Influenced primarily by the likes of The Vindictives, The Queers and Screeching Weasel, Bickley delivered a simple yet powerful sound. Bickley's first full-length studio recording was Pogo Au Go-Go (PaperDoll), a full-length CD issued in 1996. They quickly developed a loyal following in the Houston, Texas area. By 1998, Bickley had been picked up by Fearless Records, and the Pogo Au Go-Go CD was re-released under that label. In late 1998, Bickley released their second CD Kiss The Bunny, also on Fearless records. By this time their fan base extended across the US, and they often toured the Southwest US region, with short stints across the West Coast, East Coast, and the Deep South.
Bickley's final release Fat, Drunk and Stupid captured their raucous live show at their favorite venue, Fitzgerald's, in Houston Texas. Fat, Drunk and Stupid was released in August 2001 through PaperDoll Records.
Bickley were also noted by the music press for the adult content of their songs, and the unique character of lead singer Ben Fondled's voice.
Bickley's core lineup (singer Ben Fondled, guitarist Uncle Dig, and drummer Dave Wreckoning) did not change from the time of their 1998 re-release under Fearless Records. Bickley switched between two bass players in the 1998-2001 period, driven by the availability of the players: Rubio Coconut (from the successful Houston punk rock band, 30 Foot Fall) and Bill Fool. Rubio began touring the country with 30footFALL and Bill was brought in to replace him in late 1997. Matte Finish was the original drummer for the band, and is the drummer on the Down the Hatch 7", on Pogo Au Go-Go, and on some songs that appeared on Kiss the Bunny.
In 2001, at the peak of their popularity, Bickley split up citing the need for more personal time with their respective families. The band has reunited at various times since August 2001 for special benefit and reunion shows.
Natalie
Bickley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But she doesn't have a lot to say
I think Natalie's a pretty nice girl
But she turned me down anyway
I wanna tell her that I love her a lot
But I gotta get her outta my brain
I think Natalie's a pretty nice girl
Oh yeah
Someday I'm gonna make her mine
I think Natalie's a pretty nice girl
But she doesn't have a lot to say
I think Natalie's a pretty nice girl
But she turned me down anyway
I wanna tell her that I love her a lot
Man I really wanna fuck her in the ass
I think Natalie's a pretty nice girl
Someday I'm gonna make her my bitch
Oh yeah
Someday she's gonna suck my dick
The lyrics of Bickley's song, "Natalie," depict an infatuated young man's perception of a girl he likes, who unfortunately does not reciprocate his feelings. He believes that Natalie is a nice girl, albeit quiet and unassuming. However, despite his admiration for her, she has rejected him, leaving the singer despondent. He admits to being unable to forget her and wishes to express his love for her, but he realizes that he needs to move on from his obsession with her. Nonetheless, he remains determined to win her over eventually, envisioning a future in which she will belong to him, which may indicate a greater sense of possession and entitlement than actual love.
Although the song's lyrics appear to be controversial and sexually explicit, they offer insight into the mindset of a young man struggling to process his unrequited love. The lyrics depict a common experience that many of us go through: unrequited love combined with the desire for possession. The singer's observed sexual desires for Natalie, although inappropriate, may be an expression of his anger and frustration at her rejection, coupled with insecurities and feelings of inadequacy. On the whole, "Natalie" seems to be a song exploring the intense nature of young love and the difficulty of moving on.
Line by Line Meaning
I think Natalie's a pretty nice girl
Bickley finds Natalie attractive and thinks she's a good person overall.
But she doesn't have a lot to say
Bickley has noticed that Natalie is not very talkative.
But she turned me down anyway
Despite his interest, Natalie rejected his advances.
I wanna tell her that I love her a lot
Bickley has strong feelings of love for Natalie.
But I gotta get her outta my brain
Despite loving her, Bickley knows he needs to move on.
Someday I'm gonna make her mine
Bickley still hopes to be with Natalie in the future.
Man I really wanna fuck her in the ass
Bickley expresses a crude and disrespectful desire towards Natalie.
Someday I'm gonna make her my bitch
Bickley's desire for Natalie has turned into a desire for power and control over her.
Someday she's gonna suck my dick
Bickley continues to objectify and disrespect Natalie, showing a lack of true love and respect towards her.
Contributed by Nathaniel W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.