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
Seymour Stein
Belle and Sebastian Lyrics
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I caught a glimpse of someones face
It was mine and I'd been crying
Half a world away
Ticket for a plane
Record company man
I won't be coming to dinner
My thoughts are far away
I?m working on that day
North country girl
1 think she's going to stay
Promises of fame, promises of fortune
LA to new york, San Francisco back to Boston
Has he ever seen Dundee?
Won't he hire a limousine?
Seymour send her back to me
I heard dinner went well
You liked Chris's jacket
He reminded you of Johnny
Before he went electronic
Seymour stein, sorry I missed you
Have a nice flight home
It's a good day for flying
The song Seymour Stein by Belle and Sebastian is about the loneliness felt by an artist that is trying to make it in the music industry. The lyrics depict the singer, who may be a struggling musician, receiving an invitation for dinner from the record company man, Seymour Stein. However, the singer decides not to attend and instead daydreams about the future when he would have made it and his mind is occupied by thoughts of a North country girl.
The lyrics convey the idea that the artist is willing to pursue his dreams, even if it means leaving loved ones behind. The singer mentions the promises of fame and fortune, which he has been chasing, and the narrative of his journey takes us from LA to New York, San Francisco to Boston, and even to the artist’s hometown, Dundee. The second half of the song speaks from an opposing view, as the artist expresses their regret for not attending Seymour’s dinner party, indicating a possible missed opportunity. Nonetheless, the artist ends the song with a positive note, wishing Seymour a safe flight home on “a good day for flying”.
Overall, the song's lyrics focus on the fleeting nature of pursuing dreams in the music industry, and the sacrifices that come with it. It also highlights the longing for connection and the difficulties in maintaining relationships while chasing success.
Line by Line Meaning
Seymour stein, I've been lonely
The singer has been feeling lonely and addresses Seymour Stein to express this feeling.
I caught a glimpse of someones face
The singer saw a face that looked familiar.
It was mine and I'd been crying
The singer realized that the face he saw was his own and he had been crying.
Half a world away
The singer is located far from home, halfway across the world.
Ticket for a plane
The singer has a plane ticket to go somewhere.
Record company man
Seymour Stein works for a record company.
I won't be coming to dinner
The singer will not be able to attend the dinner, possibly because of the distance.
My thoughts are far away
The singer's mind is preoccupied with something distant from his present location.
I'm working on that day
The singer is busy with something on a specific day, perhaps related to music or his career.
North country girl
The singer is thinking about a girl from the northern part of the country he is in.
I think she's going to stay
The singer believes that the girl will stay in the north country, indicating his desire to see her again.
Promises of fame, promises of fortune
Seymour Stein has been making promises of fame and fortune, perhaps to entice the singer to sign with his record label.
LA to New York, San Francisco back to Boston
Seymour Stein has been traveling to various locations, possibly related to the record company business.
Has he ever seen Dundee?
The singer questions whether Seymour Stein has ever been to Dundee, a location relevant to the singer's thoughts.
Won't he hire a limousine?
The singer wonders why Seymour Stein won't hire a limousine for someone, possibly the aforementioned girl.
Seymour send her back to me
The singer pleads with Seymour Stein to send the girl he has been thinking about back to him.
I heard dinner went well
The singer has heard that the dinner without him went well.
You liked Chris's jacket
Seymour Stein liked Chris's jacket, possibly unrelated to the singer's situation.
He reminded you of Johnny
Chris reminded Seymour Stein of Johnny, a person they both knew.
Before he went electronic
Before Johnny transitioned to electronic music, adding detail to the previous line.
Seymour stein, sorry I missed you
The singer apologizes for not being able to meet with Seymour Stein in person.
Have a nice flight home
The singer wishes Seymour Stein a safe and pleasant journey home.
It's a good day for flying
The singer notes that the day is good for flying, adding some commentary on Seymour Stein's travels.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAMPBE, CHRISTOPHER GEDDES, ISOBEL CAMPBELL, MICHAEL COOKE, RICHARD COLBURN, ROY MOLLER, SARAH MARTIN, STEPHEN JACKSON, STUART MURDOCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind