Macintosh, Smith, Worrall and Davey all met at Madras College and began playing together in 1993 at the age of 14. After having performed under various names they settled on "Dogs Die In Hot Cars" in 1997. In 1999 they moved to Glasgow where they met Ruth Quigley to complete the line up.
In 2003 they released their Man Bites Man EP under the Radiate Records. Later that year they signed to V2 Records.
In July 2004 they released their debut album Please Describe Yourself (Produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley), which included the tracks "I Love You 'Cause I Have To", "Godhopping" and "Lounger". "Godhopping" peaked at #24 on the UK Singles Chart and remains the band's biggest hit. "I Love You 'Cause I Have To" peaked at #32 on the UK Singles Chart and narrowly missed the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States.
A song of the band's, entitled 'Nobody Teaches Life Anything' (found on 2004 release Man Bites Man EP) was used in a lengthy television advertising campaign in the UK by Boots.
In 2006, whilst recording their second album, the band announced they had disbanded
Around April 2008 the band began to release their second album demos along with their individual track files, free to download from their website for people to use to make their own versions of the songs and then send those versions back to the band. The band would then later announce a closing date, after which they are going to compile the second album using ideas from the submitted versions from their fans, and share 50% of the royalties that come from its release with everyone who has contributed towards making it. The project was called "Dogs Die In Hot Cars is making Pop Nonsense". The closing date was announced for 1 May 2009 - no information has yet been given as to how long the compiling process may take, or an estimated date of release. Although the original aim was supposed to be 2009 it is now 2010 with no release yet; however, "Demos of the as yet unreleased second album" can be streamed from their official website.
In 2010, frontman Craig Macintosh, performing under the name Moy, released his first solo album, The Lie
www.dogsdieinhotcars.com
Paul Newman
Dogs Die in Hot Cars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And every day came with some surprise
I wish I had Paul Newman's eyes
That would be nice
Look at those houses, big houses over there
Look at those suits spending money without a care
Here comes the stars with perks around their arms
But I'm just a nothing that doesn't have a lot
And I asked for your life but look at what I got
So sick of seeing, don't want to hear no more
And you can amputate my limbs
And starve me to death whilst I beg for freedom
Away from a life which is this
But I wish I had Paul Newman's eyes
And every day came with some surprise
I wish I had Paul Newman's eyes
That would be nice
Look at those setters, those setters of the trend
Look at that band, they act so confident
Here comes the movies with dialogue so cool
Why did they never tell me to speak like that in primary school
So sick of seeing, don't want to hear no more
And you can amputate my limbs
And starve me to death whilst I beg for freedom
Away from a life which is this
But still I wish I had Paul Newman's eyes
And every day came with some surprise
I wish I had Paul Newman's eyes
That would be nice
So sick of seeing
Can't stand to talk
And I've no compassion
Or thought
The song "Paul Newman" by Dogs Die in Hot Cars is a commentary on societal and cultural norms, and how they can lead to feelings of inadequacy and yearning for something that seems unattainable. The lyrics express a desire to be like Paul Newman, a cultural icon, and have his eyes which represent a sense of wisdom and experience. The singer is envious of those with money, power, and fame, and feels like a "nothing" in comparison. They are tired of seeing the excess and superficiality around them and long for a life with some excitement and surprise.
The first verse of the song sets up the narrative by contrasting the singer's mundane life with the glamour and luxury of those around them. The second verse highlights the singer's frustration with the coolness and confidence of pop culture figures, and the feeling that they never had the tools to be that way themselves. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the desire for something more exciting and fulfilling.
Overall, the song explores the tension between the desire for material success and the need for personal fulfillment. It suggests that sometimes, material gain can be a distraction from what truly makes life worth living: experiencing new things and having meaningful relationships. By using the iconic figure of Paul Newman, the song points to the fact that fame and success are often fleeting and that true wisdom is not something that can be gained through superficial means.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish I had Paul Newman's eyes
I envy Paul Newman's attractive features
And every day came with some surprise
I long for a life filled with excitement
I wish I had Paul Newman's eyes
I am fixated on Paul Newman's eyes
That would be nice
It would be amazing to have Paul Newman's eyes
Look at those houses, big houses over there
I observe the wealthy and their opulent homes
Look at those suits spending money without a care
I notice the rich spending extravagantly
Here comes the stars with perks around their arms
Celebrities flaunt their privileges and luxuries
Here comes the sports car that carries so much charm
I see stylish and impressive sports cars
But I'm just a nothing that doesn't have a lot
I feel insignificant and lack possessions
And I asked for your life but look at what I got
I requested a better life but received disappointment
Look at those setters, those setters of the trend
I observe those who set fashion trends
Look at that band, they act so confident
I notice the self-assured behavior of musicians
Here comes the movies with dialogue so cool
I see movies with slick and witty dialogue
Why did they never tell me to speak like that in primary school
I wonder why schools do not teach conversation skills like in movies
So sick of seeing
I am exhausted from observing a life I do not have
Don't want to hear no more
I do not want to listen to more disappointing news
And you can amputate my limbs
I do not care about my physical state anymore
And starve me to death whilst I beg for freedom
I would rather die than live in this state
Away from a life which is this
I want to escape from my current life
Can't stand to talk
I cannot bear to converse about this anymore
And I've no compassion
I have no empathy or sympathy for my situation
Or thought
I do not have the capacity to think positively
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TemakiTom
This song is stuck in my head at least once a week.
Kailie Kurzinski
this album is one of my top 5 favorites of all time:D
32INCHSTRIPER
Best song off a great album.
brendanqclarke
Love this song. Many thanks
Audrey Dearduff
This band tho.
!!!
Jon Sanderson
What ever happened to these guys, get yourselves on joe rogan,
Miracle Man
Flass Road, Wormit yo