Frank Turner started solo acoustic shows prior to Million Dead's break up. The first official performance was at the first Small Town America all dayer at 93 Feet East on September 18th 2004. The solo performances were, in a sense, a sideline to Million Dead. They did allow Turner to display some of his own songwriting capabilities (without a band) as well as some covers of songs and bands he enjoyed, in some cases the songs were much re-worked to fit an acoustic atmosphere. Solo performances were also used to help bolster or expose Million Dead to new individuals as well, with some acoustic in-store and radio performances of Million Dead songs.
At the end of February and start of March (2006) Frank went to Oxford to record the "Campfire Punkrock" EP with Dive Dive as the backing band for three of the songs. This EP was released on May 15 2006 on a limited run through Xtra Mile recordings. It sold out after only a few weeks on sale and had to be re-pressed to meet demand.
With Jonah Matranga doing some touring in June 2006 in support of his CD/DVD album "Jonah Matranga" there was some discussion of Frank doing supports with Jonah, this only ended up with one show featuring both at The Peel in Kingston. The discussion however lead to the creation of the Jonah Matranga and Frank Turner split 12" vinyl. Released in the USA on Welcome Home Records and in the UK via Xtra Mile Recordings. The release features Frank covering two songs by American songwriters and Jonah covering two songs by British songwriters. He was recently (September 18 2006) the last ever artist to perform on BBC Radio 1's Lamacq Live program, unveiling two new songs from "Sleep Is For The Week".
The good sales of "Campfire Punkrock" meant good news as this allowed Frank to record his debut album "Sleep Is For The Week" in August and September 2006. Recorded in Oxford with Dive Dive as extra band on a selection of the 13 tracks. The last track, "The Ballad Of Me And My Friends", is a live recording from a sold out show at the London Barfly and features the vocal contribution of the (approximately) 200 strong audience during a verse. Those in attendance and gave their names to Xtra Mile Recordings will have their names credited as contributers to this track.
In April 2008, his second album Love, Ire and Song was released to critical acclaim.
His third full-length album, Poetry Of The Deed, was released September 7th 2009, and includes the singles The Road, Try This At Home and Isabel. An accompanying DVD, Take To The Road, was released in March 2010.
Amidst extensive touring in support of Poetry of the Deed, Turner and his then-untitled backing band recorded Rock & Roll, an EP consisting of tracks written at the same time as Poetry of the Deed alongside new material. Following its release, Turner and the band spent twenty days in January 2011, recording their next studio album with producer Tristan Ivemy. The result was England Keep My Bones, the fourth studio album by Frank, released on June 6, 2011, on Xtra Mile in the United Kingdom, and on June 7, 2011, on Epitaph Records worldwide. Preceded by the single, "Peggy Sang the Blues", the album was produced and mixed by Tristan Ivemy, who had previously mixed Love, Ire and Song, Rock & Roll and Campfire Punkrock.
The album's title is taken from William Shakespeare's play, The Life and Death of King John, with Turner noting, "I knew that the album was, for the most part, about mortality, and about Englishness. Shakespeare seemed like a good place to go hunting for some pearls of wisdom, and with a little help from my friend Ben we came across this one, and it just seemed to fit the work really well."
Following the completion of the album, Turner subsequently announced his backing band had named themselves The Sleeping Souls, after a lyric in the track, "I Am Disappeared". The Sleeping Souls are Nigel Powell, Ben LLoyd, Tarant Anderson and Matt Nasir.
Turner recorded his fifth studio album in Burbank, California, in October 2012. The reason for recording first time abroad in California was, that producer Rich Costey wouldn't come to England with all his equipment so he convinced Turner to record it in Burbank. Frank Turner announced via Twitter on 28 October 2012 that recording was completed, and mixing and mastering would be done in time for a March 2013 release date. During the November and December UK tour a free CD titled Good Hangs from Xtra Mile Recordings was distributed for free at Frank Turner shows, this included a yet-to-be-released Turner song titled "Tattoos" plus the Möngöl Hörde song "Casual Threats From Weekend Hardmen". On Christmas Day 2012, the song "Four Simple Words" was released on Xtra Mile Recordings' website as a free download along with the b-side "Cowboy Chords". On 4 January 2013, a video was shot for what would be the first single. On the same day Frank announced on Twitter that the single was the song "Recovery". On 9 January, Frank uploaded a photo to his Instagram page showing the names of all 13 songs that would feature on his new album. This included songs played during the UK and US tours of 2012 such as "Anymore", "Plain Sailing Weather", "We Shall Not Overcome" and "Tell Tale Signs". Frank also posted on his fan forum that an extended edition of his new album would be released that includes an extra 5 or 6 songs. On 19 February 2013, it was announced that Turner had signed a licensing deal with Interscope Records in the US for Tape Deck Heart. Following the release of the album Frank Turner embarked on a short U.K tour.
[this section requires expansion, to cover the period 2013 to 2018]
Discography:
2005 - Frank Turner's Demo
2007 - Campfire Punkrock
2007 - The Real Damage
2007 - Sleep Is For The Week
2008 - Love Ire & Song
2008 - The First Three Years
2009 - Poetry Of The Deed
2010 - Take to the Road: Live 2009
2010 - iTunes Festival: London 2010
2011 - 2011-11-17: Daytrotter Session, Big Orange Studios, Austin, TX, USA
2012 - The Second Three Years
2012 - Last Minutes and Lost Evenings
2013 - Tape Deck Heart
2014 - Polaroid Picture
2014 - The Third Three Years
2015 - Positive Songs for Negative People
2017 - Songbook
2018 - Be More Kind
2019 - No Man's Land
2020 - West Coast vs. Wessex
2020 - Buddies II: Still Buddies
Father's Day
Frank Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because I wanted to walk the walk,
And not just talk the talk,
But it was a bit of a disaster because
I did the sides with kitchen scissors,
Because I didn’t have any clippers,
And I didn’t want to use a beard-trimmer
I’d made that mistake before.
When you got home you didn’t want to talk about what I’d done.
You said I’d let you down, I’d fucked around, when I was only having fun.
With the way that you’ve been lately, you’ve no right to scream and shout.
You and I, we’ve got a lot that we need to talk about.
What’s the point in making vows that you’re never going to keep?
A lifetime lying awake means you’ll never get to sleep.
And all the promises you made, that were painful and untrue,
Of all the things you do they reflect worst on you.
We all have our own devices
For handling mid-life crises
Usually involves a motorbike and
Suspicious fashion decisions.
But you choose to stave off grey hairs by
Lamely hacking at the sides
With lies and flimsy alibis
For your suspicious expeditions.
When I get home I don’t want to talk about what you’ve done.
Yes you’ve let me down, you’ve fucked around, but I guess you were having fun.
With the way that I’ve been lately, I’ve no right to scream and shout.
You and I, we’ve got a lot that we need to talk about.
You always told me Father’s Day was just another way
Of selling Hallmark greeting cards
Twenty Years of waking sleep, of lying through your teeth,
Meant every Father’s Day spent wondering who the hell you are.
What’s the point in us making vows that we’re never going to keep?
I keep trying to keep you up, but you keep on falling asleep.
And all the promises we made were painful and untrue,
But for better or for worse, I am turning into you.
The song "Father's Day" by Frank Turner explores the complex relationship between a father and son. The song starts with the son reminiscing about his teenage years when he had a mohawk. He talks about how he wanted to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. However, when his father returns home, he does not want to talk about what his son has done. The father says that the son has let him down and was only having fun.
The son then talks about how the father has been lately and how he has no right to scream and shout. The father promises things that he cannot keep, and the son points out that lying awake all night means that you will never get to sleep. The son continues to talk about how promises made painfully and untruthfully reflect worst on them. The father tries to stave off grey hairs by lamely hacking off the sides, and the son points out that we all have our ways of handling mid-life crises.
The song then shifts to the Father's Day holiday. The father always told the son that the day was just another way of selling Hallmark greeting cards. However, twenty years of waking sleep, and the father has been lying through his teeth. Every Father's Day, the son is left wondering who the father is. The song ends with the realization that for better or for worse, the son is turning into his father.
Overall, the song explores the themes of disappointment, broken promises, and the complexity of family relationships. It shows how unresolved issues can lead to further misunderstandings and frustrations within the family.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was sixteen I cut myself a Mohawk, Because I wanted to walk the walk, And not just talk the talk, But it was a bit of a disaster because I did the sides with kitchen scissors, Because I didn’t have any clippers, And I didn’t want to use a beard-trimmer I’d made that mistake before.
At sixteen, I wanted to prove that I was more than talk by cutting myself a Mohawk. I used kitchen scissors instead of clippers and avoided the beard-trimmer, which I had botched before.
When you got home you didn’t want to talk about what I’d done. You said I’d let you down, I’d fucked around, when I was only having fun. With the way that you’ve been lately, you’ve no right to scream and shout. You and I, we’ve got a lot that we need to talk about.
When I showed you my new haircut, you were disappointed and angry, accusing me of messing around. But with your own behavior lately, you have no right to lecture me. We need to have a conversation.
What’s the point in making vows that you’re never going to keep? A lifetime lying awake means you’ll never get to sleep. And all the promises you made, that were painful and untrue, Of all the things you do they reflect worst on you.
Why make promises you cannot keep? Lying awake all nights will not help you sleep. The false promises you made reflect poorly on your character.
We all have our own devices For handling mid-life crises Usually involves a motorbike and Suspicious fashion decisions. But you choose to stave off grey hairs by Lamely hacking at the sides With lies and flimsy alibis For your suspicious expeditions.
During mid-life crises, people usually try to cope in their own ways, such as buying a motorbike and new fashion. However, you opted to hide your gray hairs by cutting your sides poorly and making excuses to go out suspiciously.
When I get home I don’t want to talk about what you’ve done. Yes you’ve let me down, you’ve fucked around, but I guess you were having fun. With the way that I’ve been lately, I’ve no right to scream and shout. You and I, we’ve got a lot that we need to talk about.
Just like how you didn't want to discuss my mistakes, I don't want to discuss yours. You had your fun, but your actions bring consequences. I too have made mistakes recently, so we need to talk it out.
You always told me Father’s Day was just another way Of selling Hallmark greeting cards Twenty Years of waking sleep, of lying through your teeth, Meant every Father’s Day spent wondering who the hell you are.
You used to say Father's Day was a commercial holiday. But after twenty years of living with your lies and delusions, I am left wondering who you truly are every Father's Day.
What’s the point in us making vows that we’re never going to keep? I keep trying to keep you up, but you keep on falling asleep. And all the promises we made were painful and untrue, But for better or for worse, I am turning into you.
Why make vows we cannot keep? I always try to support you, but you just fall asleep. We both made false promises. But despite that, I am becoming like you, for better or worse.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FRANCIS EDWARD TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cam Von Barren
When I was sixteen I cut myself a Mohawk,
Because I wanted to walk the walk,
And not just talk the talk,
But it was a bit of a disaster because
I did the sides with kitchen scissors,
Because I didn’t have any clippers,
And I didn’t want to use a beard-trimmer –
I’d made that mistake before.
When you got home you didn’t want to talk about what I’d done.
You said I’d let you down, I’d fucked around, when I was only having fun.
With the way that you’ve been lately, you’ve no right to scream and shout.
You and I, we’ve got a lot that we need to talk about.
What’s the point in making vows that you’re never going to keep?
A lifetime lying awake means you’ll never get to sleep.
And all the promises you made, that were painful and untrue,
Of all the things you do they reflect worst on you.
We all have our own devices
For handling mid-life crises –
Usually involves a motorbike and
Suspicious fashion decisions.
But you choose to stave off grey hairs by
Lamely hacking at the sides
With lies and flimsy alibis
For your suspicious expeditions.
When I get home I don’t want to talk about what you’ve done.
Yes you’ve let me down, you’ve fucked around, but I guess you were having fun.
With the way that I’ve been lately, I’ve no right to scream and shout.
You and I, we’ve got a lot that we need to talk about.
You always told me Father’s Day was just another way
Of selling Hallmark greeting cards
Twenty Years of waking sleep, of lying through your teeth,
Meant every Father’s Day spent wondering who the hell you are.
What’s the point in us making vows that we’re never going to keep?
I keep trying to keep you up, but you keep on falling asleep.
And all the promises we made were painful and untrue,
But for better or for worse, I am turning into y
Lawrence Titley
This song has just gained an extra layer of meaning
M W
My father and I had a difficult relationship, and I barely spoke to him during the last year of his life. The day he died, I instinctively put this on while driving home from the hospital, and started crying so hard I nearly crashed. When giving his eulogy, I read out some of the lyrics.
It still makes me leak when I listen to it. I wish we’d talked more.
Chip Lyall
I love this song and Frank Turner so much. And this would make a fantastic A Day To Remember song :-)
kuzumurph
It’s 4:54am and let me tell you, cutting your hair into a shitty mullet/mohawk/shaved sides abomination with a tiny eyebrow razor while listening to this just hits different, especially when you and your father have a strange distanced relationship where he’s too close to let go but too far to be on good terms with
Bruce Wayne
Thank you so much for uploading this!
Kathy Condon
Love, Love, Love it!
LeighBlocks
The sequel to this song is going to be great
Drew and Charlie
Most of franks songs are simple fun anthems. This song is different
Cam Von Barren
When I was sixteen I cut myself a Mohawk,
Because I wanted to walk the walk,
And not just talk the talk,
But it was a bit of a disaster because
I did the sides with kitchen scissors,
Because I didn’t have any clippers,
And I didn’t want to use a beard-trimmer –
I’d made that mistake before.
When you got home you didn’t want to talk about what I’d done.
You said I’d let you down, I’d fucked around, when I was only having fun.
With the way that you’ve been lately, you’ve no right to scream and shout.
You and I, we’ve got a lot that we need to talk about.
What’s the point in making vows that you’re never going to keep?
A lifetime lying awake means you’ll never get to sleep.
And all the promises you made, that were painful and untrue,
Of all the things you do they reflect worst on you.
We all have our own devices
For handling mid-life crises –
Usually involves a motorbike and
Suspicious fashion decisions.
But you choose to stave off grey hairs by
Lamely hacking at the sides
With lies and flimsy alibis
For your suspicious expeditions.
When I get home I don’t want to talk about what you’ve done.
Yes you’ve let me down, you’ve fucked around, but I guess you were having fun.
With the way that I’ve been lately, I’ve no right to scream and shout.
You and I, we’ve got a lot that we need to talk about.
You always told me Father’s Day was just another way
Of selling Hallmark greeting cards
Twenty Years of waking sleep, of lying through your teeth,
Meant every Father’s Day spent wondering who the hell you are.
What’s the point in us making vows that we’re never going to keep?
I keep trying to keep you up, but you keep on falling asleep.
And all the promises we made were painful and untrue,
But for better or for worse, I am turning into y
Nick M.
Real good, son. Wudn't ain't got that country accent I'm normally used to, but I'm kinda "diggin'" it as the kids say. Or, "fancy" it as you Brit's say? "A" Plus, Frank!! Go!!