After meeting while attending music college, and bonding over a common love of poetry, the band began self-releasing singles and performing live regularly, signing to Partisan Records in 2018. The band's debut album, Dogrel, was released on 12 April 2019 to widespread critical acclaim; it was listed as Album of the Year on the record store Rough Trade's website, voted Album of the Year by presenters on BBC Radio 6 Music,[5] and was nominated for both the Mercury Prize and the Choice Music Prize.
The band's second studio album, A Hero's Death, was written and recorded in the midst of extensive touring for their debut, and was released on 31 July 2020. A Hero's Death was later nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Their third album Skinty Fia, released in 2022, became the band's first to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart and Irish Albums Chart.
Big
FONTAINES D.C. Lyrics
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A pregnant city with a catholic mind
Starch those sheets for the birdhouse jail
All mescalined when the past is stale, pale
Dublin in the rain is mine
A pregnant city with a catholic mind
Slick little boy with a mind of Ritz
Pulling that thread for the next big fix, this
My childhood was small
My childhood was small
But I'm gonna be big
But I'm gonna be big
My childhood was small
My childhood was small
But I'm gonna be big
But I'm gonna be big
But I'm gonna be big
Well, Dublin in the rain is mine
A pregnant city with a catholic mind
Starch those sheets for the birdhouse jail
All mescalined when the past is stale, pale
Dublin in the rain is mine
A loose ambassador for all that crime
Slick little boy with a mind of Ritz
Pulling that thread for the next big fix, this
My childhood was small
My childhood was small
But I'm gonna be big
But I'm gonna be big
My childhood was small, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
My childhood, it was small
But I'm gonna be big
But I'm gonna be big
But I'm gonna be big
I'm gonna be big
The lyrics of "Big" by FONTAINES D.C. are an exploration of the singer's dreams of achieving greatness despite their small beginnings. The song is a tribute to Dublin, the capital city of Ireland, and its dual nature as both a vibrant, dynamic place and a city still shaped by its Catholic history. The opening lines of the song, "Dublin in the rain is mine/A pregnant city with a Catholic mind," convey a sense of ownership and pride over the city, despite its flaws.
The second verse of the song is where the theme of ambition really takes center stage. The singer is described as a "slick little boy with a mind of Ritz/Pulling that thread for the next big fix, this." Here, the lyrics suggest that the singer is determined to find success and is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it. The repetition of the line "my childhood was small/But I'm gonna be big" reinforces this desire for greatness.
Overall, "Big" is a song about the struggle to achieve success in the face of adversity, and the determination it takes to make it happen.
Line by Line Meaning
Dublin in the rain is mine
The city of Dublin belongs to me, even when it's raining.
A pregnant city with a catholic mind
Dublin is a culturally-rich city deeply influenced by the Catholic Church.
Starch those sheets for the birdhouse jail
Prepare your bedsheets for prison, as life can be restrictive and confining.
All mescalined when the past is stale, pale
Drugs can revive past memories and experiences that have lost their vibrancy and meaning.
Slick little boy with a mind of Ritz
A confident and cunning person who aims for the luxurious lifestyle associated with the Ritz hotel.
Pulling that thread for the next big fix, this
Looking for the next big rush, even if it leads to negative consequences.
My childhood was small
I had a modest upbringing in my early years.
But I'm gonna be big
I have ambitions to achieve greatness and success in the future.
My childhood was small, oh yeah, yeah, yeah
Reiterating the fact that my childhood was not excessively extravagant or privileged.
A loose ambassador for all that crime
A person who represents and embodies the culture of criminal activity without adhering to any strict rules or codes.
I'm gonna be big
Reiterating my desire and determination to achieve greatness and success.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Carlos Ramos O'Connell, Conor Patrick Curley, Conor Patrick Deegan, Grian Alexander Chatten, Thomas Patrick Coll
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind