'A Catholic Education' was their debut album, released in 1990. The album received positive reviews from English music journalists and critics. In contrast to the group's later work, the album has a very dark, abrasive, and cynical tone and incorporated a grunge and heavy metal influenced sound. As well, the album's two title tracks are direct attacks on the Catholic Church, which are unique for an otherwise apolitical band. The opening track, "Everything Flows", is a mellow powerpop-influenced song (unlike the rest of the album) that provides a sort of blueprint for their later work.
"Everything Flows" was later included in the compilation albums 'Deep Fried Fanclub' and 'Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Seconds – A Short Cut to Teenage Fanclub'. Those were released in 1995 and 2003, respectively. Teenage Fanclub's second album, 1991's 'The King', went for a shambolic, alternative rock edge that left many fans and critics cold, though the release also had strong defenders. It took their third album to kick things into high gear.
'Bandwagonesque', released in November 1991 on Creation Records, became famous by beating Nirvana's landmark album 'Nevermind' to be voted "album of the year" by popular American music magazine Spin. It also gave the band substantial U.S. success when the single "Star Sign" reached #4 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming their biggest hit in that country. "What You Do to Me" and "The Concept" were also Top 20 hits on that chart. Fans greatly enjoyed the melodic yet melancholy feel of the album.
Although later works have led the group through various highs and lows throughout the 90s and 00s, they're still going strong as of 2014. Tours have been widely successful. Their latest album, 'Shadows', was their ninth studio release. They made it available on 31 May 2010 on the band's own PeMa label in Europe and on Merge Records in North America, the group promoting the single "Baby Lee". Said track shows the band still in touch with the chiming, emotional sounds of their 90s heyday.
There have been a succession of drummers, including:
- Francis MacDonald (a prime-mover in the C86 scene, later of the BMX Bandits), the drummer in the original lineup, and in a later period
- Brendan O’Hare (later of Telstar Ponies, Thrapple , Mogwai and Macrocosmica)
and
- Paul Quinn (later of The Primary 5), who was later replaced by the returning Francis MacDonald.
Keyboardist Finlay MacDonald (no relation to Francis MacDonald) has also been a member.
FEEL
Teenage Fanclub Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When my senses can peel
Through the floor to the fields
Below me
I feel what I know
And I know what I feel
Illuminate what is real
Life without you
Is so cold
And moving round you
Makes me old
Send me far from myself
And the things that I see
Give me new ways to be
Remove me
Put my past on the shelf
With illusions of me
Show me new ways to see
Improve me
Life without you
Is so cold
And moving round you
Makes me old
Life without you
Is so cold
And moving round you
Makes me old
Through the night times
Wrong and right times
Take the straight line
Feel the sunshine
Through the night times
Wrong and right times
Take the straight line
Feel the sunshine
Through the night times
Wrong and right times
Take the straight line
Feel the sunshine
Feel the sunshine
Feel the sunshine
Feel the sunshine
Feel the sunshine
Feel the sunshine
Feel the sunshine
Feel the sunshine
Feel the sunshine
The lyrics of "Feel" by Teenage Fanclub describe the deep emotional connection the singer has with someone else. The opening lines suggest that the singer is content with staying wherever they are as long as their senses are attuned to what's around them. The following lines, "I feel what I know, and I know what I feel," indicate that the singer is confident in their feelings and intuition, and they value these aspects deeply. The chorus of the song reveals that the person whom they have this deep emotional connection with is the center of their world. The line "Life without you is so cold" expresses the unbearable pain of being without this person, while "moving round you makes me old" indicates that being with them is what makes the singer feel alive and energized.
The second verse of the song describes the singer's desire to be liberated from their past and find new ways of being that improve them. They ask to be "sent far from myself" and given "new ways to see" so that they can grow beyond their current limitations. This desire for change is likely related to their relationship with the person described in the chorus; perhaps they feel that this person inspires them to become the best version of themselves. The repeated lines in the song's outro ("Through the night times, wrong and right times...") suggest that the singer is willing to face whatever challenges come their way as long as they have the person they love by their side.
Overall, "Feel" is a song about the transformative power of love and the profound impact that one person can have on another's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't need nowhere to go
I am content with where I am and do not wish to be anywhere else
When my senses can peel
I am able to experience my surroundings with heightened awareness
Through the floor to the fields
My imagination takes me to another place, beyond what is physically in front of me
I feel what I know
My intuition tells me what is true
And I know what I feel
I have a strong sense of my emotions and can trust them
Illuminate what is real
Help me to see the truth and clarity in the situation
And show me
Guide me towards understanding
Life without you
My life is incomplete without you
Is so cold
I feel empty and alone
And moving round you
Being close to you gives me purpose and direction
Makes me old
Without your presence, I feel tired and lifeless
Send me far from myself
Take me out of my comfort zone and force me to grow
And the things that I see
Remove me from my current perspective and let me gain a new one
Give me new ways to be
Present me with new opportunities and experiences that allow me to become a better version of myself
Remove me
Take me away from my previous patterns and habits
Put my past on the shelf
Allow me to let go of my past and move forward
With illusions of me
With false perceptions of who I used to be
Show me new ways to see
Introduce me to new perspectives and ways of thinking
Improve me
Help me to grow and improve as a person
Through the night times
During times of darkness and struggle
Wrong and right times
Throughout all of life's challenges and moral dilemmas
Take the straight line
Focus on the most direct and honest path to success
Feel the sunshine
Experience the joy and positivity that comes with making the right choices and living a fulfilling life
Contributed by Mia R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thiago guerreiro
BOA MÚSICA.
MullinsTheRapper
Indescribably illustrious.