Music videos
There were two videos for "Banquet". A non-released version contains a recurring theme of hands with the hands pushing around band members Russell Lissack and Gordon Moakes while other hands cover up drummer Matt Tong's head and cast a shadow over frontman Kele Okereke. The hands eventually try to stab all of Bloc Party, set fire to the set and destroy the instruments and amps. Meanwhile, the released version shows the group performing in front of many different people. It is shown in full color and in black and white. The music video has gained around 14 million views on YouTube.
Released: 25 April 2005
Format: CD, 7"
Recorded: 2004
Genre: Post-punk revival
Length: 3.21
Label: Wichita
Producer(s): Paul Epworth
Banquet
Bloc Party Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can give you life, I can take it away
A heart of stone, a smoking gun
I'm working it out, I'm
Why'd you feel so underrated?
Why'd you feel so negated?
Turning away from the light
Becoming adult
Turning into my self
I wanted to bite, not destroy
To feel her underneath
Turning into the light
She don't think straight
No-no-no she don't think straight
She's got such a dirty mind and it never-ever stops
And you don't taste like her and you never-ever will
And we don't read the papers, we don't read the news
And it's never enough, we will never be fooled
Turning away from the light
Becoming adult
Turning into my self
I wanted to bite, not destroy
To feel her underneath
Turning into the light
And if you feel (and if you feel)
A little left behind (a little left behind)
We will wear you on the other side
And if you feel (and if you feel)
A little left behind (a little left behind)
We will wear you on the other side
'Cause I'm on fire
'Cause you know I'm on fire when you come
'Cause you know I'm on fire
'Cause you know I'm on fire so stomp me out
'Cause I'm on fire
'Cause I'm on fire
'Cause I'm on fire
'Cause I'm on fire
Bloc Party’s song Banquet is an exciting rock song that explores themes of self-discovery, sexual desire and identity. The opening lines of “a heart of stone, a smoking gun, I can give you life, I can take it away” reveal the power play that exists between the singer and his lover. He believes he has the ability to both give and take away life from her. This gives him a sense of control over her, but he is still trying to figure out his own identity as he “is working it out” and asks why his lover feels “so underrated” and “negated”.
The second verse continues the theme of identity as the singer describes himself “turning away from the light” and “becoming adult.” He reflects on his own evolution and struggles with “turning into himself”, a process that involves both biting and feeling his lover underneath him. The chorus returns to his lover not thinking straight and having a dirty mind, while he longs to “feel her underneath” him. The third verse talks about not reading the papers or news and “never being fooled”, revealing a sense of isolation and disconnection from the world.
The song’s title ‘Banquet’ is taken from the second verse, where the singer states he wants to “bite not destroy, to feel her underneath”, perhaps a metaphor for his hunger for life, manifesting in sexual desire - the lyrics describe the physical feeling of being hungry; “a heart of stone / a smoking gun” giving the listener a sense of something raw and base - like meat at a banquet. In interviews, the band has revealed that the song is about trying to find one’s place in the world when it feels like there is no space left, and the desire to connect with others on a deeper level.
Line by Line Meaning
A heart of stone, a smoking gun
I present as tough and invulnerable, but I can also be dangerous.
I can give you life, I can take it away
I possess the ability to provide vitality or destroy it.
Why'd you feel so underrated?
What is causing you to believe that you are undervalued?
Why'd you feel so negated?
What is causing you to believe that your worth is dismissed?
Turning away from the light
I'm moving in a different direction, away from positivity.
Becoming adult
I'm maturing and developing more responsibilities.
Turning into my self
I'm discovering who I am and becoming more true to myself.
I wanted to bite, not destroy
I desired to assert myself or be aggressive but not ruin what I was targeting.
To feel her underneath, turning into the light
I want to feel her presence and become more positive while retaining my identity.
She don't think straight
She doesn't have clear thoughts or reasoning abilities.
No-no-no she don't think straight
It's evident to me that she doesn't have clear thoughts or reasoning abilities.
She's got such a dirty mind and it never-ever stops
She has a highly sexualized imagination, and it never ceases to be active.
And you don't taste like her and you never-ever will
You aren't similar to her, nor will you ever be.
And we don't read the papers, we don't read the news
We don't spend time consuming media, whether it be newspapers or news programs.
And it's never enough, we will never be fooled
We always desire more and cannot be easily deceived by others.
And if you feel (and if you feel)
If you're feeling a certain way,
A little left behind (a little left behind)
Like you're being left out or excluded in some way,
We will wear you on the other side
We'll include you in our group and make you feel accepted.
'Cause I'm on fire
I'm intense and passionate.
'Cause you know I'm on fire when you come
You're aware of how intense and passionate I am when you're around me.
'Cause you know I'm on fire
You're aware of my intensity and passion.
'Cause you know I'm on fire so stomp me out
My intensity may be too much to handle, so you may need to help me simmer down.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Gordon Moakes, Kele Okereke, Matt Tong, Russell Lissack
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Stoneman180190
Britain had some great music coming out during the early 2000s: Bloc Party, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Kaiser Chiefs and the Kooks. It’s reminiscent to the Britpop wave of the mid 90s consisting of Oasis, Blur, the Verve, and Pulp. What a time to be alive.
@torstenscholz6243
Add to that list Franz Ferdinand, Razorlight, The Libertines, Maximo Park, Blood Red Shoes, The Subways, Badly Drawn Boy, Snow Patrol and many more. The mid-2000s were indeed the last really great time for Britpop, Garage and Indie rock. A new wave of bands of that quality really should happen again, the sooner the better. This is real music and soooo much better than the soulless edm crap that dominates the charts nowadays.
@Stoneman180190
@@torstenscholz6243 2010s has Royal Blood, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Nothing but thieves, Basement, Two Door Cinema Club, Kodaline and Foals. Not too many but a saving grace for the EDM crap. Hopefully that gets the wheels in motion for a revival.
@whygodrums10
About ten years ago I was heavy into Brit rock music. One band that NOBODY knows about that is absolutely out of this world is Colour. They are on Apple Music. Only one album from them called anthology but it is better than anything else from the UK
@laur-unstagenameactuallyca1587
really was the greatest time, shaped my music tastes as a kid
@chiaravischi
@@torstenscholz6243 GREAT bands (not only british ) from 2000 : the rakes , interpol, the strokes, arcade fire, the kills, the thrills, adam green, the moldy peaches, the long blonde, jet, the bravery, the hives, the vines, the gossip, yeah yeah yeah, the organ, the national, broken social scene , peter bjorn, the drums, these new puritans, babyshambles, the von bondies, wilco, selfish cunt, arcade fire, the horrors, deus , bradly drawn boy, black lips, the rapture,sigur ros, fleet foxes, grizzle bear, animal collective, glasvegas,suuns, splashh, .....the list is too long.......
@holdmybeer
This drummer is a beast. This band is not the same without him.
@hugostigglitz9639
Nowaday this band is nothing lool
@mohamadfaris1888
Louise is good.. but matt are irreplaceable
@ezkibela
Check out Matt Tong , the drummer's new band , Algiers , is great even is a very diferent kind of music