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.
Snakes & Snakes
Bell X1 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need some coloring in
I need somebody who's going to give in
I need my own moon landing
I need a mission to Mars
I need to carry out repairs by the light of your star
Yea, I'm missing it too
I'm missing my voice when it's talking to you
I'm hearing your voice now
And here I go again
Coming over like mist be coming rain
All this serves to tell me
Is maybe there's no ladders in this game at all
All this serves to tell me is maybe only snakes like the one in the garden that has to crawl
All this serves to tell me
Is maybe there's no ladders in this game at all
All this serves to tell me is maybe only snakes like the one in the garden fucked it all
I need to smile like an Angel
I need to smile like a Fool
I need to smile like I'm pissing
In your swimming pool
The lyrics of Bell X1's song "Snakes & Snakes" may appear somewhat obscure at first glance, but a deeper analysis reveals their underlying message. The song seems to revolve around the theme of relationships, specifically the struggles of a romantic relationship characterized by a lack of communication and emotional intimacy. The singer is longing for a deeper connection with his partner, but feels that they are both constrained by the rules of the "game" that they are playing. The imagery of snakes and ladders reinforces this idea of a game with winners and losers, suggesting that the relationship is characterized by competition rather than cooperation.
The opening lines of the song, "I need some crayon light, I need some coloring in, I need somebody who's going to give in," convey a sense of longing for something that is missing. The singer wants more color and vibrancy in their life, but also recognizes that they need someone else to help them achieve this. The line "I need my own moon landing, I need a mission to Mars" suggests a desire for adventure and excitement, but also implies that the singer is feeling stuck and stagnant in their current situation. The metaphor of repairing something by the light of a star is a poignant one, suggesting that the singer wants to work on their relationship but needs the guidance and support of someone else to do so.
The chorus of the song is particularly powerful, repeating the phrase "All this serves to tell me" to convey a sense of frustration and hopelessness. The singer suggests that perhaps there are no easy solutions to the problems in their relationship, and that they are both trapped in a cycle of behavior that is difficult to break. The final lines of the song, "I need to smile like an Angel, I need to smile like a Fool, I need to smile like I'm pissing in your swimming pool" suggest a deep desire to be free and uninhibited, but also convey a sense of rebellion and defiance. The singer is frustrated with their current situation and wants to break free from the constraints that are holding them back.
Overall, "Snakes & Snakes" is a complex and emotionally charged song that speaks to the struggles of relationships characterized by a lack of communication and emotional intimacy. The use of metaphor and imagery is particularly effective in conveying the song's message, and the repetition of certain phrases adds to the sense of frustration and hopelessness that characterizes the singer's emotional state.
Line by Line Meaning
I need some crayon light
I need some bright, colorful light to make life less dull and gloomy
I need some coloring in
I need some excitement and variety to add some color to my life
I need somebody who's going to give in
I need someone who will compromise in a relationship instead of always resisting or fighting
I need my own moon landing
I need to accomplish something significant and leave my mark on the world
I need a mission to Mars
I need a challenging and exciting goal to work towards
I need to carry out repairs by the light of your star
I need to fix my problems and mistakes while being guided by the light and support of someone I love
You say you're missing my voice now
You claim that you're starting to miss hearing me speak
Yea, I'm missing it too
Yes, I also miss my own voice when I talk to you
I'm missing my voice when it's talking to you
I miss the sound of my own voice when I'm using it to communicate and connect with you
I'm hearing your voice now
I'm listening to your voice presently
And here I go again
I feel like I'm entering into a familiar, cyclical pattern with you
Coming over like mist be coming rain
I feel like my presence is subtle and gentle like mist, but still has the potential to bring change and impact like rain
All this serves to tell me
This reinforces the message within me
Is maybe there's no ladders in this game at all
Maybe there are no shortcuts or easy ways to climb to the top in life
All this serves to tell me is maybe only snakes like the one in the garden that has to crawl
This could mean that only the crooked and deceitful people, like the snake in the garden of Eden story in the Bible, succeed in life
All this serves to tell me is maybe only snakes like the one in the garden fucked it all
This line expresses a darker, more nihilistic version of the previous line, suggesting that only shady and immoral people are able to truly succeed in life while everyone else fails
I need to smile like an Angel
I need to have a radiant, heavenly smile that exudes joy and positivity
I need to smile like a Fool
I need to smile like someone who is unafraid to be vulnerable and express their emotions openly, like a fool might do
I need to smile like I'm pissing in your swimming pool
I need to have an impish and mischievous smile, like someone who is secretly enjoying causing chaos or disruption
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRIAN PATRICK CROSBY, DAVE BRIAN GERAGHTY, DOMINIC MICHAEL PHILLIPS, PAUL ANTHONY NOONAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind