a football match is played, a possible breeding ground for gossip and group think. Also, the match burning a thousand trees could be to do with how abuse itself causes many wide-reaching and terrible consequences, such as loss of faith in authority, innocence and relationships; breeds suspicion and mistrust, negative emotions such as shame and guilt - and even abuse itself.<br /> <br /> The writer(s) are clearly lamenting the small town mentalities which give rise to the damaging effects of rumour and hearsay. It is sad not just how a reputation can hang on a thread, but how the collective reality of a community is based on shaky grounds; and that more often than not, people will scapegoat an outsider, an oddball, the falsely accused, or any other unfortunate victim who upsets the prevailing belief in what's right, truthful or the norm. Truth can be the casualty and pretentiousness wins.<br /> <br /> Having said all that, this song rocks and sounds cool loud!
...er correction: 'accused', not accuser, p2.
it is one of the best phonics songs and turtonhot is right it is a case of childabuse involving a football trainer which taught many people in that area.