Belle and Sebastian released their first two albums in 1996: Tigermilk, recorded over three days, and If You're Feeling Sinister, recorded in a week, at the peak of the chamber pop movement. At first, some critics in Britain's music weeklies tied the band into the subgenre, yet the group was too pretty, too delicate, to bear that label. Through their first two years of public existence, the band shielded their personalities, submitting publicity photos featuring a girl, who was a friend of the band and reluctantly posing for photo shoots. Furthermore, they performed in odd venues, playing not only the standard coffeehouses and cafes, but also homes, church halls, and libraries.
Prior to the formation of Belle and Sebastian, Murdoch suffered from a protracted battle with chronic fatigue syndrome, which forced him to drop out of school and spend seven years living in his parents' home crippled by his condition.Whilst in his parents home, Murdoch wrote a short story about a boy named Sebastian and a girl named Isabelle based on the names from Madame Cecile Aubery's children's book Belle et Sebastian. On New Year's Day 1996, Stuart attended a party at which he met a young singer and cellist named Isobel Campbell. In a letter to his brother Fraser, Murdoch explained how he was making a single for Stow college at the end of February. Murdoch opted to use the name Belle&Sebastian for the project because it was occupying him at the time. Murdoch took to songwriting as an escapism from the four walls surrounding him in his room and eventually recorded demos with bassist Stuart David whom he met at a government training programme called Beatbox. Murdoch quickly met a series of other musicians through social and musical circles in his hometown Glasgow and they agreed to help with the Stow project. The members he found for this initial lineup were Stevie Jackson (guitar), Mick Cooke (trumpet), Chris Geddes (keyboards), Stuart David (bass), Richard Colburn (drums), and Isobel Campbell (cello). The Stow College record was to be issued by Electric Honey, but it turned into a full album. The course instructor Alan Rankine determined that Murdoch had enough good material to record a full LP and could do so if they could get it all done in three days, studio time allotted for the single. Murdoch and his musicians rose to the challenge and recorded ten tracks putting the songs in order as they would appear on the record and mostly completing them in just a few takes.
In May of 1996, Belle and Sebastian self-released their debut album, Tigermilk, on Electric Honey Records. Only 1,000 copies of the album, which was only pressed on vinyl, were released, but it unexpectedly became a sensation, earning terrific word of mouth throughout the UK. As a result, the band became slightly more than a school project — it became an actual band. If You're Feeling Sinister, released on the independent Jeepster label, followed in November of 1996. By the time the album was released in America on the EMI subsidiary The Enclave, it had earned considerable critical acclaim in the U.K. — not only from music weeklies, but from newspapers like The Sunday Times and magazines like The Face — and a large cult following; by some accounts, Tigermilk was being sold for as much as 75 pounds. Over the course of 1997, word of mouth continued to grow in America, even as the band pulled out of an American tour because The Enclave went bankrupt and closed.
As the band cult continued to build in 1997, Belle and Sebastian released three EPs — Dog on Wheels (May), Lazy Line Painter Jane (July), and 3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light (October). Each subsequent EP placed higher on the indie charts and received great critical acclaim. Later in the year, violinist Sarah Martin became a member of the band. By the end of the year, the group finalized an American deal with Matador Records, issuing The Boy With the Arab Strap in September 1998. The following year saw the eagerly anticipated wide re-release of Tigermilk, the album that started it all. It was the biggest selling album but is unpopular with the group themselves. Following completion of 2000's Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant, Stuart David left Belle and Sebastian to focus full-time on his solo project, Looper, being replaced by Bobby Kildea of V-Twin. In 2001, the group released two EPs — Jonathan David and I'm Waking Up to Us — and recorded the soundtrack for Todd Solondz's film Storytelling. Just before the soundtrack's release in spring 2002, Belle and Sebastian embarked on a comprehensive tour of the United States and Canada before returning to Europe for the summer festival season. Midway through the tour, Isobel Campbell left the band, citing the usual differences.
Another major change that soon took place was the band leaving Jeepster and Matador to sign with Rough Trade, with their next record, late 2003's Dear Catastrophe Waitress, produced by the inimitable Trevor Horn (who also produced Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Yes, and scores of others). The record spawned the brilliant "Step into My Office, Baby" and "I'm a Cuckoo" singles, the latter of which was the group's biggest U.K. hit, reaching number 14 in early 2004. After a long worldwide tour that found Belle and Sebastian reaching new levels of success, they retired to Scotland and began preparing for the recording of their seventh full length album, The Life Pursuit, released in 2006.
In 2010, they released their eighth full length album, Write About Love.
Official website: www.belleandsebastian.com
Expectations
Belle and Sebastian Lyrics
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Tell your mum what to expect, she says it's right out of the blue
Do you went to work in Debenham's, because that's what they expect
Start in Lingerie, and Doris is your supervisor
And the head said that you always were a queer one from the start
For careers you say you went to be remembered for your art
Your obsessions get you known throughout the school for being strange
In the queue for lunch they take the piss, you've got no appetite
And the rumour is you never go with boys and you are tight
So they jab you with a fork, you drop the tray and go berserk
While your cleaning up the mess the teacher's looking up your skirt
You've been used, you're confused
Write a song, I'll sing along
Are you calm? Settle down
Soon you will know that you are sane
You're on top of the world again
Monday morning wake up knowing that you've got to go to school
Mum said she had little choice when she was young, so why should you?
Do you went to work in C&A, 'cause that's what they expect
Move to Ladieswear and take a feel off Joe the Storeman
Tell Veronica the secrets of the boy you never kissed
She's got everything to gain 'cause she's a fat girl with a lisp
She sticks up for you when you get aggravation from the snobs
'Cause you can't afford a blazer and you're always wearing clogs
At the interval you lock yourself away inside a room
Heed of English gets you, asks you, "What the Hell do you think you're doing?"
"Do you think you're better then the other kids? Well get outside."
You've got permission, but you've got to make the bastard think he's right
The lyrics of Belle and Sebastian’s Expectations paint a vivid picture of a teenage girl’s struggles with conformity, bullying, and societal norms. The song starts with the singer waking up on a Monday morning knowing that she has to go to school. She confides in her mother that she wants to work in the arts, but her mother dismisses her dreams and suggests that she should work in Debenham’s instead, starting in the lingerie section with Doris as her supervisor. The headmistress, on the other hand, thinks that she is peculiar and will never conform to the expectations of society.
Throughout the song, the singer faces ridicule from her peers who accuse her of being strange and a lesbian. She is even physically assaulted with a fork, which makes her go berserk. Despite all of this, she finds solace in her art and music, and she writes songs to express herself. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer feeling on top of the world again, and finding the strength to challenge the norm.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on conformity, the struggle for identity, and the power of art to help individuals express themselves. It shows the pressures that society puts on teenagers to conform to certain ideals, and the difficulties that individuals face when they decide to go against the norm.
Line by Line Meaning
Monday morning wake up knowing that you've got to go to school
The day starts with a reminder of the task for the day ahead - going to school
Tell your mum what to expect, she says it's right out of the blue
The singer prepares his mother for any sudden changes in plans at school or elsewhere
Do you went to work in Debenham's, because that's what they expect
People at school may pressure you into traditional, expected career choices
Start in Lingerie, and Doris is your supervisor
The artist is thrust into a job that challenges societal expectations, and must deal with a difficult boss.
And the head said that you always were a queer one from the start
The principal has singled out the artist, who is seen as different by the school.
For careers you say you went to be remembered for your art
The singer has clear career ambitions, preferring to be remembered for their artwork above all else.
Your obsessions get you known throughout the school for being strange
The singer's obsessions have caused them to become an outcast in the school community.
Making life-size models of the Velvet Underground in clay
The artist's unique artistic expression involves creating sculptures of a musical group
In the queue for lunch they take the piss, you've got no appetite
Bullies taunt and tease the artist for their differences, causing stress and anxiety.
And the rumour is you never go with boys and you are tight
Rumors spread about the artist's sexuality, causing further isolation and ostracization.
So they jab you with a fork, you drop the tray and go berserk
The bullying becomes physically violent, causing the singer to have an outburst.
While your cleaning up the mess the teacher's looking up your skirt
Even the teachers are complicit in the artist's mistreatment, invading their privacy.
You've been used, you're confused
The singer feels manipulated and uncertain about their place in society.
Write a song, I'll sing along
The singer turns to music as an outlet for their emotions.
Are you calm? Settle down
There is an internal struggle to find peace amid the chaos.
Soon you will know that you are sane
Despite the confusion and bullying, the artist still believes in their own sanity and worth.
You're on top of the world again
The artist feels empowered and triumphant in their sense of self-acceptance and self-worth.
Mum said she had little choice when she was young, so why should you?
The singer's mother has shared her own struggles with societal expectations, inspiring the singer to pursue their own path.
Do you went to work in C&A, 'cause that's what they expect
People at school and in society at large continue to pressure the singer into traditional career paths.
Move to Ladieswear and take a feel off Joe the Storeman
The artist continues to work in unconventional career paths, even if it means facing inappropriate behavior from coworkers.
Tell Veronica the secrets of the boy you never kissed
The artist confides in a trusted friend about their romantic experiences and lacks thereof.
She's got everything to gain 'cause she's a fat girl with a lisp
Veronica faces her own challenges and marginalized identity, and may value the artist's friendship as a result.
She sticks up for you when you get aggravation from the snobs
Veronica serves as an ally and helps to protect the singer from bullies and elitists.
'Cause you can't afford a blazer and you're always wearing clogs
The artist's economic struggles and nonconformist style further contribute to their status as an outsider.
At the interval you lock yourself away inside a room
The singer seeks solitude and security away from the social pressures of school and work.
Heed of English gets you, asks you, 'What the Hell do you think you're doing?'
The singer's eccentricities and artistic pursuits have caught the attention of their English teacher.
'Do you think you're better then the other kids? Well get outside.'
The teacher's interrogation is condescending and speaks to a larger culture of elitism.
You've got permission, but you've got to make the bastard think he's right
The artist is compelled to follow authority even if they feel that it is unjust or oppressive.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Cloud9
Written by: CHRISTOPHER GEDDES, ISOBEL CAMPBELL, MICHAEL COOKE, RICHARD COLBURN, STEPHEN JACKSON, STUART MURDOCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind