The band first experienced chart success when their second single "Take Me Out" reached #3 in the UK Charts, followed by their debut album Franz Ferdinand which entered the UK album chart at #3. The band went on to win the 2004 Mercury Music Prize and two BRIT Awards in 2005 for Best British Group and Best British Rock Act. NME named Franz Ferdinand as their Album of the Year. From the album, three top-ten singles were released, "Take Me Out", "The Dark of the Matinée" and "This Fire". The band has also received several Grammy Award nominations.
The band is named after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria whose assassination was one of the main reasons for the start of the First World War. The band decided on the name after seeing a racehorse named Archduke Ferdinand win the Northumberland Plate in 2001, eventually coming to the decision as the alliteration and sound of the name appealed to them.
- Discography
Franz Ferdinand (2004)
You Could Have It So Much Better (2005)
Blood; Franz Ferdinand (2009)
Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (2009)
Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action (2013)
FFS (2015) (Collaborative album with the band Sparks)
Always Ascending (2018)
Hits to the Head (2022)
Evil Eye
Franz Ferdinand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Yeah, RED, ya bastard)
Yeah, RED, ya bastard
I don't believe in god, but I believe in this shit
Not me
I like to bring them down
Not me
Some fool who dumb dumb do
Uh, some people get a freak out of me
Some people can see that I can see
Some people want to see what I see
Some people put an evil eye on me
I have the evil eye
I see your soul
You wear it on your face
It's worn in what you do
What's the color of the next car?
(Yeah, RED, ya bastard)
Yeah, RED, ya bastard
I don't believe in god, but I believe in this shit
Not me
I like to bring them down
Not me
Some fool who dumb dumb do
But not, not, not me
Uh, some people get a freak out of me
It looks so clean
But I can see
The crawling, crawling creatures
Suspended in solution
No, no there's no solution
Uh, some people get a freak out of me
The lyrics to Franz Ferdinand's song Evil Eye showcase the singer's skepticism towards spiritual beliefs and his preference for bringing down those who believe in them. The opening lines - "Ooh, What's the color of the next car? (Yeah, RED, ya bastard)" - introduce a sense of aggression and nonchalance towards those who may question his beliefs. The singer then proceeds to declare that he does not believe in a god or any higher power, but he believes in the notion of evil eye. The evil eye refers to a superstition that believes that certain envious looks can cause illness or misfortune in the person being looked at. Despite his disbelief in god, he seems to accept the belief in the evil eye as something that he can use to his advantage.
The chorus further illustrates the singer's confidence in his abilities to bring others down. He declares that he can see the soul of others, and his ability to do so gives him an edge over them. He mentions that he sees the evil that others wear on their face and in their actions. The second verse has a more cryptic message, with the singer observing that some people can see what he sees and want to put the evil eye on him. He notes that though some things may look clean and pure, he can still see through it and find the crawling creatures suspended within.
Overall, the lyrics to Evil Eye portray the singer's disdain towards those who believe in spiritual beliefs and his confidence in his ability to outsmart them. The use of the evil eye as a means of gaining an advantage gives the song a dark tone, and the singer's matter-of-fact delivery of the lyrics adds to the overall aggression of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, What's the color of the next car?
Asking a question in disdain towards someone who is trying to provoke a reaction
(Yeah, RED, ya bastard)
Yeah, RED, ya bastard
Giving a sarcastic answer to the aforementioned question, while feeling agitated and angry
I don't believe in god, but I believe in this shit
Not me
I like to bring them down
Not me
Some fool who dumb dumb do
But not, not, not me
Rejecting the notion of a higher power, while acknowledging a belief in evil forces that one wants to defeat, but not through foolish means
Uh, some people get a freak out of me
Some people can see that I can see
Some people want to see what I see
Some people put an evil eye on me
Feeling like an outsider because some people are intrigued by one's unique perspectives, while others resent it and try to harm them
I have the evil eye
I see your soul
You wear it on your face
It's worn in what you do
Having a powerful intuition that allows one to perceive the true nature of others' intentions, which is reflected in their actions and demeanor
It looks so clean
But I can see
The crawling, crawling creatures
Suspended in solution
No, no there's no solution
Seeing beyond appearances and realizing the hidden flaws and dangers that lurk beneath the surface, while feeling helpless to prevent them
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEXANDER PAUL KAPRANOS HUNTLEY, NICHOLAS JOHN MCCARTHY, PAUL ROBERT THOMPSON, ROBERT HARDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Grant Pieterse
Sweet Jesus I can't stop listening to it. Franz Ferdinand is seriously one of the most underrated bands.
Chubachus
such a great tribute to 70's/80's/90's horror films
cerulean
rip to all of the people who’ve never listened to franz ferdinand before and decided to watch this first
Darlene Cotton
me
Anna Karenina Câmara
@Darlene Cotton F for respects XD
Watch Take me Out (the first song of them I knew, and the reason I started to watch music videos(I used to hate it)), and Right Action. There are tons of wonderful songs by FF, but I personally love these vids.
DoobShmoob
@Anna Karenina Câmara Love Illumination
Anna Karenina Câmara
@DoobShmoob noice, I'll check this one out, thanks! I know the song but not the vid
Alpha Lax
I've never listened to franz before and i love this
Cornia The Rare Furcorn
Producer: So what kind of horror and disturbing level are we going for here?
Franz Ferdinand: ...Yes
Creampuffu
Ngl this video is cute compared to what I’ve seen reading gore horror manga and comics lol-
I have a crippling gore addiction help-