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
Funny Little Frog
Belle and Sebastian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I get to be myself and I get to sing
I get to play at being irresponsible
I come home late at night and I love your soul
I never forget you in my prayers
I never have a bad thing to report
You're my picture on the wall
You're the one I'm talking to
When I get in from my work
You are my girl, and you don't even know it
I am livin' out the life of a poet
I am the jester in the ancient court
You're the funny little frog in my throat
My eye sight's fading, my hearing's dim
I can't get insured for the state I'm in
I'm a danger to myself I've been starting fights
At the party at the club on a Saturday night
But I don't get disapproving from my girl
She gets the all highlights wrapped in pearls.
You're my picture on the wall
You're my vision in the hall
You're the one I'm talking to
When I get in from my work
You are my girl, and you don't even know it
I am livin' out the life of a poet
I am the jester in the ancient court
You're the funny little frog in my throat
I had a conversation with you at night
It's a little one sided but that's alright
I tell you in the kitchen about my day
You sit on the bed in the dark changing places
With the ghost that was there before you came
You've come to save my life again
I don't dare to touch your hand
I don't dare to think of you
In a physical way
And I don't know how you smell
You are the cover of my magazine
You're my fashion tip, a living museum
I'd pay to visit you on rainy Sundays
I'll maybe tell you all about it someday
The Belle and Sebastian song "Funny Little Frog" is a love song that reflects on the beauty of loving someone, even in their faults. The lyrics reveal the singer's gratitude for being able to be himself around his partner, without judgment or fear of disapproval. The singer is able to indulge in his own idiosyncrasies and mischief, without fear of being judged by the one he loves. In the chorus, the singer compares his love to his partner as the "funny little frog in my throat," representing the joy and excitement that their presence brings in his life.
The singer also reflects on the aging process and his own physical decline. He speaks about his eyesight and hearing loss and his inability to get insurance in the state he is in. He acknowledges that he is a danger to himself and others, but his partner continues to remain supportive without judgment. The lyrics demonstrate the unconditional nature of love, and how it can persist even in difficult times. The song exudes warmth towards the singer's partner with the sincere expression of gratitude for all of her love and support.
Line by Line Meaning
Honey lovin' you is the greatest thing
Being in love with you is the best thing that has ever happened to me
I get to be myself and I get to sing
When I am with you, I can be who I really am and express myself through music
I get to play at being irresponsible
With you, I can let loose and have fun without worrying about the consequences of my actions
I come home late at night and I love your soul
Even when I am out late, I still think of you and cherish your inner beauty
I never forget you in my prayers
I always keep you in my thoughts and hope for the best for you
I never have a bad thing to report
I always have positive things to say about you and our relationship
You're my picture on the wall
I have a photo of you displayed prominently in my home
You're my vision in the hall
When I see you in the hallway, it brightens my entire day
You're the one I'm talking to
You are the person I confide in and communicate with the most
When I get in from my work
As soon as I come home from work, I want to spend time with you
You are my girl, and you don't even know it
I am in love with you, even if you are not aware of my feelings yet
I am livin' out the life of a poet
Being in love inspires me to write poetry and express my emotions creatively
I am the jester in the ancient court
I feel like a playful and humorous character in the grand scheme of things
You're the funny little frog in my throat
You make me feel a fluttery and excited feeling in my chest, like a frog jumping around
My eye sight's fading, my hearing's dim
As I get older, my eyesight and hearing are not as good as they used to be
I can't get insured for the state I'm in
I am in poor health and cannot find an insurance provider that will cover me
I'm a danger to myself I've been starting fights
Sometimes I put myself in harm's way by getting into arguments and confrontations
At the party at the club on a Saturday night
I tend to get into trouble when I go out and party on the weekends
But I don't get disapproving from my girl
You don't judge me or look down on me for my mistakes and shortcomings
She gets the all highlights wrapped in pearls.
Instead, you focus on my positive qualities and make me feel special and loved
I don't dare to touch your hand
I am nervous and shy around you, and don't know how to initiate physical contact
I don't dare to think of you
I am afraid to acknowledge my feelings for you, in case they are not reciprocated
In a physical way
I am hesitant to take our relationship to a more intimate level
And I don't know how you smell
Despite how much time we spend together, I haven't noticed your individual scent
You are the cover of my magazine
You are the most beautiful and captivating person I know, and I am drawn to you like a magazine cover
You're my fashion tip, a living museum
Your style and taste inspire me, and I feel like I am visiting an art exhibit when I see you
I'd pay to visit you on rainy Sundays
I love spending time with you so much, I would even pay for the privilege on a dreary day
I'll maybe tell you all about it someday
Someday, I hope to gather the courage to express all of these thoughts and feelings to you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB KILDEA, CHRISTOPHER GEDDES, MICHAEL COOKE, RICHARD COLBURN, SARAH MARTIN, STEPHEN JACKSON, STUART MURDOCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mcal6260
Honey lovin' you is the greatest thing
I get to be myself and I get to sing
I get to play at being irresponsible
I come home late at night and I love your soul
I never forget you in my prayers
I never have a bad thing to report
You're my picture on the wall
You're my vision in the hall
You're the one I'm talking to
When I get in from my work
You are my girl, and you don't even know it
I am livin' out the life of a poet
I am the jester in the ancient court
You're the funny little frog in my throat
My eye sight's fading, my hearing's dim
I can't get insured for the state I'm in
I'm a danger to myself I've been starting fights
At the party at the club on a Saturday night
But I don't get disapproving from my girl
She gets the all highlights wrapped in pearls.
You're my picture on the wall
You're my vision in the hall
You're the one I'm talking to
When I get in from my work
You are my girl, and you don't even know it
I am livin' out the life of a poet
I am the jester in the ancient court
You're the funny little frog in my throat
I had a conversation with you at night
It's a little one sided but that's alright
I tell you in the kitchen about my day
You sit on the bed in the dark changing places
With the ghost that was there before you came
You've come to save my life again
I don't dare to touch your hand
I don't dare to think of you
In a physical way
And I don't know how you smell
You are the cover of my magazine
You're my fashion tip, a living museum
I'd pay to visit you on rainy Sundays
I'll maybe tell you all about it someday
@patrickstocks3576
Honey, lovin’ you is the greatest thing
I get to be myself and I get to sing 🎤
I get to play at being irresponsible
I come home late and I love your soul
I never forget you in my prayers
I never have a bad thing to report
You’re my picture on the wall
You’re my vision in the hall
You’re the one I’m talking too
When I get in from my work
You are my girl and you don’t even know it
I am livin’ out the life of a poet
I am the jester in the ancient court
And you’re the funny little frog in my throat
My eyesights fading, my hearings dim
I can’t get insured for the state I’m in
I’m a danger to myself, I’ve been starting fights
At the party at the club on a Saturday night
But I don’t get disapproving from my girl 👧
She gets all the highlights wrapped in pearls
You’re my picture on the wall
You’re my vision in the hall
You’re the one I’m talking too
When I get in from my work
You are my girl and you don’t even know it
I am livin’ out the life of a poet
I am the jester in the ancient court
And you’re the funny little frog in my throat
Had a conversation with you at night
It’s a little one-sided but that’s all right
I tell you in the kitchen about my day
You sit on the bed in the dark changing places
With the ghost that was there before you came
You’ve come to save my life again
I don’t dare to touch your hand 🤚
I don’t dare to think of you
In a physical way
And I don’t know how you smell
You are the cover of my magazine
You’re my fashion tip, a living museum
I’d pay to visit you on rainy Sundays
I’ll maybe tell you all about it someday
@alfiekelly5914
My wee sisters favourite song. We played it at her funeral. A happy song on a sad occasion.
@randyv.4206
Probably the best pop tune of all time. Absolute perfection. I will never get tired of this song.
@takemeoutonight
This is the first song I heard by Belle and Sebastian. Now they are my favorite band.
@EM_333
takemeoutonight me too!
@susannahiscool9232
Facts
@lovetroublecat
I heard the album, boy with Arab strap quirky cool so many cool Scottish artists
@twocountries
16 years ago i got this album for my birthday and i remember it blow me away like dancing for weeks and being in the clouds . Such sofisticated and intelligent music .
Lifts my heart up
@philipsiggers5342
Learn how to spell sophisticated!
@johnjavier36866
The thing with Stuart is his play with words and amazing imagination. He's a good poet.
@MrRomuloantonio
16 years of this masterpiece