1991 - 2000
Brian, Paul, Dom and Damien Rice form Juniper, having met in school. They go to college, play some weddings, 21st's and Bar Mitzvahs... and for a while have a Sunday night residency in the Kildrought Lounge and Bar, Celbridge. They meet Dave, who weans them off the Neil Diamond and Roxette covers. Band move into house in country, release EP, Manna, and two singles in Ireland. Damien leaves band, the others read about Chuck Yeager and his Right Stuff. They call the new band Bell X1. Bell X1 support Elliott Smith and Bon Jovi in the same 1 week period, leading to severe identity crisis, making small music with big hair. They make their first album, Neither Am I, in the summer/autumn of 1999 with Nick Seymour of Crowded House and release it in Ireland a year later, after much touring and a couple of old singles.
2001
Band take some time to indulge musical differences. Paul records and tours as drummer with Tipperary siren Gemma Hayes, Brian's away with Offaly hearthrob Mundy, and Dave and Dom join Richie Mullen of Lino Richie Carpets, Finglas, in touring cabaret show. Bell X1 regroup in late summer and write songs for what would become Music in Mouth in a house by the sea in Wexford.
2002
Second album recording starts in Ridge Farm studios in Surrey, with producer Jamie Cullum. After 4 weeks they move to the Fallout Shelter, London. The studio has no teapot!! Some moaning. The band take turns to make dinner. Some of it is shit. The world Cup happens. Mixing finishes in July and everyone goes away for a while. Come back and mix it all again. Borrow a friend's house in Kilkenny, record some more songs, play hurling, are laughed at by locals. Music in Mouth finally finished in December, a few days after the birth of Jamie's daughter Ellie, who was both conceived and born during the making of the record.
2003, 2004
The album Music in Mouth is released on July 21st 2003, to tremendous applause, and the band play with all sorts to try to flog it. Tom McRae, Keane, Starsailor, Aqualung and Snow Patrol show them the highways and byways of the UK and continental Europe. Songs from the record appear in many TV series, from Teachers to The OC, and at home the album goes double platinum, with four top 40 singles. In July 2004, the band gather in yet another house in Wexford to write a new record.
2005
Flock is recorded in Dublin and mixed in London, with Roger Becherian producing and Phil Hayes knob twiddling. A shrine to Daniel O' Donnell (Irish singing deity, ref Cliff Richard without ever having had a brush with cool) is created in the green room, Dave creates Pistachio Nut Shell Installation and mustaches are grown. The band take a break from recording and sell out a mini tour in the USA, where they record a live session for Nic Harcourt’s essential show on KCRW in L.A.
Flock is released in Ireland and hits the heights of #1 in the album charts. The band leaves Island Records and sets up its own record label called BellyUp records. A live album called Tour De Flock is released - it is a 2-disc compilation featuring 16 tracks from their sold-out gig at The Point Theatre, Dublin on December 1, 2006.
In 2008, Flock is released in the USA and the band appears on the St. Patrick's Day edition of the Late Show with David Letterman.
On 2nd October, Brian Crosby quits saying "It's been an extraordinary privilege to be in a band with your mates for more than 15 years. I'm really grateful for everything I got to do with Bell X1, for all the adventures we had and for the great support of our fans. It's been particularly wonderful to have connected with so many people and to have got to meet people all over the world doing what I love. I look forward to continue making those connections. At the same time I'll be applauding the boys continued success."
As well as promoting Flock in the USA, the band gets busy recording a new album Blue Lights On The Runway. It finally sees the light of day in 2009, with lead single The Great Defector becoming their biggest hit to date (no. 3 in the Irish charts).
2011
The band will release its newest album Bloodless Coup in stores and online on April 1 in Ireland, April 4 in the UK, April 8 in Germany and Benelux, April 12 in the USA and Canada, and April 26 in France. The album's lead single is “Velcro,” which the band performed on The Rachael Ray Show on St. Patrick's Day.
Breastfed
Bell X1 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're ever changing, I stay the same
You give good sermon, I say bad grace
My food for the soul it leaves a bad taste
You save yourself, I'm saved by the bell
Never left my head, I've no story to tell
You save yourself, I'm saved by the bell
I was doing fine when I was breastfed
I blame it on the milkman on my deathbed
Yeah, I was doing swell when I was breastfed
Pasteurize, homogenize, he said
You've got convictions, I've got fence arse
I'm nowhere near the cliff but I can see the drop
I'm all sound and fury, I'm smoke without fire
I see your watermark when I hold you to the light
You're so pretty, I'm so lame
Cleanliness is closer to godliness they say
Well now what does that mean?
If you can be God, well I can be clean
I was doing fine when I was breastfed
I blame it on the milkman on my deathbed
Yeah, I was doing swell when I was breastfed
Pasteurize, homogenize, he said
You're so pretty and I'm so lame
You're so pretty and I'm so lame
You're so pretty and I'm so lame
You're so pretty and I'm so lame
You're so pretty and I'm so lame
You're so pretty and I'm so lame
You're so pretty and I'm so lame
You're so pretty and I'm so lame
I was doing fine when I was breastfed
I blame it on the milkman on my deathbed
Yeah, I was doing swell when I was breastfed
Pasteurize, homogenize, he said
In "Breastfed," Bell X1 explores the feelings of inadequacy that can arise in a relationship when one person feels inferior to the other. The singer acknowledges that his partner is intelligent, constantly changing, and capable of giving insightful sermons. On the other hand, he describes himself as "lame," with bad grace and food for the soul that leaves a bad taste. The metaphor of being "saved by the bell" suggests that he is barely getting by, relying on luck rather than effort or talent. He contrasts himself to his partner, who he implies is more self-reliant and independent.
The singer also implies that he wasn't always this way. He references being "breastfed" and doing "fine," suggesting that he once had a more solid foundation in life. However, he blames his current shortcomings on the "milkman" - a symbolic figure who could represent a variety of things. He could be referring to a literal milkman who contaminated his milk, leading to a sickly childhood. Or, he could be using the milkman as a metaphor for societal influences that have hindered his growth. Either way, the singer is laying blame for his current state on something else.
Overall, "Breastfed" is a thoughtful examination of how unequal power dynamics and past experiences can shape our current relationships and sense of self-worth.
Line by Line Meaning
You're so pretty and I'm so lame
I am inferior in comparison to your beauty and charm.
You're ever changing, I stay the same
You are dynamic and transformative while I am stagnant and unchanging.
You give good sermon, I say bad grace
You are influential and persuasive, while I am unconvincing and unappealing.
My food for the soul it leaves a bad taste
What I offer as nourishment for the soul is unpleasant and unsatisfactory.
You save yourself, I'm saved by the bell
You are independent and self-reliant, while I rely on external factors to save me.
Never left my head, I've no story to tell
My experiences are unremarkable and not worth sharing.
I was doing fine when I was breastfed
I was better off when I was dependent on others for sustenance and support.
I blame it on the milkman on my deathbed
I attribute my eventual demise to outside forces beyond my control.
Pasteurize, homogenize, he said
The milkman's actions of sterilizing and standardizing milk affected my well-being.
You've got convictions, I've got fence arse
You have strong beliefs and values, while I am indecisive and uncertain.
I'm nowhere near the cliff but I can see the drop
I am not in immediate danger, but I am aware of the risks and consequences.
I'm all sound and fury, I'm smoke without fire
I make a lot of noise and commotion, but I lack substance and significance.
I see your watermark when I hold you to the light
I notice your unique qualities and attributes when I examine you more closely.
Cleanliness is closer to godliness they say
Being clean and pure is believed to be more desirable and virtuous.
Well now what does that mean?
I am skeptical about the validity of this statement and seek further clarification.
If you can be God, well I can be clean
If you can embody godliness, then I too can strive for purity and righteousness.
Contributed by Zoe B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.