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.
Ruffians On Parade
Kaiser Chiefs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see it on fire, to feel this is
I want in, I want out
Just wanted to feel this
The change of the season
Got something to believe in!
You know it feels like Heaven!
So come on!
You feel sick, you've seen it
Escaping our dreaming
I want it, the pulse of the action, and listen!
I want in, I want out
Just want it to feel good
The change of the season
Got something to believe in!
You know it feels like Heaven!
When I try, I can't find a reason!
You know it feels like Heaven!
When I try, I can't find a reason!
Find a reason!
Find a reason!
Oh, I!
Don't want it, I do it
I got it, believe it!
The lyrics of Kaiser Chiefs' song "Ruffians On Parade" express a sentiment of wanting, achieving, and feeling alive. The repetition of "I want it, I do it, I got it, believe it" conveys a sense of determination and confidence. The lyrics also depict the urgency of wanting to feel alive and be a part of something greater, represented by "The change of the season, got something to believe in." The desire to feel good and alive is further emphasized throughout the song in phrases like "to feel this" and "the pulse of the action."
The chorus, "You know it feels like Heaven! When I try, I can't find a reason!" embodies the lyrics' overarching message that the rush of feeling alive can be indescribable and transcend logic. It suggests an intuitive feeling that is difficult to rationalize but undeniably uplifting. The phrase "find a reason" at the end also suggests a search for justification or explanation for this feeling.
Overall, the lyrics of "Ruffians on Parade" convey a sense of the importance of passion, determination, and the pursuit of feeling alive in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I want it, I do it, I got it, believe it!
I desire, I act, I possess, have faith in my abilities.
I see it on fire, to feel this is
I perceive it as blazing, to perceive this emotion is what I want.
I want in, I want out
I desire to participate and withdraw.
Just wanted to feel this
Only want to experience this emotion.
The change of the season
The alteration of time.
Got something to believe in!
Have trust in something!
You know it feels like Heaven!
You are aware that it feels celestial!
When I try, I can't find a reason!
Unable to find a justification despite making an effort!
So come on!
Invitation to join or encourage!
You feel sick, you've seen it
You have nausea, and you have perceived it.
Escaping our dreaming
Fleeing from our imagination.
I want it, the pulse of the action, and listen!
I crave the tempo of activity, pay attention!
Just want it to feel good
Only want it for the sensation of pleasure.
Find a reason!
Discover a motive!
Oh, I!
Exclamation expressing strong emotion!
Don't want it, I do it
Do not desire it, but do it anyway.
I got it, believe it!
I possess it, have faith in it!
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Nicholas Baines, James Rix, Andrew Robert White, Charles Richard Wilson, Richard Duncan Wilkinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@anaanaannaananwqwq
[Verse 1]
I chew imaginary gum
I own a replica gun
When we play away from home
We send in the drones
I study military maps
It helps me relax
What an ending
With 'em sending in the droh-oh-oh-oh-ohns…
… oh-oh-oh-oh-ohns…
[Chorus 1]
Ruffians are on parade, whoa, whoa…
Ruffians are on parade, whoa, whoa…oh-oh…
And at the last stand of the day
We lost more than we saved
At weekly meetings, we go on parade
[Verse 2]
I write on the walls
Of urinals and stalls
When we play away from home
We send in the drones
I got the head of a stag
And a confederate flag
What an ending
With 'em sending in the droh-oh-oh-oh-ohns…
[Chorus 1]
Ruffians are on parade, whoa, whoa…
The ruffians are on parade, whoa, whoa, oh-oh…
And at the last stand of the day
We lost more than we saved
At weekly meetings, we go on parade…
[Verse 3]
We're never backing down
We'll never be alone again
We are never backing down
Even a million miles away from home
[Chorus 1]
Ruffians are on parade, whoa, whoa…
The ruffians are on parade, whoa, whoa, oh-oh…
And at the last stand of the day
We lost more than we saved
At weekly meetings, we go on parade…
[Chorus 2]
Ruffians are on parade, whoa, whoa…
The ruffians are on parade, whoa, whoa, oh-oh…
And at the last stand of the day
We lost more than we saved
And in the dark of the arcades
We spend more than we made
[Outro]
At weekly meetings, early evenings
After eating, we go on parade
@SkullReformer
My music channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLLjwIP05w4
@Whitejewelsdragon9
I can remember my dad had to take me to school and we had this album on and we had the volume so high xD
@henriqueboscaini
I wish my dad listen to Kaiser Chiefs
@cinquedea1704
This song is so badass... I can't even...
@MrMikcels
all the intros in this album are epic, impressive
@AnAthleticPlatypus
Best song on the album, next to Coming Home and Roses.
@justinvzu01
yeah for sure
@beccles1996
Sound track to my summer!
@ICr1M1naLI
Same here haha
@amarqpr
Best song of the album