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
Sukie in the Graveyard
Belle and Sebastian Lyrics
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She did brass rubbings, she learned you never had to press hard
When she finished hanging out she was all alone
She decided that she better check in at home
There was an awful row between her mum and dad
They said she hadn't done this, she hadn't done that
If she wanted to remain inside the family home
She'd have to tow the line, she'd have to give it a go
So she took her things and left
Sukie was the kid, she liked to hang out at the art school
She didn't enrol, but she wiped the floor with all the arseholes
She took a bijou flat with the fraternity cat
She hid inside the attic of the sculpture building
She had a slut slave and his name was Dave
She said 'Be my photo bitch and I'll make you rich'
He didn't believe her but the boy revered her
He got her meals and he got her a bed
He watched behind the screen and she started to undress
He never got far
Just lookin' and playing guitar
Autumn hanging down all the trees are draped like chandeliers
Sukie saw the beauty but she wasn't wet behind the ears
She had an A1 body and a face to match
She didn't have money, she didn't have cash
With the winter coming on, and the attic cold
She had to press her nose on the refectory wall
They served steamed puddings she went without
She had to pose for life for all the scholars of art
She didn't feel funny, she didn't feel bad
Peeling away everything she had
She had the grace of an eel, sleek and stark
As the shadows played tricks on the girl in the dark
Sukie was the kid, she liked to hangout in the graveyard
The song "Sukie in the Graveyard" by Belle and Sebastian tells the story of a young woman named Sukie who finds solace in unusual places. In the first verse, the song describes how Sukie likes to spend time in the graveyard doing brass rubbings, a process that involves placing paper over a brass engraving and rubbing it with graphite or wax to create an image. Sukie learns that she doesn't have to press hard to make a good rubbing, which could symbolize how she has learned to take things lightly and not put pressure on herself. However, when Sukie returns home, she finds her parents arguing about her behavior and decides to leave home.
In the second verse, we learn that Sukie finds a new home at an art school, where she befriends a boy named Dave and takes on a bijou flat with a fraternity cat. Sukie hides in the attic of the sculpture building, where she poses for Dave's photographs in exchange for food and a bed. The lyrics suggest that Sukie is comfortable with her body and uses it as a means of survival. However, the song also implies that Sukie is not satisfied with this situation and is perhaps longing for something more.
Overall, "Sukie in the Graveyard" is a song about an unconventional woman who finds herself in unusual circumstances. Sukie is brave and resourceful, but also vulnerable and searching for something more. The song speaks to the universal human desire for connection and belonging, and the ways in which we try to find these things in unexpected places.
Line by Line Meaning
Sukie was the kid, she liked to hangout in the graveyard
Sukie, a young girl, enjoyed spending time in the graveyard.
She did brass rubbings, she learned you never had to press hard
Sukie enjoyed making brass rubbings and realized that one does not need to press hard to get a good impression.
When she finished hanging out she was all alone
After Sukie was done spending time in the graveyard, she would be left alone.
She decided that she better check in at home
Sukie thought it was necessary to return home.
There was an awful row between her mum and dad
When Sukie reached home, her parents were having a heated argument.
They said she hadn't done this, she hadn't done that
Sukie's parents accused her of not doing certain tasks.
If she wanted to remain inside the family home
In order to stay at home with her family, Sukie was required to adhere to certain rules and expectations.
She'd have to tow the line, she'd have to give it a go
Sukie was expected to follow the rules and try her best to fit in.
It didn't suit Sukie
Sukie did not enjoy following the strict rules set by her parents.
So she took her things and left
As a result, Sukie packed her belongings and left home.
Sukie was the kid, she liked to hang out at the art school
Sukie enjoyed spending time at the art school.
She didn't enroll, but she wiped the floor with all the arseholes
Although Sukie did not formally enroll in the school, she was able to impress everyone with her skills and knowledge.
She took a bijou flat with the fraternity cat
Sukie found a small apartment and adopted a cat that belonged to a fraternity.
She hid inside the attic of the sculpture building
Sukie would hide in the attic of the sculpture building.
She had a slut slave and his name was Dave
Sukie had a friend who would do whatever she asked and his name was Dave.
She said 'Be my photo bitch and I'll make you rich'
Sukie convinced Dave to take photos for her and promised to share the profits with him.
He didn't believe her but the boy revered her
Although Dave was skeptical of Sukie's promise, he still admired and respected her.
He got her meals and he got her a bed
Dave provided food and a place to sleep for Sukie.
He watched behind the screen and she started to undress
Dave would watch Sukie undress from behind a screen.
He never got far
However, their relationship did not go beyond just watching.
Just lookin' and playing guitar
During this time, Dave would primarily just watch Sukie while playing guitar.
Autumn hanging down all the trees are draped like chandeliers
The trees were covered in autumn leaves and looked like chandeliers.
Sukie saw the beauty but she wasn't wet behind the ears
Although Sukie appreciated the beauty of nature, she was not naive or inexperienced.
She had an A1 body and a face to match
Sukie was physically attractive with a great body and matching face.
She didn't have money, she didn't have cash
Sukie was not financially secure and lacked money or cash.
With the winter coming on, and the attic cold
As winter approached, the attic where Sukie stayed became cold.
She had to press her nose on the refectory wall
Sukie had to physically press her nose against the wall of the refectory.
They served steamed puddings she went without
The school served steamed puddings, but Sukie could not afford them.
She had to pose for life for all the scholars of art
In order to make money, Sukie had to pose for artists who were studying the human form.
She didn't feel funny, she didn't feel bad
Despite the circumstances, Sukie did not feel odd or upset.
Peeling away everything she had
In order to survive, Sukie had to strip away every aspect of her life, including her privacy and dignity.
She had the grace of an eel, sleek and stark
Sukie moved with agility and grace, much like an eel.
As the shadows played tricks on the girl in the dark
As she posed in the dark, the shadows created confusing and misleading images that played tricks on Sukie.
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