History
Formation and first albums: 1993–1999
The band was formed in 1993 by Huey Morgan, Brian "Fast" Leiser and Steve Borgovini after Leiser, who was already friends with Borgovini, met Morgan at the club where they both worked.[14] They started playing together and would provide the entertainment for the club when a booked act failed to show up. It was during one of these stand-in gigs that they came to the attention of EMI and they were offered a record deal.
Come Find Yourself, the band's first album, was released in the summer of 1996 by Chrysalis Records and followed their single "The Grave And The Constant" (UK No. 72), which was released a month earlier, into the UK charts. The album also featured the UK Top 40 hits, "Scooby Snacks" (UK No. 22), "The Fun Lovin' Criminal" (UK No. 26) and "King Of New York" (UK No. 28). The subject of latter touched on the imprisonment of Italian-American mafioso John Gotti, the wannabe gangsters emulating his style, and his fans and followers in his community that maintained his innocence. The biggest hit, "Scooby Snacks", features samples from films by Quentin Tarantino and a guitar sample from Tones On Tail song "Movement of Fear", interspersed with rap verses and a sung, anthemic, chorus. Come Find Yourself had a slow rise up the UK Albums Chart, finally peaking at No. 7 and spending well over a year in the chart, however it failed to make any impact in the US. The success of the album prompted the re-release of "Scooby Snacks" as a single, alongside a cover of the 10cc classic "I'm Not In Love", which this time reached UK No. 12.[14]
100% Colombian, released in August 1998 by Virgin Records,[14] had a far grittier sound to it tempered by three upbeat songs, and several downtempo tracks, including "Love Unlimited", a tribute to Barry White. "Korean Bodega", one of the aforementioned upbeat songs, was the biggest hit from the album, reaching No. 15, their second-highest placing single so far after the re-release of "Scooby Snacks".[14]
In June 1999 the band played at Glastonbury Festival on the Pyramid Stage. Their December 1999 album Mimosa, released by EMI was a compilation album consisting mostly of laid back lounge style covers and different versions of earlier released tracks. While making reasonable sales, the album was their weakest selling album yet and remained so for some years. It was around this time, in 1999, that Steve Borgovini left the band. He was replaced by Maxwell "Mackie" Jayson. A permanent replacement was found in 2003 in the form of Mark Reid (aka Frank Benbini) from Leicester, United Kingdom, who had previously worked with the band as Jayson's technician.
Mainstream success: 2000–2008
The band's third studio album, Loco, was released in early 2001. Back under EMI, the album had all new songs including the eponymous single which became their biggest hit yet, reaching No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart. It was the only single release from the album to reach the UK Top 40, and its success helped Loco to reach No. 5 in the UK Albums Chart.
Their final album under EMI was a "best of" compilation called Bag of Hits released in 2002. It was released in both one and two disc versions, with the second disc featuring remixes of Fun Lovin' Criminals songs by other artists. EMI released this album against the wishes of the band, who were not happy with the two disc version. However, despite their objections it reached No. 11 in the UK Albums Chart.
After parting company with EMI the band was picked up by Sanctuary Records in the UK, under which they released their fourth studio album Welcome to Poppy's (2003). While it received strong, but not fantastic, music reviews it failed to live up to the commercial success of any of the previous albums, peaking at No. 20 in the UK Albums Chart. The best-selling single from the album reached No. 61.
EMI continued to release the band's back catalog, as well as unreleased songs on two more albums. The Fun Lovin' Criminals made no further releases until 2005 album Livin' in the City, still under Sanctuary Records. This was very much a love letter to New York with many songs extolling the virtues of the city.
In June 2008 they made their second appearance at the Glastonbury Festival, this time on the Jazz World Stage.
2009–present
In April 2010 Classic Fantastic was released, kicking off a European tour which began in Manchester. Legal wranglings with their previous manager meant that this album was their first official output in five years, although they had played live during this period. Leiser and Benbini had produced much of the album in London, while Morgan recorded his parts in New York.
Classic Fantastic was the first album on Kilohertz, the band's own label, and signaled a new business model for the Fun Lovin' Criminals based on touring their live shows rather than relying on record sales alone. Singles from the album were the title track "Classic Fantastic" followed by "Mr Sun". The official video for "Mr Sun" was cancelled due to volcanic ash, and a montage of old home movies was used in its place.
The third single was the double A-side "We The Three" and "Keep On Yellin" featuring South London's Roots Manuva, released August 16, 2010. During July 2010 the band recorded a special series of songs with Roots Manuva. The project, dubbed "Criminal Manuvas", was recorded at Maida Vale studios for BBC Radio 6 Music; songs included a reggae version of "Scooby Snacks" and an alternative version of "Witness".
In September 2010 the band were touring, and they announced a live album: Fun, Live and Criminal via Pledge Music.
In March 2014 they released The Bong Remains The Same, a live concert video.
In February 2016, they released a deluxe, expanded edition of debut album "Come Find Yourself" to mark its 20th anniversary, and the band toured the album by performing it in full alongside some of their other tracks, throughout the UK and Europe, and at a number of festivals that Summer and into 2017. In January 2019, The band released the follow-up to their "Mimosa" compilation, titled "Another Mimosa", which features covers of some of their favourite songs. The band have also been working on their 7th studio album of new original material, expected in 2020.
Side projects
Huey Morgan is a radio personality on BBC.[11][15]Morgan has appeared on Jack Osbourne's Adrenaline Junkie, a boy racer show Slips, sat in for Jonathan Ross and Dermot O'Leary on BBC Radio 2, appeared in Soulboy (film) as a Dick Van Dyke accented London record shop owner, voiced a character in the Scarface: The World Is Yours video game, and most bizarrely appeared with Liza Tarbuck on Liza & Huey's Pet Nation on prime-time SKY TV.
All three band members have released side-projects. Benbini's band Uncle Frank has released an album, as has Leiser, albeit some of his previous 'unreleased' work. Both Leiser and Benbini have collaborated on myriad remixes as well as a full remix album in a reggae-dub style under the moniker Radio Riddler. Morgan has released an album Say it to my Face and toured with several acquaintances, including Benbini, as Huey and the New Yorkers, raising money for veterans as he did so.
Back on the Block
Fun Lovin' Criminals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep it packed away where no one come in to
Got pulled out of the mix like forever and ever
I thought you told me how you felt about it in your letter
But that is all behind me like Georgio Armani
I'm sipping campari feed my dog salami
Never gave nobody up, I did my time I didn't bitch
Since I been back I heard you switched
[Chorus]
But I'm back on the block and the air tastes sweeter
Yeah I'm back on the block and I barely believe ya
Yeah I'm back on the block and the air tastes sweeter
Yeah I'm back on the block
I remember the block and how it all began
You was a ramblin' man with a shake in your hand
Now, when they ran up fisty cuts in the plan
One who does it, who you was
So you dropped it on the cousin and you blamed it on me
He said nothing to the man but he said something to me
One, two, three but still I gave him the fifth
But since I've been back I heard you switched
And she keeps goin' on and on about it, hmm hmm
And he keeps goin' on and on and on about it
And Drunk Eddie from the store, he keeps goin' on and on about it
He keeps goin' on and on about it.
[Chorus: x4]
The lyrics in Fun Lovin' Criminals's song Back on the Block talk about a person's return to their old neighborhood after being away for some time. The singer of the song is nostalgic about the place and wants to keep it close to them like a treasure. The block is a place of mixed emotions for the singer where they have had their fair share of troubles but still remember it fondly. They were pulled out of this mix "like forever and ever" but while they were away, they were reminded of the block through a letter from someone they cared about. However, they have moved on from the letter and the block is behind them, much like Georgio Armani, the Italian fashion house, is behind them. The singer feeds their dog some salami while sipping campari and has done their time without complaining. They have now returned to the block, but they have heard from others that things have changed, and people have switched sides. The chorus "Yeah, I'm back on the block, and the air tastes sweeter, Yeah, I'm back on the block, and I barely believe ya" reflects the singer's mixed feelings about being back.
The second verse talks about how the singer remembers how it all began on the block. They remember someone who was a rambling man with a shake in their hand. There were fights and trouble, but the singer didn't snitch on anyone and did their time. When they return, they find out that their cousin was blamed for something they did, and they were blamed for it. The singer gave their cousin the fifth, but since they've been back, they've heard that others have switched sides.
Line by Line Meaning
I think about the block keep it close like treasure
I hold memories of my hometown close to my heart like a precious keepsake
Keep it packed away where no one come in to
I keep these memories to myself, not sharing them with outsiders
Got pulled out of the mix like forever and ever
I left my hometown for a long time, feeling disconnected from the community
I thought you told me how you felt about it in your letter
I thought I knew how things were in my absence, based on what others had written to me
But that is all behind me like Georgio Armani
Those old memories are in the past, like an outdated fashion trend
I'm sipping campari feed my dog salami
I'm enjoying the good life with fancy drinks and treats for my dog
Never gave nobody up, I did my time I didn't bitch
I stayed quiet and loyal, not betraying anyone and taking responsibility for my actions
Since I been back I heard you switched
Since returning to my hometown, I've heard rumors that you've changed or betrayed me
Yeah I'm back on the block and the air tastes sweeter
Being back in my hometown feels refreshing and nostalgic
Yeah I'm back on the block and I barely believe ya
I'm skeptical of the rumors I've heard and don't fully trust those who have changed
I remember the block and how it all began
I reflect on how the community started and the history behind it
You was a ramblin' man with a shake in your hand
You were a wanderer who was often unstable or unreliable
Now, when they ran up fisty cuts in the plan
When violence or conflict occurred, you were involved and caused problems
One who does it, who you was
You were known for causing problems and getting into trouble
So you dropped it on the cousin and you blamed it on me
You placed blame on me for something that wasn't my fault, and instead blamed a relative
He said nothing to the man but he said something to me
The relative who was wrongly accused stayed quiet around others, but confided in me
But still I gave him the fifth
I stayed loyal and protected his secrets, even when testifying in court
And she keeps goin' on and on about it, hmm hmm
There are rumors and gossip circulating that people can't stop talking about
And he keeps goin' on and on and on about it
The rumors and gossip have captured people's attention and they can't stop discussing it
And Drunk Eddie from the store, he keeps goin' on and on about it
Even someone as unreliable as Drunk Eddie is repeating the rumors and engaging in gossip
He keeps goin' on and on about it.
The rumors and gossip are all-consuming and difficult to ignore
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN LEISER, HUGH MORGAN, JOHN BARRY, STP-1XEVE BORGOVINI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Valliwulf
on The Fun loving criminal
This is wrong it was released in 96 are you sure it's not a music making program like studio 2000. Where no talent ppl make their fame?