The band, which con… Read Full Bio ↴Duels are a five piece band from Leeds, England.
The band, which consists of core members Jim and Jon Foulger (guitar and vocals respectively), drummer James Kirkbright and bassist Jon Maher, have recently been joined by ¡Forward, Russia! guitarist Whiskas. Additional Duels members include, or have included, Katherine Botterill on keyboards and backing vocals and violinist Lesley Turner.
They create dark and often anthemic new-wave pop with sinister undercurrents to craft a unique, vibrant sound, while recalling legendary artists such as Wilco, Robert Wyatt, David Bowie and Pulp along the way.
Their first album, 'The Bright Lights & What I Should Have Learned' was released in August 2006 to widespread critical acclaim and after extensive touring, Duels commenced work on their second full-length release, the self-produced 'The Barbarians Move In'.
Recorded in a converted barn on the North Sea Coast and showcasing a darker, more organic sound, Jon Foulger suggested the album is about "nature fighting back". It was digitally released via duelsmusic.com on Valentine's Day 2008, with a UK physical release on This Is Fake DIY Records on April 28th.
The band are currently working on their third full-length album, details of which can be found on www.duelsmusic.co.uk
Duels have opened for Kaiser Chiefs and former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon, and have toured the UK and Europe with The Rakes.The band played the Radio1/NME Stage at the Leeds/Reading Festivals and opened the main stage at T In The Park in 2006.
Idiot
Duels Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The idiot sleeps and the idiot talks to the ether,
to the cold night air.
"This can't be right," he groans,
"Bakunin's child, can I be both wild and defeated?
What a cross to bear."
These poor ghosts they can't be all alone,
and as the television spills the truth,
he thinks, "my God! I've been wrong all these years -
here's the proof:
idiot talk, idiot talk, idiot talk,
tell me what you want...
It happened more each day,
slowly turning into dust,
said the idiot, "I must be a dreamer,"
looking into the sky.
Where machines form an orderly queue,
slowing down to take in all the views
and as the idiot looks then the idiot sees
"so many eyes staring right back at me!"
We poor ghosts we can't be all alone
In this song, Duels describes an idiot who talks to himself and the emptiness of the night. He questions whether he can be both wild and defeated, a dilemma represented by Bakunin's child. The idiot laments his circumstances and sees himself struggling under the weight of his plight. The song goes on to describe how he struggles to find comfort in his loneliness.
As the idiot tries to cope with his isolation, he finds himself talking to ghosts who might also be struggling with the same issues. He sees them sitting in the dark with one hand on the phone, waiting for someone to talk to. As he watches the television, he realizes that he has been wrong all these years and that his life has been a lie. The television serves as proof that his thoughts have been clouded by his own ignorance, hence the lyrics "idiot talk, idiot talk, idiot talk, tell me what you want."
The song continues with him realizing that he is slowly turning into dust and that he is nothing but a dreamer. Amidst the machines and technology that surround him, he finds himself staring at the sky and questioning everything he sees. As he looks into the sky, he sees that there are so many eyes staring back at him. This suggests that he sees himself reflected in the world around him and that he is not alone in his struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
It comes at night, you know.
Nighttime awakens hidden thoughts in the mind.
The idiot sleeps and the idiot talks to the ether, to the cold night air.
Despite being called an idiot, the singer finds solace in sharing their thoughts with the universe.
"This can't be right," he groans, "Bakunin's child, can I be both wild and defeated? What a cross to bear."
The singer experiences internal conflict, being torn between the desire to be free, and the fear of failure.
These poor ghosts they can't be all alone, sat in the dark with one hand on the phone, and as the television spills the truth, he thinks, "my God! I've been wrong all these years - here's the proof:
The artist reflects on their own feelings of loneliness, while realizing the extent of lies and manipulation in the media.
idiot talk, idiot talk, idiot talk, tell me what you want...
The artist acknowledges the label of 'idiot', but challenges the definition, asking for communication and connection rather than judgment.
It happened more each day, slowly turning into dust, said the idiot, "I must be a dreamer," looking into the sky.
The singer feels that their life is slipping away, but still seeks hope and inspiration through dreams and imagination.
Where machines form an orderly queue, slowing down to take in all the views and as the idiot looks then the idiot sees "so many eyes staring right back at me!"
The singer observes the constant rush of people and technology, becoming overwhelmed by the realization that they are constantly being watched and judged.
We poor ghosts we can't be all alone
The artist reflects on the common human experience of feeling detached and lost in the world.
Contributed by Sebastian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.