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/
Sun Goes Down
Arctic Monkeys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wonder what went wrong so that she had to roam the streets
She don't do major credit cards, I doubt she does receipts
It's all not quite legitimate
And what a scummy man
Just give him half a chance, I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes, yeah, that he's got a driving ban
Among some other offences
And he told Roxanne to put on her red light
They're all infected but he'll be alright
'Cause he's a scumbag, don't you know?
I said, he's a scumbag, don't you know?
Although you're trying not to listen
Avert your eyes and staring at the ground
She makes a subtle proposition
I'm sorry, love, I'll have to turn you down
And oh, he must be up to summat
What are the chances? Sure it's more than likely
I've got a feeling in my stomach
And start to wonder what his story might be
What his story might be, yeah
'Cause they said it changes when the sun goes down
Yeah, they said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
Around here, oh
Look, here comes a Ford Mondeo
Isn't he Mister Inconspicuous?
And he don't even have to say owt
She's in the stance ready to get picked up
Bet she's delighted when she sees him
Pullin' in and givin' her the eye
Because she must be fuckin' freezin'
Scantily-clad beneath the clear night sky
It don't stop in the winter, no
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Yeah, they said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
Well, they said it changes when the sun goes down
Over the river going out of town
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
Around here, oh
And what a scummy man
Just give him half a chance, I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes, yeah, that he's got a nasty plan
I hope you're not involved at all
The Arctic Monkeys' "When the Sun Goes Down" paints a vivid picture of a seedy red-light district in Sheffield, England. The song tells the story of a young prostitute and her interactions with the shady patrons of the area. The opening lines introduce a girl that the singer wonders about, questioning what drove her to sell herself on the streets. The following lines describe the characters she interacts with, particularly a "scummy man" who is known to be a thief and has been banned from driving.
As the story unfolds, the singer is propositioned by the prostitute but turns her down. Meanwhile, he observes the man in the Ford Mondeo picking up the girl and taking her away. The song comes full circle as it ends with a repetition of the chorus and a warning about the dangers of getting involved with the wrong crowd.
The lyrics of "When the Sun Goes Down" are incredibly detailed and evocative in their description of the dingy, illicit setting. The song highlights the harsh realities of life for those who are struggling to get by in economically deprived areas, as well as the dangers posed by nefarious figures who take advantage of vulnerable individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
I said, who's that girl there?
The singer wonders about a girl he sees on the street.
I wonder what went wrong so that she had to roam the streets
The singer ponders why the girl is out on the streets.
She don't do major credit cards, I doubt she does receipts
The girl is probably involved in illegal activities.
It's all not quite legitimate
The girl's activities are dubious and not legal.
And what a scummy man
The singer observes a man who is a lowlife.
Just give him half a chance, I bet he'll rob you if he can
The lowlife man is likely to steal from people if he gets the opportunity.
Can see it in his eyes, yeah, that he's got a driving ban
The lowlife man has had his license taken away for some reason.
Among some other offences
The lowlife man has committed other crimes.
And I've seen him with girls of the night
The singer has seen the lowlife man with prostitutes.
And he told Roxanne to put on her red light
The lowlife man has requested the services of a prostitute named Roxanne.
They're all infected but he'll be alright
The lowlife man may be involved in risky behavior, but he thinks he'll be okay.
'Cause he's a scumbag, don't you know?
The singer emphasizes that the lowlife man is terrible.
Although you're trying not to listen
The singer notices that the listener is trying to avoid the topic of the lowlife man.
Avert your eyes and staring at the ground
The listener is avoiding making eye contact with the singer, perhaps because they're uncomfortable with the topic.
She makes a subtle proposition
The girl on the street makes a suggestive gesture to the lowlife man.
I'm sorry, love, I'll have to turn you down
The singer imagines turning down a proposition from the girl on the street.
And oh, he must be up to summat
The singer suspects the lowlife man is plotting something.
What are the chances? Sure it's more than likely
The singer thinks it's very probable that the lowlife man is up to something.
I've got a feeling in my stomach
The singer has a gut feeling about the situation.
And start to wonder what his story might be
The singer thinks about what could have led the lowlife man to this point in his life.
'Cause they said it changes when the sun goes down
The singer notes that things might change at night, suggesting that the lowlife man's behavior may be different at night.
Around here
The singer is referring to the area where he is.
Look, here comes a Ford Mondeo
The singer points out a car passing by.
Isn't he Mister Inconspicuous?
The driver of the car, a Ford Mondeo, seems unremarkable.
And he don't even have to say owt
The driver doesn't even have to say anything to get the girl's attention.
She's in the stance ready to get picked up
The girl expects the driver to pick her up.
Bet she's delighted when she sees him
The girl is probably happy when she sees the driver pick her up.
Pullin' in and givin' her the eye
The driver pulls over and looks at the girl suggestively.
Because she must be fuckin' freezin'
The girl is probably cold because she is scantily clad.
Scantily-clad beneath the clear night sky
The girl is dressed in revealing clothing despite the cold weather.
It don't stop in the winter, no
The activities of the girl and the lowlife man don't stop in the winter.
Over the river going out of town
The singer is referring to a location near a river where people leave town.
Well, they said it changes when the sun goes down
The singer is repeating his earlier observation that things change when the sun goes down.
Around here
The singer is referring again to the area he is in.
And what a scummy man
The singer again emphasizes that the lowlife man is terrible.
Just give him half a chance, I bet he'll rob you if he can
The lowlife man will take advantage of people if he gets the opportunity.
Can see it in his eyes, yeah, that he's got a nasty plan
The lowlife man has a sinister plan in mind.
I hope you're not involved at all
The singer hopes that the listener is not involved with the lowlife man or the girl on the street.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alex Turner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@williamduncan7401
The intro is JUST GREAT. Here are some timestamps to perfectly illustrate the lyrics:
0:17 "She don't do major credit cards"
Him: Hi, can I pay with a visa?
She: (you can see her frown right before the scene is changed)
0:27 "Just give him half a chance"
Him: Begging
Her: Ok, ok, ok, fine!
0:29 "I bet he'll rob you if he can"
Him: "Oh, let me just take that, you're not eating it are you?"
Her face: SCUMBAG
0:34 "He's got a driving ban"
Him: (no comment needed. if you're not from the UK, you probably didn't see he's driving [driver sits on the right side])
0:44 "And he told Roxanne to put on her red light"
Him: Hey Roxanne, put on your red light.
0:49 "They're all infected"
She: (seems quite sick)
0:57 Alex: "I SAID HE'S A SCUMBAG DON'T YOU KNOW"
@corkscrewlikesyou
Lyrics :
So who's that girl there?
I wonder what went wrong
So that she had to roam the streets
She don't do major credit cards
I doubt she does receipts
It's all not quite legitimate
And what a scummy man
Just give him half a chance
I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes, yeah
That he's got a driving ban
Amongst some other offences
And I've seen him with girls of the night
And he told Roxanne to put on her red light
They're all infected but he'll be alright
Cause he's a scumbag, don't you know
I said he's a scumbag, don't you know!
Although you're trying not to listen
Avert your eyes and staring at the ground
She makes a subtle proposition
I'm sorry love I'll have to turn you down
He must be up to something
Want half a chance to show he's more than likely
I've got a feeling in my stomach
I start to wonder what his story might be
What his story might be
They said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
Around here
And look here comes a Ford Mondeo
Isn't he Mister Inconspicuous
And he don't even have to say 'owt
She understands she's here to get picked up
And she's delighted when she sees him
Pulling in and giving her the eye
Because she must be fucking freezing
Scantily clad beneath the clear night sky
She don't stop in the winter, no and...
They said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
They said it changes when the sun goes down
Over the river going out to town
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
Around here
What a scummy man
Just give him half a chance
I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes that he's got a nasty plan
I hope you're not involved at all
@greatwolf2085
Lyrics
Said, who's that girl there?
I wonder what went wrong
So that she had to roam the streets
She don't do major credit cards
I doubt she does receipts
It's all not quite legitimate
And what a scummy man
Just give him half a chance
I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes, yeah
That he's got a driving ban
Amongst some other offences
And I've seen him with girls of the night
And he told Roxanne to put on her red light
They're all infected but he'll be alright
'Cause he's a scumbag, don't you know?
I said, he's a scumbag, don't you know?
Although you're trying not to listen
Avert your eyes and staring at the ground
She makes a subtle proposition
"I'm sorry, love, I'll have to turn you down"
And oh, he must be up to summat
What are the chances? Sure it's more than likely
I've got a feeling in my stomach
And start to wonder what his story might be
What his story might be, yeah
'Cause they said it changes when the sun goes down
Yeah, they said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here, around here, oh
And look here comes a Ford Mondeo
Isn't he Mister Inconspicuous?
And he don't have to say 'owt
She's in the stance ready to get picked up
Bet she's delighted when she sees him
Pulling in and giving her the eye
Because she must be fucking freezing
Scantily-clad beneath the clear night sky
And don't stop in the winter, no
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Yeah, they said it changes when the sun goes down
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
Well, they said it changes when the sun goes down
Over the river, going out of town
And they said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here, around here, oh
And what a scummy man
Just give him half a chance
I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes, yeah, that he's got a nasty plan
I hope you're not involved at all
@the17thdoctor1
For those who aren’t from England
This is England
@ratb4st4rd30
Amen
@simplelife88393
apart from the fact everyones white, which isnt reality due to mass migration
@vampsvalntyne
Honestly this is how some of my British friends described it
@Ky-xm7tc
Big Blocka yeah lol, if you live anywhere like London. Being white is the minority
@nickwalsalltown75
Only the nice bits
@user-fr3gh5cx4w
the amount of love i have for this band is unreal
@callmealpha7548
Yea im a 5 yo fan
@uhhhhh2672
Ikr! I can't help but be on the verge of tears when I listen to them sometimes
@lucas82
You haven't heard their latest album then, my god it's terrible, and pretentious. I loved AM's first two albums but damn their more recent music sucks ass.