Several members of the band are ardent fans of the English football team Leeds United (as the band originates from Leeds). The band are named after the South African Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, the former team of long-serving former Leeds captain Lucas Radebe.
The band's main musical influences include The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Kinks, Blur, Eric Burdon, The Jam, and other new wave bands. Andrew White (b. England; guitar), Ricky Wilson (b. Charles Richard Wilson, 17 January 1975, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England; vocals), Nick Baines (keyboards), Nick Hodgson (b. Nicholas Hodgson, 20 October 1977, England; drums) and Simon Rix (b. James Simon Rix, 18 October 1977, England; bass) formed the band in early 2003, having originally played garage rock under the Parva moniker. Their energetic brand of post-millennial guitar rock, which would have been branded "indie" in previous decades, quickly found favour on the local gig circuit. The quintet issued their debut, the XTC-soundalike Oh My God, before they had even signed a proper recording contract, teaming up with the Drowned In Sound website in May 2004 for a limited edition release. A contract with the B-Unique label followed and the band began to attract wider interest at the end of 2004 with the release of their storming I Predict A Riot. The topical lyrics, concerning alcohol-fuelled violence in small English towns, attracted as much attention as the band's anarchic update on late 70s new wave.
The band's explosion onto the global music scene in early 2005 was epitomised when they had their first single I Predict A Riot off their debut album Employment played on the radio around the world and opened Live8 in Philadelphia. Several years prior to 2003 the members of the band had been a garage rock group called Parva (before that they had been known as Runston Parva). However, after their label Mantra Records went bust in late 2002, the band went back to their roots and adopted a more britpop sound, helping the band reach their current popularity within the UK and beyond as a consequence.
The band re-released the single Oh My God on 21 February, which charted at #6. The debut album Employment was released on 7 March 2005 and entered the charts at #3 that week. Despite becoming favourite after being shortlisted, the album failed to win the 2005 Mercury Music Prize. They covered the Marvin Gaye classic, Heard it Through the Grapevine for the War Child album Help! A Day in the Life, giving a whole new slant on the song.
A DVD, entitled Enjoyment, was released in November 2005. The basis of the DVD is a (semi-false) documentary about the band narrated by Bill Nighy. It also includes all the promo videos, live performances and more.
An internet-only (so far) music video for their song Sink that Ship has been released in September 2005. The video appears on Electronic Arts' website as a promotional tool for their game Burnout Revenge but is completely unbranded.
Wilson auctioned off his red tambourine to radio show Xfm in late 2005 to raise money for the homeless charity Shelter. The winning bid was £375.00.
On February 5th, The Kaiser Chiefs Released their next single, Ruby, which was a major success reaching #1 in the singles charts.
The Kaiser Chiefs released their new album, Yours Truly, Angry Mob on February 23, 2007 in The Netherlands and Belgium, February 26, 2007 in the United Kingdom and on March 27, 2007 in North America. A double disc edition is also available, the second disc being a DVD.
It is known that three of the band members went to a school near Highroyd, Leeds. Also, Nick (drummer) announced during a gig in Newcastle Upon Tyne that his dad went to a school called St. Cuthberts in Newcastle. Other famous people from that school include Ant & Dec and Sting.
The band released their third album, Off With Their Heads, on October 20, 2008. It contains the hit single Never Miss a Beat.
Songfacts states that the band's fourth album, The Future Is Medieval was released through the band's website on June 3, 2011. In effect the world's first bespoke album, fans are able to create their own version of the record by choosing their favorite 10 tracks from the selection of 20 on offer. One-minute excerpts allow them to make their selections and each song is represented by an object.
After creating their own album, people can then share their version of the record with other fans, and earn £1 each time it is purchased by someone else.
5th album "Education, Education, Education and War!" was released on 31st March 2014 on Fiction Records, featuring the UK Top 40 single, 'Coming Home', and was their first UK number one album since 2007's 'Yours Truly, Angry Mob'.
Also on the Fiction label, their 6th album, Stay Together, was released on the 7th October 2016, with a notable shift towards dance-pop, hitting #4 on the UK Albums Chart.
In 2019, they moved to Polydor, and released 'Duck' on 26th July, featuring the singles 'Record Collection' and 'People Know How To Love One Another'. It peaked at #3 on the UK Albums Chart.
Performances
Kaiser Chiefs' first big festival show was at the dual-site Reading and Leeds Festival on 27 August 2004 and in the following year, on 16 May 2005, they appeared at the Pinkpop Festival in Landgraaf, The Netherlands. After that, things went fast. They were the opening act at the Philadelphia Live 8 concert on July 2nd 2005, one of only two British acts in the lineup (Def Leppard being the other). They performed I Predict a Riot, Everyday I Love You Less and Less and Oh My God. They played Reading and Leeds in 2006 before Franz Ferdinand and were extremely popular.
June 2005 saw them headline at the May Ball at Queens' College, Cambridge, supported by Anada, before an acclaimed appearance at a rain-soaked Glastonbury festival during the same month, whilst August's appearance at the V Festival featured a very enthusiastic set despite Ricky Wilson having his leg in plaster. Also more recently they embarked on their own headline UK Tour, supported by Maximo Park and The Cribs. Their first US tour (with The Cribs) ran through the summer of 2005, and they followed it by playing a few shows on the Foozer tour. This was followed up by opening for Foo Fighters during their Australian tour in December 2005. They also played to Jools Holland and his audience on December 31, 2005.
Their song Ruby, from the album Yours Truly, Angry Mob was featured as a bonus song in Guitar Hero III, and I Predict a Riot from Employment was eventually released as downloadable content for the game.
Kaiser Chiefs are set to return to the European festival scene this summer, having been booked for Switzerland's Gurten Festival.
- Like It Too Much
Kaiser Chiefs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Off with their heads, and always lead opinion polls.
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats.
In uniforms, of green and gold,
Like crocodiles they march in files of unison.
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, you get the first one free.
I like it too much, I like it too much.
I like it too much, I like it too much.
[Chorus]
Cause you are, descended from animals, and you are constructed of chemicals.
The one thing you cant have, you lie too much.
You look but you cannot touch.
Like dominoes, one only goes. They all fall, sail the ship, rock the boat.
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats.
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, you get the first one free.
I like it too much I like it too much.
I like you it much I like it too much.
[Chorus]
You look but you cannot touch.
I like it all too much.
[Chorus]
You look but you cannot touch. I like it all too much.
The lyrics of Kaiser Chiefs' "Like It Too Much" seemingly discuss the dangerous allure of power and the corruption it can lead to. The opening lines evoke images of medieval times, with individuals being punished by having their heads severed and opinion polls determining their fate. The lyrics suggest that those in power often indulge in this cruelty as if it were a form of entertainment, with green and gold uniforms representing their authority. The repetition of the line "Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats" emphasizes the idea that these powerful individuals view their actions as a show for others to watch.
However, the chorus shifts to the idea that those in power are no different than anyone else. They are merely "descended from animals" and "constructed of chemicals," just as all humans are. The line "The one thing you can't have, you lie too much" suggests that those in power are so obsessed with obtaining what they want that they will lie in order to achieve their goals. The last line "You look but you cannot touch" reinforces the idea that those in power are untouchable and unapproachable, and the singer is drawn to this perceived power.
Overall, the song critiques the corruptive nature of power and the dangerous allure it can have on those who seek it.
Line by Line Meaning
In nights of old, they lie in the roads.
In old times, people used to lie on the roads at night.
Off with their heads, and always lead opinion polls.
Those in power always lead the public opinion and are quick to punish those who oppose them.
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats.
Moving in and out of a different mental state, trying not to draw attention to oneself, but still close to the action like a spectator at a boxing match.
In uniforms, of green and gold, Like crocodiles they march in files of unison.
People in power wear uniforms that are symbolic of their authority, and they move in unison like a group of crocodiles.
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats.
Moving in and out of a different mental state, trying not to draw attention to oneself, but still close to the action like a spectator at a boxing match.
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, you get the first one free.
Again, moving in and out of a different mental state, trying not to be too obvious, and getting a free trial before it becomes addictive and one likes it too much.
I like it too much, I like it too much.
The singer likes this state too much and cannot get enough of it.
[Chorus] Cause you are, descended from animals, and you are constructed of chemicals. The one thing you cant have, you lie too much.
The chorus asserts that humans are descended from animals and made of chemicals, and the one thing they can't have is this addictive state because they lie too much about it.
You look but you cannot touch.
The addictive state is something that can be observed but not fully experienced or grasped by outsiders.
Like dominoes, one only goes. They all fall, sail the ship, rock the boat.
One action usually triggers a chain of events, leading to everything falling apart or major changes happening.
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats.
Moving in and out of a different mental state, trying not to draw attention to oneself, but still close to the action like a spectator at a boxing match.
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, you get the first one free.
Again, moving in and out of a different mental state, trying not to be too obvious, and getting a free trial before it becomes addictive and one likes it too much.
I like it too much I like it too much.
The singer likes this state too much and cannot get enough of it.
[Chorus] You look but you cannot touch. I like it all too much.
The chorus reiterates that the addictive state cannot be fully experienced by outsiders, and the singer likes it too much.
[Chorus] You look but you cannot touch. I like it all too much.
The chorus reiterates that the addictive state cannot be fully experienced by outsiders, and the singer likes it too much.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW WHITE, CHARLES RICHARD WILSON, JAMES RIX, NICHOLAS BAINES, NICHOLAS HODGSON, NICHOLAS JAMES DAVID HODGSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
GAEL
In nights of old, they lie in the roads
Off with their heads, and always lead opinion polls
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats
In uniforms, of green and gold
Like crocodiles they march in files of unison
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, you get the first one free
I like it too much, I like it too much
I like it too much, I like it too much
Coz you are, descended from animals
And you are constructed of chemicals
The one thing you can't have, you like too much
You look but you cannot touch
Like dominoes, one only goes
They all will fall, sail the ship, rock the boat
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, you get the first one free
I like it too much I like it too much
I like you it much I like it too much
Coz you are, descended from animals
And you are constructed of chemicals
The one thing you can't have, you like too much
You look but you cannot touch
I like it all too much
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...
Coz you are, descended from animals
And you are constructed of chemicals
The one thing you can't have, you like too much
You look but you cannot touch
I like it all too much
Erik Erik
This song still amazing <3
funkfanatic
One of my faves from this album!
Victoria Wynn
I love this song.
GAEL
In nights of old, they lie in the roads
Off with their heads, and always lead opinion polls
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats
In uniforms, of green and gold
Like crocodiles they march in files of unison
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, you get the first one free
I like it too much, I like it too much
I like it too much, I like it too much
Coz you are, descended from animals
And you are constructed of chemicals
The one thing you can't have, you like too much
You look but you cannot touch
Like dominoes, one only goes
They all will fall, sail the ship, rock the boat
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, with the ringside seats
Going in and out of, another state of, try not to be obvious, you get the first one free
I like it too much I like it too much
I like you it much I like it too much
Coz you are, descended from animals
And you are constructed of chemicals
The one thing you can't have, you like too much
You look but you cannot touch
I like it all too much
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...
Coz you are, descended from animals
And you are constructed of chemicals
The one thing you can't have, you like too much
You look but you cannot touch
I like it all too much
Rebecca Fleischer
great song.♥
BetterSkinDeep
My favourite is 7,8, 10 and 11. CD is awesome !
Speakerdan09
this song is the best!
Lando's Milkman
THIS IS AWESOME, typing to the beat :D
krilabeier
I know fraggle rock!!!! And I see what you mean.
leo gtfdown
Um, it's Like It Too Much... oh well :)