The band is named after a line in the BBC TV mini-series 'The Singing Detective', in which a character says that the word "elbow" is the most sensuous word in the English language (not due to its definition per se but due to how it feels to say it). Though the group came about in 1990, intially going by names such as 'Soft' and 'Mr. Soft', it wasn't until 'The Noisebox EP' came out on 1 January 1998 that they had a real release. Elbow started out specializing in "chilled funk", but the guys changed the direction of their music after unanimously deciding that they were "shit."
Their new songs picked up notice from both Island Records, but the band got dropped due to business shenanigans before anything actually came out post-singing. Elbow then released two critically acclaimed EP's on the independent Ugly Man Record label, starting with the aformentioned 'Noisebox EP'. Luckily, their work caught the attention of V2 Records.
V2 released Elbow's debut album: "Asleep In The Back." The album was a surprisingly moderate success, gaining substantial critical acclaim and, ultimately, a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize in 2001. The single "Newborn" received attention after being banned by Radio 1 for the lyric, "I'll be the corpse in your bathtub."
Word of mouth then began to work in Elbow's favor. Its 2003 album, "Cast Of Thousands," entered the UK Charts at #7 to critical acclaim. The lead single, "Fallen Angel," charted at #19.
In 2004, Elbow became the first British band to ever play a concert in Havana during an unofficial Cuban tour. The tour was made into a short film by British documentary maker Irshad Ashraf.
Elbow released its third album in 2005: "Leaders Of The Free World." Despite a continued lack of commercial notice, "Leaders Of The Free World" charted at #12, with its lead single, "Forget Myself" achieving #22 in the charts. That autumn, Elbow headlined the first of two sell-out tours.
March 17, 2008, saw the release of Elbow's fourth album, entitled "The Seldom Seen Kid." Released through Fiction, it entered the UK album chart at #5, and went on to win the 2008 Mercury Music Award. "The Fix," features guest vocals and lead guitar by Richard Hawley. April 2009 saw the release of The Seldom Seen Kid Live At Abbey Road, recorded with The BBC Concert Orchestra and Chantage. This album, recorded in Studio One of the world famous Abbey Road Studios on Saturday, January 17, 2008, is a complete run-through of the Mercury winning album. It features the band, a 52-piece orchestra, and a 20-member choir.
"Grounds for Divorce" was featured in VALVe Software game Left 4 Dead in 2008.
The band's fifth album Build A Rocket Boys! was released in the UK on March 14, 2011.
The First Steps Songfacts reports that Elbow was commissioned by the BBC to write a song for their coverage of the 2012 Olympics. The resulting tune is "First Steps". The full song lasts six and a half minutes, but it was written in such a way so that it could be divided into different minute or two long elements for use over both winning and losing footages.
In July 2015, Elbow released the Lost Worker Bee EP, which was soon followed by Guy Garvey's first solo album 'Courting the Squall' (Oct 2015).
Their seventh studio album, 'Little Fictions' was released on 3 February 2017, with Elbow's eighth studio album, 'Giants of All Sizes', released 2 years later on 11 October 2019.
Website: http://elbow.co.uk/
Fallen Angel
Elbow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Roostin' in this place
Count back the weeks on worried fingers
Virgin mother what's'erface
[Chorus]
You don't need to sleep alone
You bring the house down
And keep your blues on cruise control
All the gelded mongrel
Bear their teeth for you
Drag your feathers 'cross the dance floor
Throw your shapes electric blue
Don't fall to pieces on me
The lyrics of Elbow's "Fallen Angel" are full of vivid imagery and metaphorical phrases. The song seems to describe a persona who is charismatic and has the ability to captivate others. There is a sense of revelry and decadence in the lyrics with the mention of fallen angels, worried fingers, virgin mother, and dance floors. It is clear that the persona is the center of attention and is able to hold his own amidst the throes of hedonism.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the persona's magnetic appeal, with the line "You bring the house down." The persona is portrayed as someone who is able to create an electric atmosphere and make everyone around him feel alive. The chorus also suggests that the persona is aware of his charm and uses it as a means of control, hinting at a sense of narcissism.
The final line, "Don't fall to pieces on me," seems to be a plea from the persona to his audience, a reminder that behind the facade of glamour and thrill, he is also human and vulnerable.
Line by Line Meaning
All the fallen angels
The people who have lost their way and are struggling are present in this place.
Roostin' in this place
They're making themselves comfortable and settling in for the long haul.
Count back the weeks on worried fingers
They're keeping track of time, but they're also anxious and uncertain.
Virgin mother what's'erface
The singer is exasperated by the current situation and is using this as an expression of frustration.
Chorus: You don't need to sleep alone
There are people who care for you and you don't have to go through your struggles alone.
You bring the house down
You have the ability to make a strong impact.
Choose your favorite shoes
You have the power to make choices that make you happy.
And keep your blues on cruise control
Don't let sadness overwhelm you completely.
All the gelded mongrel
These people were once powerful, but have been stripped of their power and are now in a state of frustration.
Bear their teeth for you
They're putting up a facade to hide their true feelings from you.
Drag your feathers 'cross the dance floor
You're still trying to put on a good show despite the challenges you're facing.
Throw your shapes electric blue
You're expressing yourself creatively and with passion.
Don't fall to pieces on me
The singer is offering support to the person to prevent them from breaking down completely.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CRAIG LEE POTTER, GUY EDWARD JOHN GARVEY, MARK POTTER, MARK ELLIS POTTER, PETER JAMES TURNER, RICHARD BARRY JUPP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
No Nopus
Love this track.This was the one that got me following Elbow. And they're from my neck of the woods! Guy Garvey, top lyricist.
David Oneill
what a band bury should be proud of one of the best bands in the world
Nina
Oh por Dios, me encanta está canción y sí es adictiva!! Lo amo 😘
rosie beattie
Oh Wow, Oh Wow, Oh Wow. I heard this on my car radio early this morning as I was driving to work. This track absolutely reeks of Pink Floyd and psychedelia I think. It is fantastic. Elbow at their absolute best.
neiltay2002
Cheers for this. A most brilliant song from a fantastic band.
lavenderhoneypot
Elbow they just touch your heart and soul through your ears !
Diana Sanchez Rodriguez
I love this song!!
Obvious Bambi
Elbow are a great band.
Yazmin Castro
Amo esta canción
Bouali Ramzi
Indie rock is so underrated