Frou Frou created an impressive brand of vocal-driven, electronic pop. After the British duo had been collaborating for years without a record deal, the group's debut, Details, was completed for American release on MCA Records in 2002.
Heap and Sigsworth first worked together on Getting Scared from Heap's 1998 solo record, I Megaphone. After completing the promotion for that splendid debut, Heap was ready to begin work on a new project and the two hooked up again as Sigsworth had privately been compiling music specifically for Heap while producing other projects. The first track, conceived by the new, more formal (but as yet unnamed) pairing, eventually turned into Flicks from Details, which is perhaps Frou Frou's most Björk-reminiscent number.
Sigsworth grew up listening to eclectic female artists like Kate Bush, and along with Heap, developed an appreciation for classical music. He has specifically worked with Björk (Homogenic, Vespertine) and Madonna (What It Feels Like For A Girl) among many other significant '90s pop and electronic artists. Far from being the kind of campy moniker one might expect from a more sugary pop outfit, the name Frou Frou was decided upon when Francophile Sigsworth noticed the phrase in a Baudelaire poem. Apparently, when uttered in French, the phrase is meant to approximate the swishing of skirts as they swirl about the legs of comely dancing women, as in a burlesque performance.
Born composers, multi-instrumentalist Heap and studio/sound/producer/musician Sigsworth are credited with many side appearances in support of other artists, especially Sigsworth, who was often used as a bit of a song-fixer. While those aren't bad jobs to have, artists of Frou Frou's caliber need to step out on their own, and while Heap worked as a solo artist for a majority of her career, Sigsworth had never been so strongly identified with any previous project. Instead of relegating the male producer/writer to a barely credited back seat, as often happens with a female-fronted team effort, Frou Frou was conceived and honestly portrayed as a true collaboration, making it significant for its marketing truthfulness if nothing else.
Details has some relatively conventional pop moments like "It's Good to Be in Love", but more experimental cuts like "Only Got One" display a more definitive quality. The true accomplishment of Frou Frou (which is in evidence on just about every track the "band" created) is their uncanny ability to infuse highly manipulated, digitally crafted music with a warmth quite rare in pop and almost unheard of in music so technologically progressive. In the studio, Frou Frou achieved unique sounding beats for Heap's luscious voice via more-than-would-be-expected acoustic and natural instruments. These actual instrumental performances were recorded first, then heavily manipulated in an editing stage, giving the duo their own process and thus, their own sound. This approach made their music lush, dynamic, and more earthy when compared to typical electronic/dance and canned pop.
In November 2017, it was announced that Heap and Sigsworth would be reuniting to tour as Frou Frou in conjunction with an Imogen Heap solo tour in 2018. The duo released a live recording of "Guitar Song" on April 19, 2019. "Guitar Song" is one of two singles not released at the time of the band's initial break-up.
Deal With It
Frou Frou Lyrics
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I feel as if I'm outside looking in,
There's something very beautiful,
Is there any room in there for me?
Calm, calm, calm, calm,
Oh deal with it,
You deal with it,
Were you ever happy?
Was it only me just loving you?
When I wanna ignore it,
Why you making out like it's nothing?
I don't wanna be here,
No I don't wanna be a part of it,
I've had enough of fightin'
I don't even know the reason why we are.
Calm, calm, calm, calm,
It's pouring down,
All in decay,
We're puttin' all...
The lyrics to Frou Frou's "Deal With It" seem to speak to the complex emotions involved in a deteriorating relationship. The singer expresses feelings of detachment, questioning whether or not they truly know their partner and feeling like they are on the outside looking in. Despite this, the singer also acknowledges something beautiful about their partner that they are drawn to. However, the singer also admits feeling overwhelmed and "too high" to deal with the situation.
The second verse seems to delve deeper into the conflict at the heart of the relationship. The singer questions whether their partner was ever truly happy or if their affection was all one-sided. They express a desire to ignore or avoid the issue, but feel like their partner is making light of their problems. The singer is clearly feeling disillusioned and disconnected from the relationship, and declares that they don't want to be a part of it anymore, even if they don't understand exactly how things got to this point.
Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of a relationship that has gone sour, filled with confusion, disappointment, and emotional numbness. Despite this, there is still a hint of affection and yearning present, which only adds to the complexity of the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Do I really know you?
Questioning if the singer truly knows the other person they are addressing.
I feel as if I'm outside looking in,
Experiencing a feeling of being disconnected or distant from the other person.
There's something very beautiful,
Acknowledging that there is something positive in the situation or relationship.
Is there any room in there for me?
Wondering if there is any space or place for the artist to fit into the dynamic with the other person.
Calm, calm, calm, calm,
Encouraging a state of tranquility or peacefulness.
Oh deal with it,
Urging the other person to confront or handle the situation or issue.
You deal with it,
Placing the responsibility to handle the situation on the other person's shoulders.
'Cause I'm too high.
Admitting that the artist is incapable of handling the situation due to being intoxicated or high.
Were you ever happy?
Asking if the other person was ever truly happy in the relationship.
Was it only me just loving you?
Asking if the love in the relationship was one-sided or unrequited.
When I wanna ignore it,
Desiring to avoid or overlook the issues in the relationship.
Why you making out like it's nothing?
Questioning why the other person is acting as if the issues don't exist or are insignificant.
I don't wanna be here,
Expressing a desire to not be in the current situation or relationship.
No I don't wanna be a part of it,
Clarifying that the singer wants no involvement in the situation or relationship.
I've had enough of fightin'
Reaching a state of exhaustion or weariness in the battle or struggle within the relationship.
I don't even know the reason why we are.
Admitting to a lack of understanding or comprehension regarding the motives or reasons for the relationship.
It's pouring down,
Describing a heavy or intense downpour of emotions or conflict.
All in decay,
Depicting everything as deteriorating or falling apart.
We're puttin' all...
Cut off before completing the thought, leaving the listener to finish or interpret the meaning of the phrase.
Contributed by Kennedy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.