Maidenhead

Album: Under Color of Official Right (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Maidenhead is a town that lies just south of the River Thames, 25 miles from London. Its riverside location has drawn many celebrities to live there. So why did Detroit punk band Protomartyr record a song about the English place?

    Vocalist Joe Casey told NME the track was inspired by writer Patrick Hamilton's book Hangover Square about a London-based drunk who wishes he could live in Maidenhead but after finally getting there he finds it to be as depressing as everywhere else he's ever been. He explained: "I like the way he describes the periods of dead moods this guy has, and I kind of latched onto that in a good way. I think in Detroit a lot of people think, 'If I didn't live in Detroit my whole life would be so much better', and after traveling around a little bit I can see that no matter where I am I'm still the same guy – so there's no Maidenhead out there for me."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.

Country Song Titles

Country Song TitlesFact or Fiction

Country songs with titles so bizarre they can't possibly be real... or can they?

David Paich of Toto

David Paich of TotoSongwriter Interviews

Toto's keyboard player explains the true meaning of "Africa" and talks about working on the Thriller album.

Linda Perry

Linda PerrySongwriter Interviews

Songwriting Hall of Famer Linda Perry talks about her songs "What's Up" and "Beautiful," her songwriting process, and her move into film music.

Ed Roland of Collective Soul

Ed Roland of Collective SoulSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Shine," "December," "The World I Know" and other Collective Soul hits.

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.