The band was formed by Jack Steadman (vocals, guitar, bass), Jamie MacColl (bass, guitar, banjo, vocals), Suren De Saram (drums) under the name of The Canals when they were 15. Ed Nash (bass, keyboard, mandolin) later joined the trio as they switched between various aliases before picking Bombay Bicycle Club. The band took their name from a chain of curry houses in the London Area and have released four studio albums, "I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose" (2009), "Flaws" (2010), "A Different Kind Of Fix" (2011) and "So long, See You tomorrow" (2014).
After winning the opening slot at V Festival 2006 ('Road to V' competition) and also played Reading / Leeds Festival for the three years running, in Febuary 2007 they released their début EP The Boy I Used To Be. This was followed up in October with the release of their second EP How We Are. In mid-July of 2009 they released their first album I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose consisting of 12 tracks. The album peaked at number 46 on the UK Official Album Charts.
In Summer 2010 they released their second album, Flaws . A UK tour co-incided with the release of the album which - surprisingly - is an acoustic recording. Venues on the tour reflected this new acoustic orientation, which gained them a number 8 on the album charts.
The lead single from their third album, A Different Kind Of Fix was released on June 23, 2011 and peaked at #40 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in the United States, the band's first chart appearance in the country. The album reached the number 6 position on the UK album charts.
The band added Amber Wilson to their live party as an additional keyboardist and background vocalist. Singer/songwriter Lucy Rose also joined the live performances on vocals, after featuring on several songs from the albums "Flaws" and "A Different Kind of Fix".
On November 5th, 2013 "Carry me" was released as an advance of their fourth studio album through Island Records. "Luna" was the second single to be extracted from the album "So long, see you tomorrow" which coveted the band their first UK number 1.
After a long 6-year hiatus, the band made a comeback in 2020 with "Everything Else Has Gone Wrong", their fifth record. The album was released on January 16th via Mmm... Records, with eleven tracks.
"We’re thrilled to say that our 5th album, Everything Else Has Gone Wrong, is out now.
When we started discussing the possibility of making another record after our a few years away as a band, we said we’d only release an album if we were confident that it stood up to our previous work. We’ve ended up with an album we’re really proud of, and we hope you agree that it’s been worth the 6-year wait.
Recording this one was definitely one of the most enjoyable recording processes we’ve had as a band. Working with John Congleton, we had an initial session in London in early Spring last year at Konk studio, where we’d done our first and fourth albums. We then went to LA in late Summer to record the majority of it with John. Spending 3 weeks in LA was an unforgettable experience for the four of us. It was the first extended period of time we’d spent together in a long while and reinforced what we’d been missing during these few years. We hope that positive energy that was there during those 3 weeks has translated onto the record.
We’ve touched previously on how the album is about the comfort that music can provide in times of need. Hopefully, this record can give you that escape should you ever need it.
We want to get to as many places as possible to play these new songs for you. Wherever you are in the world, fingers crossed we’ll see you soon.
Lots of love
Bombay x."
Flaws
Bombay Bicycle Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Begging to understand,
Life of a selfless man.
'Cos out of all the flaws I've stumbled on,
It's the hardest one to focus on.
It's the hardest one to focus on.
Isn't one enough?
Giving up all she's got.
'Cos out of all the flaws I've stumbled on,
It's the hardest one to focus on.
It's the hardest one to focus on.
The lyrics to Bombay Bicycle Club's song Flaws have an introspective quality to them. The singer of the song seems to be grappling with the concept of selflessness and what it means to be a selfless person. The opening lines - "Taking the second plan, begging to understand, life of a selfless man" - suggest that the character is either trying to be more selfless or questioning the value of selflessness altogether.
The chorus provides a clue to what exactly is bothering the character: "Cos out of all the flaws I've stumbled on, it's the hardest one to focus on". The implication seems to be that being selfless is not just an admirable trait but also a flaw, as it often requires the individual to sacrifice their personal desires and needs for the sake of others. It's a difficult balance to strike, and the singer seems to be having a hard time reconciling their own desires with the selfless path they have chosen.
The second verse takes a turn when the character questions why someone would choose to call on them when they have already given so much: "Why're you calling on? Isn't one enough? Giving up all she's got." It suggests that the individual may be feeling burdened or taken for granted, despite their selfless actions.
Overall, Flaws is a thoughtful examination of the human condition, and how difficult it can be to balance our own desires with the needs of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Taking the second plan,
Choosing to be in the background and letting someone else take the lead.
Begging to understand,
Desperately wanting to comprehend something.
Life of a selfless man.
Living a life where one is constantly putting others before themselves.
'Cos out of all the flaws I've stumbled on,
Because among all the imperfections I've encountered,
It's the hardest one to focus on.
This particular flaw is the most challenging to address and confront.
Why're you calling on?
Why are you trying to contact me?
Isn't one enough?
Do you really need more than one?
Giving up all she's got.
Sacrificing everything she has.
'Cos out of all the flaws I've stumbled on,
Because among all the imperfections I've encountered,
It's the hardest one to focus on.
This particular flaw is the most challenging to address and confront.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: JACK STEADMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Boy Nahabedian
IM drunk 10 years later looking into the moon realizing this song meant a lot to me
swisserty
IM drunk 10 years later looking into the moon realizing this song meant a lot to me
George Ty
Im drunk
swisserty
@George Ty IM drunk 10 years later looking into the moon realizing this song meant a lot to me
Sierra Greg
I'm also drunk ten years later thinking this is SUCH an unappreciated song! It's gorgeous 😍
Shambo Kay
i’m not drunk anymore, i got help
Greggles
My first girlfriend bought me this album. We weren't together long but I still feels it.
Morgan DeMone
This song has always meant a lot. Watching this years later I still get goosebumps
João Pedro Ferreira Leandro
it couldn't be with other person than Lucy, she's got this vibe in her veins. Love it. Awesome how masterpieces are born.
Tim Senna
Genuinely think Jack Steadman is one of the most talented guitarists of the 21st century. It might not be a finger shredding solo, but the subtle interwoven lull of that riff is pure genius