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/
Jesus Is a Rochdale Girl
Elbow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With cats and broken yards
Sunflowers and paint cans
And stolen shopping carts
And nothing to be proud of
And nothing to regret
All of that to make as yet
All of that to make as yet
I have a single heartbreak
I celebrate and mourn
A single shining sister
And all the tricks of dawn
A single yellow duvet
A single switch to flick
But a thousand boxes yet to take
A thousand boxes yet to take
And Jesus is a Rochdale girl,
And 45 CDs
Got a house that you can smoke in
So all my friends found me
And they found me full of myself
And bloody-minded will
And as yet a box to fill
And as yet a box to fill
The opening verse of Elbow's "Jesus Is a Rochdale Girl" offers listeners a glimpse into the singer's world. The descriptions are both mundane and poetic, giving the impression that the singer sees beauty in the everyday. Though the window featured is not extravagant, with its cats and broken yards, it is still painted with sunflowers and paint cans, showcasing the singer's creative side. Even the mention of the stolen shopping carts suggests a sense of adventure, perhaps even a hint of danger. As the verse progresses, it is clear that the singer has no illusions about their life. There is nothing particularly extraordinary to be proud of or regret, but there is still the potential for something more. The repetition of "all of that to make as yet" reminds the listener that the singer is still on a journey, still discovering who they are and what they will become.
The second verse delves more into the singer's emotional state. They have experienced heartbreak, but they celebrate and mourn it, indicating that they are able to find some beauty even in pain. The mention of the "single shining sister" is particularly intriguing, as it perhaps suggests that the singer has someone in their life that they admire or are inspired by. In contrast to the first verse, which focuses on physical objects, this second verse zeroes in on one important relationship. Despite this, however, there is still a sense of possibility, as embodied in the "thousand boxes yet to take."
Overall, "Jesus Is a Rochdale Girl" suggests that the singer is someone who is open to new experiences and isn't intimidated by the unknown. The repeated refrain of "as yet a box to fill" speaks to a sense of restlessness, but also of hopefulness. The title itself is also fascinating, as Rochdale is a town in Greater Manchester, England, that is known for having a strong working class culture. However, the idea of a "Rochdale girl" who is also Jesus is a subversion of traditional religious and societal norms. This juxtaposition suggests that the singer is someone who is able to see beyond stereotypes and embrace unique perspectives.
Line by Line Meaning
I have a drop-leaf window
I have a window that can be lowered
With cats and broken yards
The space below my window is filled with cats and broken objects
Sunflowers and paint cans
There are sunflowers and empty paint cans with me
And stolen shopping carts
I have a couple of shopping carts I procured by theft
And nothing to be proud of
I have no reason to feel proud of myself
And nothing to regret
I have nothing I regret having done
All of that to make as yet
There's much more to do
I have a single heartbreak
I have gone through only one heartbreak
I celebrate and mourn
I'm happy at times but also sad at others
A single shining sister
I have one amazing sibling
And all the tricks of dawn
I know how the early hours of morning work
A single yellow duvet
My bed has one yellow duvet cover
A single switch to flick
I only need to flip one switch to turn on the new lights
But a thousand boxes yet to take
Even though I have refined my life to the bare essentials, there are still so many things to figure out
Jesus is a Rochdale girl
Jesus is somebody at Rochdale
And 45 CDs
There are 45 CDs in my collection
Got a house that you can smoke in
I live in a house where smoking is permitted
So all my friends found me
My house became a place where my friends gathered
And they found me full of myself
I was too conceited in front of them
And bloody-minded will
My will power and determination are slightly aggressive and hostile
And as yet a box to fill
There's one box that's yet to be packed
And as yet a box to fill
There's still one box left to pack
Lyrics © 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
@spiral8891
Whoever she is/was, sounds like one in a million. What a tribute to have.
@colebyrnes7889
One of the best songs ever written. The simplicity is key to that.
@chriswest8316
I've listened to this song for many years. Still one of the most powerful and memorable songs I know. Thankyou Elbow x
@simonstevens5672
I agree it's incredibly moving
@fireworksforme2
Agreed
@PowerfulChicken
So simple and understated. I have listened to this song frequently this year. Bloody love it!
@ledgends-tp4yn
This is Lennon/McCartney level songwriting, absolutely amazing. paints a picture in your mind you can't deny.
@julescote6134
Guy is a legend. Too bad most people don't see it. Nobody writes like this guy. NOBODY
@stevebrewer2365
Simple, sincere, unforgettable
@mrrakalanov
This song has been with me for over ten years and it still touches in me something for which art exists.