Stephen Fretwell (born November 10, 1981) is an English singer-songwriter f… Read Full Bio ↴Stephen Fretwell (born November 10, 1981) is an English singer-songwriter from Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire.

Stephen attended St. Augustine Webster Primary School in Scunthorpe and St. Bede's Catholic School in Ashby before furthering his study at John Leggott College - It was here that he started his first band 'Label'.

Fretwell is a keen fan of bands of the Brit-pop era, such as Oasis, Blur, The Bluetones, Radiohead, and Suede. During this period he formed a band; in order to demonstrate his talent to a wider audience.

After moving to Salford in the autumn of 2000 Stephen started to gain recognition for his music. He earned notice from magazines such as NME, Q Magazine. During this period songs such as Emily and What’s That You Say Little Girl? were first written.

Fretwell decided to stay in Manchester permanently, later releasing 8 Songs which he put out on Northern Ambition, a label owned by a friend. Fretwell later described it as 'The one I did to prove to myself I could put out one proper record'.

Fretwell left university after only one year, discovering that education wasn’t for him at this time, after all he’d only managed to attend two lectures. With this he picked up his guitar and started to perform at local acoustic nights in the Manchester area. The first of these nights being at The Roadhouse, a venue that lay in the centre of Manchester’s Northern Quarter. That night Fretwell impressed a restless and hard to please crowd with his performance.

He later released the Something's Got to Give EP and The Lines, both self-financed. On back of his growing stature and reputation, Fretwell was invited to support bands such as Travis, Elbow, Athlete, Keane and KT Tunstall.

His debut album Magpie, was released in November 2004. The first single taken from the album was "Run" and was subsequently followed by "Emily" which was in the Top 10 airplayed songs. His last single was "Four Letter Words EP". His song " Run “ is the theme tune to the award winning sitcom Gavin & Stacey.

He is known for his curly mop of ginger hair, sombre lyrics and gravelly deep voice. He names his main influence as Bob Dylan. His songs are derivative of Dylan's work, and he learnt to play guitar by playing Dylan's songs on his grandfather's old, unused guitar.

He was described by Q Magazine as 'Scunthorpe's finest export... ever'. The Times magazine said 'Not in your face but in your heart? Yes'. He is signed to Fiction Records and recorded his album at the Abbey Road Studios.

He has just released his new album "Man on the Roof" that recieved the same critical acclaim as "Magpie" with beautiful songs such as "Funny Hat" and "Now"...

The official website can be found at http://www.stephenfretwell.com/.

Bad Bad You Bad Bad Me
Stephen Fretwell Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You look so dainty darlin'
Crossin' over the road
To where the taxis wait in line
You move like violence darlin'
You're stubborn as they get me everytime

So come on over darlin'
And bring those magazines

And show me which ones your favourite floor
And bad bad you, bad bad me
Is all we'll be left with, anyway

Your songs don't come so easy
And lines are gettin, shorter everytime
And your heart beats so quickly
I hear it moving in the night, you like

So sneak on over darlin'
And bring those magazines
And show me which ones your favorite floor
Coz Bad Bad You, Bad Bad Me,
Is all we'll be left with, anyway

So come on over Darlin'
And bring those magazines
And show me which ones your favorite floor
Coz bad bad you, bad bad me
Is all we'll be left with, anyway

Yes bad bad you, bad bad me
Is all we'll be left with, anyway

Overall Meaning

In Stephen Fretwell's song "Bad Bad You Bad Bad Me," the singer is captivated by a woman who he describes as dainty but also possessing a violent energy. He is drawn to her, even though she can be stubborn and difficult to handle. The lyrics suggest that their relationship is ultimately doomed, as they are both flawed and cannot escape their own bad behavior. They are left with nothing but each other, symbolized by the magazines and favorite floor she brings over.

The repetition of the phrase "bad bad you, bad bad me" emphasizes the idea that they are both responsible for the state of their relationship. Despite their flaws, they are still drawn to each other, unable to resist the passion that exists between them. The line "your heart beats so quickly, I hear it moving in the night" paints a picture of visceral desire and intense emotion.

Overall, the lyrics suggest that this is a relationship based on physical attraction and passion, rather than a deeper, more meaningful connection. The singer knows that it cannot last, but they are powerless to stop it.

Line by Line Meaning

You look so dainty darlin'
I find you delicate and graceful, my dear

Crossin' over the road
Walking across the street

To where the taxis wait in line
Heading towards the queue of taxis

You move like violence darlin'
Your movements are forceful and aggressive, my dear

You're stubborn as they get me everytime
Your strong-willed nature always gets the best of me

So come on over darlin'
Please come here, my dear

And bring those magazines
Bring your collection of magazines

And show me which ones your favourite floor
Tell me which issue you prefer the most

And bad bad you, bad bad me
We both have negative qualities, my dear

Is all we'll be left with, anyway
In the end, our flaws will be all that remains

Your songs don't come so easy
You struggle with writing your music