Listening to Travis on Radio Paradise

In 1999-2001 I lived in Switzerland. I met a British girl some time in '99, flew over to spend a few days - she lived near Oxford. We decided to drive to Brighton - and I was to be the navigator. Which in this case - pre-map programs through London - meant looking for evasive signs mounted on poles from two lane roads - similar to how carriages navigated 200 years prior. Needless to say there was stress in that vehicle - hey, I was used to freeways - I mean, it was nearly the 21st Century and we were using signs meant for horses. We get to Brighton, finally, walking through a street fair and I hear this song. Stopped me in my tracks - bought the CD that day. Can't recall the girls name, that trip ended it all - my takeaway was The Man Who which I spun nearly every day for a year. Memories of my apartment in Neuchatel - jumping early trains to go skiing, throwing my mountain bike and pack on trains to go riding/hiking - and an English girl with whom I crossed paths long ago.

Posted 4 days ago by Funkybro [ Reply ]

Solanus wrote:

This is the first time I've ever heard the album version of this song. I had a CD of live performances on KMTT 103.7 The Mountain in Seattle, WA (On The Mountain Six). I had no idea how popular of a song this was, especially in the UK.

That album had some good songs on it that would fit nicely on here, although I am fonder of the live-&-acoustic versions: Kim Richey - Come Around; The Tragically Hip - Poets; Left Hand Smoke - Step Outside. (There are a couple others that I had no idea were on this site, like The Actual Tigers [fka Willis] - Testimony, and Patty Larkin - Wolf At The Door.)

I had two other CD's from that station, #2 & #7. The earlier one was my introduction to a bunch of bands like The Subdudes, Blue Rodeo, and Widespread Panic. The latter one had a great version of Linger by Jonatha Brooke and tunes from Semisonic, Carrie Akre, and Fisher.

Now I have to turn off RP and "page" through YouTube videos of the various songs to refresh or (in the case of hearing the original versions for the first time) enlighten my memory. Be right back.

KMTT - What a great station that was!

Posted 4 days ago by Funkybro [ Reply ]

jacopo777 wrote:

The reason why it always rains on you is because you choose it.

Hahah yeah Ok - living on the West Coast of Canada… trust me it RAINS constantly for six months. Even more in Scotland, where this band is from. Also… it’s a creative metaphor for mood, bad luck, circumstance… we don't all choose the shite life throws at us buddy. Like, I didn’t choose my Fathers suicide, but hey. I bet you’re a real “empathetic’ type - on paper - yeah?

Posted 5 months ago by pyrateparadox988 [ Reply ]

A really lovely tune that reminds me of driving to work back in 1999.

Posted 9 months ago by GingerandMe [ Reply ]

saamusic wrote:

Rufus Wainwright-like

i never thought about it, but yes, especially in the bridge and chorus...

Posted 2 years ago by lily34 [ Reply ]

Rufus Wainwright-like

Posted 2 years ago by saamusic [ Reply ]

jacopo777 wrote:

The reason why it always rains on you is because you choose it.

Not if you live in, say, Seattle or Ireland.

Posted 3 years ago by sunybuny [ Reply ]

The reason why it always rains on you is because you choose it.

Posted 3 years ago by jacopo777 [ Reply ]

m_logie wrote:

Travis come from the West of Scotland... beautiful place, but it really does rain a lot (250+ days a year).

It rains so much there that the US Navy used to have a submarine tender there (USS Simon Lake). The overcast hid its activities from Soviet satellites.

Posted 3 years ago by sqqqrly [ Reply ]

I can only hear the Shirehorses (Dave Lee Travisty / Mark and Lard) version of the lyric:
"Why is always Dairylea
When in the contract it stipulated brie"

To be honest, I prefer that.

Posted 4 years ago by spv [ Reply ]

nolands wrote:

if The Monkeys had been an 80s new wave band, I think this is what it would sound like.

Bwahahaha. Yes! This!

Posted 4 years ago by gatorade [ Reply ]

Brings me back to my teenage emo years... Listening to this on the bus or train to school, early morning, still dark outside... and rain pouring and pattering the bus' windows obviously (yeah, it also rains a lot in north-western France ^.^)

Posted 4 years ago by Mannick [ Reply ]

I lived in Seattle for several years so I fully appreciate their preoccupation with rain. This was played often on local radio along with several others like No Rain by Blind Melon

Posted 5 years ago by brianlay [ Reply ]

Waltz wrote:

As a Scotsman I would just like to apologize for Travis, Yes we know they suck but they escaped before we could have them locked away where they could do no harm.

Kind of like Canadians with Nickelback, or Americans with John Mayer?

Posted 5 years ago by acolt [ Reply ]

AhhtheMusic wrote:

I enjoy the music. Very nice. But the lyrics. I don't think I need to say that they are repetitive. Why does it always rain on me, why does it always rain on me, etc. I think you all get the idea. Guy needs to pull himself up, obtain counseling, and/or find the right medication to help with this rain that seems to not stop. I may be wrong, but no one is in the rain continuously. This, coming from a person who has been drenched in the last few years.

Obla dee, obla da, obla de, obla da..........

Posted 5 years ago by jules44 [ Reply ]

possibly the dullest band in the world, but for sure the dullest in scotland

Posted 5 years ago by Stetsonman [ Reply ]

I was SO SURE this was some JAMES song that I had never heard....kinda spooky how much the vocals sound alike at some points eh?

Posted 5 years ago by Kyrojoe [ Reply ]

AhhtheMusic wrote:

I enjoy the music. Very nice. But the lyrics. I don't think I need to say that they are repetitive. Why does it always rain on me, why does it always rain on me, etc. I think you all get the idea. Guy needs to pull himself up, obtain counseling, and/or find the right medication to help with this rain that seems to not stop. I may be wrong, but no one is in the rain continuously. This, coming from a person who has been drenched in the last few years.

Very patently, you have never lived in Scotland. If the song emanated from someone who lived in New Mexico, and asked "why does the sun always shine on me", what would your answer be?

Posted 5 years ago by corvair [ Reply ]

This is the first time I've ever heard the album version of this song. I had a CD of live performances on KMTT 103.7 The Mountain in Seattle, WA (On The Mountain Six). I had no idea how popular of a song this was, especially in the UK.

That album had some good songs on it that would fit nicely on here, although I am fonder of the live-&-acoustic versions: Kim Richey - Come Around; The Tragically Hip - Poets; Left Hand Smoke - Step Outside. (There are a couple others that I had no idea were on this site, like The Actual Tigers [fka Willis] - Testimony, and Patty Larkin - Wolf At The Door.)

I had two other CD's from that station, #2 & #7. The earlier one was my introduction to a bunch of bands like The Subdudes, Blue Rodeo, and Widespread Panic. The latter one had a great version of Linger by Jonatha Brooke and tunes from Semisonic, Carrie Akre, and Fisher.

Now I have to turn off RP and "page" through YouTube videos of the various songs to refresh or (in the case of hearing the original versions for the first time) enlighten my memory. Be right back.

Posted 6 years ago by Solanus [ Reply ]

AhhtheMusic wrote:

I enjoy the music. Very nice. But the lyrics. I don't think I need to say that they are repetitive. Why does it always rain on me, why does it always rain on me, etc. I think you all get the idea. Guy needs to pull himself up, obtain counseling, and/or find the right medication to help with this rain that seems to not stop. I may be wrong, but no one is in the rain continuously. This, coming from a person who has been drenched in the last few years.

Travis come from the West of Scotland... beautiful place, but it really does rain a lot (250+ days a year).

Posted 6 years ago by m_logie [ Reply ]

Waltz wrote:

As a Scotsman I would just like to apologize for Travis, Yes we know they suck but they escaped before we could have them locked away where they could do no harm.

As a fellow Scot, I second your apology.

Posted 6 years ago by DrMacDaddy [ Reply ]

AhhtheMusic wrote:

I enjoy the music. Very nice. But the lyrics. I don't think I need to say that they are repetitive. Why does it always rain on me, why does it always rain on me, etc. I think you all get the idea. Guy needs to pull himself up, obtain counseling, and/or find the right medication to help with this rain that seems to not stop. I may be wrong, but no one is in the rain continuously. This, coming from a person who has been drenched in the last few years.

Thank you for your analysis, Mr. Spock.

Posted 6 years ago by Laptopdog [ Reply ]

I enjoy the music. Very nice. But the lyrics. I don't think I need to say that they are repetitive. Why does it always rain on me, why does it always rain on me, etc. I think you all get the idea. Guy needs to pull himself up, obtain counseling, and/or find the right medication to help with this rain that seems to not stop. I may be wrong, but no one is in the rain continuously. This, coming from a person who has been drenched in the last few years.

Posted 6 years ago by AhhtheMusic [ Reply ]

if The Monkeys had been an 80s new wave band, I think this is what it would sound like.

Posted 21 years ago by nolands [ Reply ]

As a Scotsman I would just like to apologize for Travis, Yes we know they suck but they escaped before we could have them locked away where they could do no harm.

Posted 22 years ago by Waltz [ Reply ]

Please play more Travis... this is a great song. Actually this whole album (The Man Who) is wonderful. And, while you\'re adding stuff, if you can find Travis\' great cover of \"Baby, one more time\"... love me some Travis!

Posted 22 years ago by lisalisa [ Reply ]

MORE Tavis please MORE MORE MORE!!!