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.
The Great Defector
Bell X1 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you?re the farmer?s daughter
You been teasing us farm boys
Till we start talkin? about those rabbits, George
Oh won?t you tell us ?bout those rabbits, George
I am the defector
I give it what it need
Let?s make it rhyme
You?re the chocolate at the end of my Cornetto
I love the way your underwire bra
Always sets off that X-ray machine
Comin? into land and
Now I love the colour of it all
Blue lights on the runway
I love the colour of it all
I am the defector
?Cause someone stirred my soul
With that great big stick of hers
Kinda looks like an oar
The accountants have taken the movie
Yeah, they?re on set
The people from the mobile phone company
Say who gets to play and who gets to not
You?re a picture of the check out girl
Hand me a plastic bag
I got the sweats trying to open it
As it all piles up, I wish I didn?t bite my nails
Comin? into land and
Now I love the colour of it all
Blue lights on the runway
I love the colour of it all
Getting ready to spill my guts and
I love the colour of it all
To the waitress on roller skates
I love the colour of it all
Oh the colour of it all
I am the great defector
So I must affect an air
Of a man who?s maybe seen too much
But still just manages to care
Still you?re the chocolate at the end of my Cornetto
I love the way your underwire bra
Always sets off that X-ray machine
Comin? into land and
Now I love the colour of it all
Blue lights on the runway
I love the colour of it all
Getting ready to spill my guts and
I love the colour of it all
To the, to the waitress on roller skates
I love the colour of it all
Oh the colour of it all
Waitress on roller skates [x8]
(Love the colour of it all) [x2]
The song "The Great Defector" by Bell X1 is a complex and thought-provoking piece that discusses the themes of rebellion, freedom, and desire. Starting with the lines "I am the defector / And you're the farmer's daughter / You been teasing us farm boys / Till we start talkin' about those rabbits, George," the song sets a tone of rebellion and escape. The singer of the song is depicted as the "defector", someone who is breaking free from the status quo and is willing to take risks to achieve their desires.
The song goes on to describe the singer's desire for change and new beginnings, with lyrics like "Let's make a new world order / Let's make it rhyme." The song also contains vivid descriptions of desire and attraction, with lines like "You're the chocolate at the end of my Cornetto" and "I love the way your underwire bra / Always sets off that X-ray machine." The song explores the themes of rebellion and desire, tying them together in a complex and layered interpretation of human nature.
Overall, "The Great Defector" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that explores complex themes through vivid and engaging lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the defector
I am the one who has abandoned their previous allegiance or position.
And you?re the farmer?s daughter
You are the daughter of a farmer.
You been teasing us farm boys
You have been teasing the boys who work on the farm.
Till we start talkin? about those rabbits, George
Until we start talking about those rabbits that belong to someone named George.
Oh won?t you tell us ?bout those rabbits, George
Oh, won't you tell us about those rabbits, George?
I give it what it need
I provide what is needed.
Let?s make a new world order
Let's create a new system of organizing the world.
Let?s make it rhyme
Let's make it coherent or consistent in a pleasing way.
You?re the chocolate at the end of my Cornetto
You are the sweet reward or prize that comes at the end of something.
I love the way your underwire bra
I love the way your bra that has a thin, flexible wire in its lower edge to provide support.
Always sets off that X-ray machine
Always triggers the X-ray machine used for security screening or medical imaging.
Comin? into land and
Coming in for a landing and.
Now I love the colour of it all
Now I appreciate the vibrancy or richness of all the colors in this situation.
Blue lights on the runway
Blue lights marking the runway for the plane to follow.
I am the defector
I am the one who has abandoned their previous allegiance or position.
?Cause someone stirred my soul
Because someone caused a strong emotional reaction in me.
With that great big stick of hers
With that large stick or object that belongs to a woman.
Kinda looks like an oar
Kind of resembles a long pole used for rowing a boat.
The accountants have taken the movie
The financial professionals have taken control of the movie.
Yeah, they?re on set
Yes, they are on location where the movie is being filmed.
The people from the mobile phone company
The individuals from the company that provides mobile phone service.
Say who gets to play and who gets to not
Decide who is allowed to participate and who is not.
You?re a picture of the check out girl
You are a representation of the girl who works at the checkout in a store.
Hand me a plastic bag
Pass me a bag made of a synthetic material that will not easily tear or break.
I got the sweats trying to open it
I am sweating and experiencing discomfort while I try to open it.
As it all piles up, I wish I didn?t bite my nails
As everything accumulates or becomes more stressful, I regret having the habit of biting my nails.
Getting ready to spill my guts and
Preparing to reveal everything that is on my mind or in my heart and.
To the waitress on roller skates
To the woman who serves tables while wearing shoes with wheels.
Waitress on roller skates [x8]
Repeating the phrase to emphasize it.
(Love the colour of it all) [x2]
Repeating the phrase to emphasize it and express appreciation for the vibrancy or richness of all the colors.
I am the great defector
I am the one who has abandoned their previous allegiance or position and is now someone of significance.
So I must affect an air
So I must create or project a certain impression or appearance.
Of a man who?s maybe seen too much
Of a man who has possibly experienced too much in their life.
But still just manages to care
But still has the ability to show concern or compassion.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAVE BRIAN GERAGHTY, DOMINIC MICHAEL PHILLIPS, PAUL ANTHONY NOONAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
supafuckinmingster
As an Irish man I'm proud to be fellow countrymen of this band.............superb!
LKNH
Question for you, not sure where you are in Ireland, but have you ever been to a concert at King John Castle in Limerick?
I want to see Crowded House there next year but coming from the States. Thanks!
Alan Burke
Lyrics are absolutely amazing..complete poetry at its amazing best
dancingmonkey08
cant believe this album is 10 years old this month, my favourite song of the album has to be this
Nualaboala
Love these guys. I've been to 3 of their gigs and they are awesome live.
Ilia G
It... is not metal? SMH
murphy cullinane
Love this ...takes me back to my Talking Heads days....Brilliant Lyrics...take the time out to listen....
John Quigley
It’s a complete rip off of ‘and she was’
liam oshea
i would love to have written this song... on many many levels ... excellence
DonCornelius
I don't always listen to Steinbeck references from a band that sounds like a cross between the Doors and the Talking Heads.... but when I do I listen to this song.