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.
I will Follow You
Bell X1 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will follow you
Put all my money in gold and
Hope that we make it on through
I will follow you
I will follow you
Put all my faith in the man
Though it won't keep you warm
And you can't eat it
See me on my knees like Fagin
As my crown sinks in the shit
I will follow you
We're taking on water
We're carrying the weak
How dare those Chinese folk
Want to eat more red meat
The west is aging
Who will pay for our meds?
I guess when the time comes
We can always just tighten someone else's belt
I will follow you
There's too many of
Us hanging around here
Some buying, some
Selling the fear
Of water-wars and
Empty stores and deicide
So go back to where you came from
Or to where you did not
As long as it's not here trying
To take us for everything we got
And I will follow you
Bell X1's "I Will Follow You" evokes a sense of uncertainty towards the future and the notion of blindly following someone who might not have all the answers. The singer puts all their trust and hope in this person, believing that they have the answers to all their problems even if it means sacrificing everything they have. The lyrics, "put all my money in gold and hope that we make it on through" emphasizes the precarious situation the singer is in and how they must resort to drastic measures to make it through. The subsequent lyrics, "put all my faith in the man who says it's the thing to do" highlights the reliance on this mysterious figure and their supposed expertise.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of desperation and false hope. The singer acknowledges the fragility of their situation, declaring, "though it won't keep you warm and you can't eat it, see me on my knees like Fagin, as my crown sinks in the shit." Despite the doubtful future, the singer still pledges their loyalty and follows this authoritative figure. The lyrics, "we're taking on water, we're carrying the weak" radiate a sense of impending doom, with the singer feeling overwhelmed by the weight of their problems. The song ends on a note of separation, with the singer drawing a line between those who are "with" them and those who are "against" them.
Overall, "I Will Follow You" is a thought-provoking track that addresses universal themes such as trust, dependency, and desperation.
Line by Line Meaning
I will follow you
I am willing to stick with you through thick and thin, regardless of the challenges we face.
Put all my money in gold and
I am willing to invest all my money in gold and other valuable assets to ensure our financial stability and security.
Hope that we make it on through
I have faith that we can overcome any obstacles or difficulties that we may encounter along the way.
Put all my faith in the man
I believe in the advice given by the man who promotes taking certain actions or direction.
Who says it's the thing to do
I am convinced that the actions recommended by this man are the best course of action to take under the current circumstances.
Though it won't keep you warm
Investing all of my money in gold won't provide basic necessities like warmth or food.
And you can't eat it
Gold is not a practical solution for the hunger that we might face in our journey ahead.
See me on my knees like Fagin
I am willing to humble myself if it is necessary for us to succeed or overcome any obstacles.
As my crown sinks in the shit
My pride is of lesser importance than our success, and I am willing to make sacrifices to ensure that we are still viable regardless of circumstances.
We're taking on water
We are accumulating problems and difficulties that threaten our journey and progress.
We're carrying the weak
We are supporting and helping those who are weaker or less fortunate than us in our journey.
How dare those Chinese folk
I am indignant about the Chinese who are demanding greater food and resources at the expense of the West.
Want to eat more red meat
The Chinese are demanding higher quality and more varied food that the West can't keep up with.
The west is aging
Western countries are growing old and struggling to meet the needs of its aging population.
Who will pay for our meds?
The West is struggling to provide healthcare for those who need medication.
I guess when the time comes
There may come a time when we have to take from someone else to survive.
We can always just tighten someone else's belt
We can cut back on resources from other countries to try to survive and progress.
There's too many of us hanging around here
There are too many people in this world who are merely surviving and not working hard enough to progress or make a difference.
Some buying, some selling the fear
Some people are capitalizing and profiting from the fear and anxiety of others in the world.
Of water-wars and empty stores and deicide
We fear future wars over water resources, empty stores with no food or supplies, and even the possibility of deicide.
So go back to where you came from
Foreigners should leave and return to their original countries, rather than taking advantage of the West's resources.
Or to where you did not
Foreigners should find a new place to call home and not take advantage of the West's resources.
As long as it's not here trying
Foreigners should not try to take advantage of the West's resources or exploit the system here.
To take us for everything we got
Foreigners should not try to exploit or take advantage of the West's resources for their own gain.
Contributed by Natalie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.