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
Photo Jenny
Belle and Sebastian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's nothing for me til tomorrow morning
How will I get there?
How will I get there?
I don't do drugs
All my friends are on their holidays
I go outside, it's not so bad
The girls are holding hands
The girls are holding hands
Don't be a fool
It's 1995, the girls are just friends
They've got the drugs I could use but then I don't want any
All that I want is a photograph of Photo Jenny
How will I get one? I don't know
How will I get one? I don't know
How will I get her to strike a pose?
It's getting cold, I'll catch the bus
I see my friend when she's finished working
Get some fish and chips
La la la la la
What's on the box?
'Man about the house' with Paula Wilcox
You see the boy/girl's at the bar
Now everyone thinks she's really ugly
But I shut my eyes
But I shut my eyes
I make a film
And the star of it is
And the star of it is
And the star of it is Photo Jenny
They got the drugs I could use but then I don't want any
All that I want is a photograph of Photo Jenny
How will I get one? I don't know
How will I get one? I don't know
How will I get her to strike a pose?
The lyrics to Belle and Sebastian's song "Photo Jenny" tell a story of a narrator who is feeling lost and aimless in the present moment. They are surrounded by friends who are using drugs and partying on holiday, while the singer seeks something more meaningful. The singer sees two girls holding hands and is taken aback, but their friend reassures them that it is simply a sign of friendship. The singer then becomes fixated on Photo Jenny, a character who is not explicitly defined in the song. They long for a photograph of her and even make a film in which she is the star, but they are unable to find a way to get her to pose for them.
The song captures the experience of feeling directionless and in search of something to cling to. Photo Jenny represents the object of the singer's desire, yet they cannot obtain her. The lyrics are also infused with references to pop culture, such as the mention of the television show "Man about the house" and the specific year of 1995. This creates a sense of nostalgia and familiarity that enhances the listener's connection to the singer's emotions.
Overall, "Photo Jenny" is a poignant and relatable song that explores the longing for connection and purpose in a world that can feel overwhelming and lacking in substance.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm in a mess, I'm in a dress
I am in a state of confusion and vulnerability.
There's nothing for me til tomorrow morning
I have no plans for the night.
How will I get there?
I am uncertain about how to proceed.
I don't do drugs
I do not partake in the use of narcotics.
All my friends are on their holidays
All of my acquaintances are on vacation.
I go outside, it's not so bad
The outside atmosphere is comfortable.
I see my friend and he couldn't believe that
I observe a friend's disbelief in something.
The girls are holding hands
The females are physically linked.
Don't be a fool
Do not act foolishly.
It's 1995, the girls are just friends
It is currently 1995, the girls have a platonic relationship.
They've got the drugs I could use but then I don't want any
They have access to drugs, but I have no desire to partake.
All that I want is a photograph of Photo Jenny
I desire a captured moment of Photo Jenny.
How will I get one? I don't know
I am unsure how to obtain a photo of Photo Jenny.
How will I get her to strike a pose?
I am uncertain of how to ask Photo Jenny to pose for a photograph.
It's getting cold, I'll catch the bus
The temperature is decreasing, and I will take public transportation.
I see my friend when she's finished working
I encounter my friend after they have finished their job.
Get some fish and chips
I obtain a portion of fried fish and potatoes.
What's on the box?
What program is being broadcasted on television?
'Man about the house' with Paula Wilcox
A currently airing television show named 'Man about the house' starring Paula Wilcox.
You see the boy/girl's at the bar
I notice a male or female individual located at a bar.
Now everyone thinks she's really ugly
The general consensus is that the individual is unattractive.
But I shut my eyes
I close my eyes.
I make a film
I create a movie.
And the star of it is Photo Jenny
The main character of the produced film is Photo Jenny.
They got the drugs I could use but then I don't want any
Drugs are available, though I have no interest in using them.
All that I want is a photograph of Photo Jenny
I still desire to acquire a snapshot of Photo Jenny.
How will I get one? I don't know
I am still research how to obtain a photo of Photo Jenny.
How will I get her to strike a pose?
My plan to request her to pose for a photograph is still unclear.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAMPBE, CHRISTOPHER GEDDES, ISOBEL CAMPBELL, MICHAEL COOKE, RICHARD COLBURN, SARAH MARTIN, STEPHEN JACKSON, STUART MURDOCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@PerfectosIdiotasPunk
I'm in a mess, I'm in a dress
There's nothing for me til tomorrow morning
How will I get there?
How will I get there?
I don't do drugs
All my friends are on their holidays
I go outside, it's not so bad
I see my friend and he couldn't believe that
The girls are holding hands
The girls are holding hands
Don't be a fool
It's 1995, the girls are just friends
They've got the drugs I could use but then I don't want any
All that I want is a photograph of Photo Jenny
How will I get one? I don't know
How will I get one? I don't know
How will I get her to strike a pose?
It's getting cold, I'll catch the bus
I see my friend when she's finished working
Get some fish and chips
La la la la la
What's on the box?
'Man about the house' with Paula Wilcox
You see the boy/girl's at the bar
Now everyone thinks she's really ugly
But I shut my eyes
But I shut my eyes
I make a film
And the star of it is
And the star of it is
And the star of it is Photo Jenny
They got the drugs I could use but then I don't want any
All that I want is a photograph of Photo Jenny
How will I get one? I don't know
How will I get one? I don't know
How will I get her to strike a pose?
@patrickstocks3576
I’m in a mess, I’m in a dress
There’s nothing from here till tomorrow morning
How will I get there?
I don’t do drugs
All my friends are on their holidays
I go outside, it’s not so bad
I saw my friend and he couldn’t believe that
The girls were holding hands
The girls are holding hands
Don’t be a fool
It’s 1995, the girls are just friends
They got the drugs I could use but then I don’t need any
All they I want is a photograph of Photo Jenny
How will I get one? I don’t know
How will I get one? I don’t know
How will I get her to strike a pose?
It’s getting cold, I’ll catch the bus
I saw my friend when she’s finished working
Get some fish & chips
What’s on the box?
‘Man about the house’ with Paula Wilcox
You see the boy/girls at the bar
Everyone thinks she’s really ugly
But I shut my eyes
And the star of it is Photo Jenny
@rayanneflorence1830
I have been searching for this song for forever! I used to love it as a kid.
@compudida
woke up with this song in my head this morning
@sebastianvelcro
Beautiful song
@markmac495
Thanks for posting, my favourite Belle & Sebastian song; peculiarly unknown/unpopular... ?
@greenwave819
no way, B&S fans love photo Jen
@greenwave819
I believe our girl Jen also happens to be "The Model"
@ImInterestedInApathy808
@@greenwave819 The girl in 'The Model' is a model named Lisa who is also in the song ''Beautiful' (that song tells her story). Photo Jenny is about a crossdresser.
@kirenkaur1243
2:29
@punkrocker8355
Released in 1997
@snatchzell
preformed live in 1996 ;)