King of the Kerb

I always assumed this song was about wide-boy pimps. Kings of the kerb relating to kerb crawlers. They don't have to make money, there's somebody out there doing it for them. Entrapment the girls by convincing them a little protection is all that they need. Getting suddenly violent with the girls as he has a temper in the style of a bomb. The shadows in the alley servicing him as he does the rounds and everyone in the community knows what an awful person he is, everyone knows what he's worth.

woah these comments are all from 20 years ago thats crazy !! anyways as a 15 year old who recently discovered this song, it always reminds me of the boys in my school who started dealing drugs at like 13 (i live in a horrible town with high crime rates), and how its always the same vulnerable boys targeted by gang groomers looking to recruit young boys (‘same boys doing it for themselves’ could represent this, although truthfully im not really sure what this lyrc could mean.) imo its about drug dealers (safe white = c0caine) and how dealers truly think theyre tuff, even tho theyre prolly a victim of gang grooming and everyone hates them (‘everybody knows what theyre worth’). ‘king of the kerb’ basically about being the ‘king of the streets’, aka running the streets - ‘All the shadows in the alley, The shapes at the bar, Like to service him when he does the round’ also may be about how he is the leader of the gang, and all the other people in the gang look after him. because of his high tier, no normal person could actually dare touch him, even tho they ‘know what hes worth’. their power status officially makes them ‘safe from harm and safe from greed’ and everybody absolutely hates him (‘all the local boys know what hes done.’)

additionally, this song could basically be about what i just said, but with the additional meaning of someone trying to convince a friend who has fallen in love with a dealer/gang member that it is jyst NOT worth it (‘he turns it on’) ‘a little protection is all that you need’ could be about how the dealer/gang member actually protects the friend, along with his questionable friends and other gang members (‘got his friends in his pocket’ which connotes how he is at the top of this chain, and all the younger members who basically have to do whatever he says, putting them ‘in his pocket’ for easy access iykwim. ‘or safe behind bars’ which is pretty self explanatory - his friends are dangerous.)

sorry for the literal essay, i just think echobelly are deeply underrated and this song is really fun to pick apart as the lyrics are just so good !! overall i think this song is just a reallly good view on todays crime within youth and gang life, also showing how things really havent changed since when this song was made!

[Edit: accidentally forgot a couple words]

Fantastic song! I can't believe I'm the first to post! I love all Britpop but this has to be one of my favourites! In my opinion, this song has the best intro ever. That guitar riff is second to none. I think it's just about those hard little bullies who think they're all that when actually, if everyone stood up to him then he would back down. That's just my opinion though.

Woahh, just one comment for an amazing song. But I agree with you on the meaning.

Does this song make anyone think of the beach? Maybe I'm just weird, but the sound and vocals really make me visualize the beach. Weird.

Love this band and this song, one of my faves, definetely. Saw them live mid 90's, awesome.

echobelly is known for their political lyrics. So I think this is about the "big man" -- politicians, or cops etc--- "bullying" the public :)

It's about pimps.

great tune. catchy... and about a playerrrrr

It's about a gang running a protection racket. "Safe while you're paying out for your health" - as long as you pay the gang they will protect your business (which might be illicit). But if you don't pay you will likely be a target or will be forced to leave their turf.