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)
Live Alone
Franz Ferdinand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because the greatest love
Is always ruined by the bickering
The argument of living
So I want to live alone
I could be happy on my own
Live the rest of my life
Wherever you are
Whoever is there
You know that I'll be here
Wishing I could be there
So I'm going to live alone
I'm not saying that out love is the greatest
But I'm in love with you
Want to stay in love with you
So I'm going to live alone
Yeah I'll be happy on my own
Live the rest of my life
With the vaguest of feeling
Wherever you are
Whoever is there
You know that I'll be here
Wishing I could be there
In NYC when
I get in a taxi
I say "man" to the driver so
He'll think
"Man!
I can imagine
Having a drink with that guy"
"He's alright"
Wherever you are
Whoever is there
You know that I'll be here
Wishing I could be there
The first verse of the song "Live Alone" by Franz Ferdinand paints a picture of someone who has been disappointed in love and has come to the decision to live alone in order to avoid the conflicts and arguments that arise from living with someone else. The singer sees living alone as the best way to avoid ruining what could be a great love. He believes that by living alone, he can eliminate the "argument of living" and be happy on his own. However, the second verse of the song suggests that despite this decision, he is not completely resigned to being alone. He admits that he is in love with someone but acknowledges that the relationship may not be the greatest. He still wants to stay in love with that person, but feels that it is best for him to live alone.
The lines "Live the rest of my life with the vaguest of feeling" suggest that he is not completely sure of his decision and may have doubts about living alone. The chorus of the song expresses his longing to be with the person he loves, no matter where they are. The last verse of the song offers a glimpse of the singer's personality, as he talks about how he imagines the taxi driver picturing him as someone he could have a drink with.
One interesting aspect of "Live Alone" is that it was not originally released on any of Franz Ferdinand's studio albums. Instead, it was released as a bonus track on the deluxe edition of their third album, "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand." Additionally, the song was released as a single in the UK and reached number 46 on the charts.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to live alone
I want to be by myself without any company.
Because the greatest love
One of the best kinds of love.
Is always ruined by the bickering
The expressing of petty complaints to cause an argument in a relationship always ruins the love.
The argument of living
The disputes that come up due to coexisting with someone.
So I want to live alone
Therefore, I want to have a life on my own.
I could be happy on my own
I am sure I will enjoy living by myself.
Live the rest of my life
Spend the remaining existence in this world.
With the vaguest of feeling
With the slightest sense of emotions.
Wherever you are
No matter your location.
Whoever is there
Whoever you are with.
You know that I'll be here
You can be confident that I will still exist.
Wishing I could be there
Secretly desiring to be there with you.
So I'm going to live alone
I have decided to live by myself.
I'm not saying that out love is the greatest
I am not proclaiming our love is the best.
But I'm in love with you
However, I still love you.
Want to stay in love with you
I hope to continue loving you.
Yeah I'll be happy on my own
Yes, I will be content alone.
In NYC when
When I am in New York City.
I get in a taxi
When I enter a cab.
I say "man" to the driver so
I call out to the driver as "man" so that
He'll think
He will ponder
"Man!
"Wow!
I can imagine
I can envision
Having a drink with that guy"
Drinking alcohol with that person sounds good."
"He's alright"
"He is decent."
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alexander Paul Kapranos Huntley, Nicholas John McCarthy, Paul Robert Thompson, Robert Hardy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind