The band has released seven studio albums: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006), Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007), Humbug (2009), Suck It and See (2011), AM (2013), Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (2018) and The Car (2022) (the first six of which debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart.
Each of the band's first five singles "I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor", "When the Sun Goes Down", "Leave Before The Lights Come On", "Brianstorm" and "Fluorescent Adolescent" hit the UK Top Five, but their sixth single, "Teddy Picker", only went Top 20 and their seventh single, "Crying Lightning" peaked at #12.
The band's rise to success started in late 2004/early 2005 when demo songs that had been handed out in CD form at gigs found their way onto the internet. These demos rapidly spread among message boards and friends leading to a growing fan base for the band, and were collected on the unofficial Beneath the Boardwalk, which the band recognizes on their website. The band owe much of their success to viral buzz via the Internet, and have eschewed typical 'commercial' channels, including refusing to appear on the UK's (now discontinued) Top Of The Pops music program, which was often seen as a gateway to success.
The band's debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, held the record for the largest first week sales of a debut album in the UK (in its first week, it sold more than the rest of the Top 20 albums combined). The album sold over 360,000 copies in its first week, but lost the title in November 2007 to Leona Lewis's album Spirit.
On 19th June 2006 the band officially announced that founding member and bassist Andy Nicholson had left the band after missing the American leg of their tour due to 'fatigue' and the other band members couldn't stand the constant 'missing his girlfriend syndrome' so they told him to sling his hook. Former Dodgems bassist Nick O'Malley was initially brought in as a stand-in, and played the band's remaining summer commitments. He was then announced as Nicholson's permanent replacement.
The single "Leave Before The Lights Come On" came out on August 14th, but only reached Number 4 on the UK charts, denying the band a third consecutive number 1 single.
Their debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not won the 2006 Mercury Prize, was chosen as the best album of year 2006 by Q Magazine, and received a slew of other accolades.
Their second album Favourite Worst Nightmare was released on April 23rd 2007. It was preceded by "Brianstorm", the first single from the album, which was released a week before. Like its predecessor, "Favourite Worst Nightmare" sold more than the rest of the Top 20 combined, and - due to an error on iTunes - every song on the record appeared on the UK Top 200 Singles the next week.
When asked about Favourite Worst Nightmare Turner commented, "We haven't changed that much. It's still about making contact with girls or not making contact with girls".
The band began to write and record demos for the third album in January 2008, Turner said "We had tunes that we'd already been playing on tour so we recorded them. That’s six [songs]. We’re going to take it easy and start practicing over the summer and doing new stuff."
The band premiered new material from the unreleased album during their January 2009 tour of New Zealand, playing small venues in Wellington and Auckland ahead of the Big Day Out festival. Their first show in more than a year was on January 13, 2009 at Wellington's Town Hall. In both cities, the new songs played were "Crying Lightning", "Go-Kart", "Dangerous Animals" and "Pretty Visitors." The full setlist from the Auckland gig is available online. Also played was a cover of the Nick Cave song "Red Right Hand." During their last tour, the band had played new songs "Put Me In A Terror Pocket", "Sandtrap," and "The Fire and The Thud" live.
Lead singer/songwriter Alex Turner started a two-man project with the singer from the Rascals, Miles Kane.
The band is called 'The Last Shadow Puppets'
The Arctic Monkeys band released their album Humbug in August of 2009, preceded by the single "Crying Lightning"
They released their fourth studio album, Suck It And See, on June 6th, 2011.
They released their fifth studio album, AM, on September 9th, 2013.
They released their sixth studio album, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, with no preceding single releases, on May 11th, 2018.
They released their seventh studio album, The Car, on October 21st, 2022, preceded by the singles "There'd Better Be a Mirrorball", "Body Paint" and "I Ain't Quite Where I Think I Am".
http://www.arcticmonkeys.com/
Secret Door
Arctic Monkeys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you would rather be beside than in front of
But she's never been the kind to be hollowed by the stares
She swam out of tonight's phantasm
Grabbed my hand and made it very clear
There's absolutely nothing for us here
It's a magnolia celebration to be attempted on a Wednesday night
At least that's the conclusion she came to in this overture
And the secret door swings behind us
She's saying nothing, she's just giggling along
Her arms were folded most indignant
Not looking like she was soon to leave
I had to squint in order to believe
And then like a butler pushing on a bookshelf
I'm unveiling the unexpected
I, who was earlier reluctant
Was suddenly embarrassed and corrected
How could such a creature survive in such a habitat?
And the secret door swings behind us
She's saying nothing, she's just giggling along
Even if they were to find us
I wouldn't notice, I'm completely occupied
As all the fools on parade cavort and carry on for waiting eyes
Ones you would rather be beside than in front of
But she's never been the kind to be hollowed by the stares
Fools on parade frolic and fuck about to make her gaze
Turn to a scribble on a page by a picture that holds her absence
But you're daft to think she'd care
Fools on parade
Fools on parade
Fools on parade
Conduct a sing-along
The song Secret Door by Arctic Monkeys speaks about a woman who is not affected by the judgment and opinions of others, indicated by the line “But she’s never been the kind to be hollowed by the stares.” She takes the lead in the song, pulling the singer away from the fools on parade. They escape from the tediousness of their surroundings, as it is “a magnolia celebration to be attempted on a Wednesday night.” The singer is skeptical about the situation, but as the woman leads him into the unknown, he begins to see the beauty in it.
As they reach the secret door, the woman is playful, giggling and not saying a word. Her calm demeanor is juxtaposed with the singer’s disbelief and awe. He is almost embarrassed by his earlier skepticism and corrected in his perception of her. At the end of the song, the fools on parade are “frolic[ing] and fuck[ing] about to make her gaze turn to a scribble,” but she remains unaffected by their antics. The final lines “But you’re daft to think she’d care/Fools on parade, fools on parade, fools on parade/Conduct a sing-along” rings true in showing the woman’s apathy to their behavior.
Overall, the song tells the story of a woman who is unbothered by the opinions of others and encourages the singer to join her in reveling in the unknown. The fools on parade represent the conformity and mundane aspects of life that the woman is trying to escape from. The secret door represents the gateway to new experiences and freedom from judgment.
Line by Line Meaning
Fools on parade cavort and carry on for waiting eyes
People are foolishly putting on a show, acting out and entertaining others who are eagerly watching.
That you would rather be beside than in front of
You'd rather be part of the audience than the performer in this spectacle.
But she's never been the kind to be hollowed by the stares
She's not affected or made empty by the attention and scrutiny of others.
She swam out of tonight's phantasm
She emerged from the surreal and illusory experience of the present moment.
Grabbed my hand and made it very clear
She took hold of my hand and communicated something unambiguously.
There's absolutely nothing for us here
There's nothing of value or interest in this place or situation.
It's a magnolia celebration to be attempted on a Wednesday night
It's a subdued and understated celebration that's appropriate for a weeknight.
It's better than to get a reputation as a miserable little tyke
It's preferable to avoid being seen as a whining or unhappy child.
At least that's the conclusion she came to in this overture
That's the decision or resolution she reached in this introductory or opening act.
And the secret door swings behind us
The hidden or unknown entrance closes shut as we move beyond it.
She's saying nothing, she's just giggling along
She's not speaking, but expresses her amusement with laughter.
Her arms were folded most indignant
She crossed her arms in a manner that showed her annoyance or displeasure.
Not looking like she was soon to leave
She appeared like she had no intention of departing anytime soon.
I had to squint in order to believe
I had to narrow my eyes in disbelief and wonder.
And then like a butler pushing on a bookshelf
Similar to a servant moving a secret panel in a wall,
I'm unveiling the unexpected
I'm revealing or exposing something surprising or unforeseen.
I, who was earlier reluctant
I previously felt hesitant or uncertain about something.
Was suddenly embarrassed and corrected
I suddenly felt ashamed and needed to be taught a lesson or corrected by someone.
How could such a creature survive in such a habitat?
How could someone like her exist or thrive in this kind of environment or situation?
Even if they were to find us
Even if others were to discover us.
I wouldn't notice, I'm completely occupied
I wouldn't pay attention to them because I'm fully absorbed or engrossed in something else.
Fools on parade frolic and fuck about to make her gaze
People are acting like fools, dancing around and having sex, in order to get her attention and interest.
Turn to a scribble on a page by a picture that holds her absence
Her image or memory would become just a hasty or illegible mark on a page next to a picture of her that highlights her absence or lack of presence.
But you're daft to think she'd care
You're foolish or mistaken to believe that she would be affected or concerned by this.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alex Turner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
pax
on 505
yo this is sick
robin
on When the Sun Goes Down
DAMNNN THEY ARE GOOD GOOD
robin
on Old Yellow Bricks
damn looking at these comments remind me that there is so many things to understand about the lyrics
Birgit Eierhoff
on Do I Wanna Know
The sound goes into the blood. :)
Jeannie Smith
on Do I Wanna Know
I like it.