“This Is How It Feels” by Inspiral Carpets
David Perry 
by SMF· Published · Updated
Although the lyrics of this track are heavily dependent on metaphors, “This Is How It Feels” is very frank in its approach. And the subjects it deals with are primarily marriage woes and depression. And the way the Inspiral Carpets go about this is by featuring a couple of different narratives on the song.
');var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; })();The first and third verses are almost identical. And they tell the story of a nuclear family in which both parents appear to be emotionally out of control. And this reality of course is having a harrowing effect on their children.
Meanwhile the second verse is about a guy who “had it all on a plate”, meaning that he was well-to-do. Yet he was still discovered “under a train”. This points to the idea that the he committed suicide, despite coming from a background where it looks like he had absolutely no reason to do so.
But the Inspiral Carpets empathize with what these various individuals are going through. In fact to some degree, they try to give these accounts from these people’s own perspectives, thus the title of “This Is How It Feels”.
Conclusion
So it can be safely concluded that the band intended for this track to shed light on the issue of chronic depression. Moreover outside of this major theme, it is also insinuated that the victims in this song also suffer from hopelessness and disenfranchisement. And the overall implication is that these issues are more pervasive than some people may believe they actually are.
Facts about “This Is How It Feels”
This was the Inspiral Carpets’ original hit. Simply put, it was the first of their many songs to make it onto the Top 40 in their homeland of the United Kingdom.
');var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; })();On the original (album) version of the track, the lyrics of the second verse are slightly different than what most fans are familiar with via the single version.
The Inspiral Carpets collectively wrote and produced “This Is How It Feels”. And in the latter they were assisted by Nick Garside. That being said, it is worth highlighting that the band’s keyboard player Clint Boon is reportedly considered the primary writer of the song.
“This Is How It Feels” originally came out during March of 1990. And it was featured on the Inspiral Carpets’ maiden album. The band titled that album “Life”.
From the song’s lyrics, one of the characters apparently committed suicide due to depression. Sadly, Craig Gill (who was Inspiral Carpets’ drummer) also committed suicide in real life more than a decade after the song was released. Gill took his own life in November of 2016 after battling for years with tinnitus – a problem which caused him decades of anxiety and insomnia.
The drums on this track have a Joy Division flavor. Actually the drums (played by the late Craig Gill) are very reminiscent to the drums on Joy Division’s 1980 classic “Atmosphere“. Actually the whole song appears to be a huge nod to Joy Division’s “Atmosphere”. Even the video is pretty reminiscent to that of “Atmosphere”.
FYI, Ian Curtis (who was Joy Division’s lead singer) also died through suicide. Both Ian Curtis and Craig Gill killed themselves at their homes and in the same manner.
