Teenage Fanclub are an indie rock / power pop band from Bellshill, Scotland… Read Full Bio ↴Teenage Fanclub are an indie rock / power pop band from Bellshill, Scotland near Glasgow, formed in 1989 and formerly known as the Boy Hairdressers. They have two generally known humorous nicknames: "The Fannies" and "The Bellshill Beach Boys". They're revered for their devotion to chiming, The Byrds-esque guitars and harmonic vocals. The band is perhaps best known for the 1991 masterpiece 'Bandwagonesque', which presaged the later Britpop and indie pop movements, and, in 2006, Teenage Fanclub held two special concerts in London and Glasgow playing said album in its entirety. Songwriting duties are shared between the three permanent members of the band: Norman Blake, Raymond McGinley, and Gerard Love.

'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.

Tears
Teenage Fanclub Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's no future so don't fake it
Don't know if you're going to make it
When everything becomes unclear

You're tired and you're broken
You're true feelings remain unspoken
You couldn't hide behind your name

You're excited and ecstatic
You're exit was so dramatic
When all your passion disappeared

You're no sucker so don't blow it

You're succeeding but you don't know it
You've got to turn yourself around

Overall Meaning

These lyrics from the Teenage Fanclub song Tears delves into the internal struggle faced by many people - the fear of the uncertain future. The first two lines of the song epitomises the feeling of hopelessness and anxiety that can engulf someone when everything around them appears to be falling apart. Trying to act as if everything is alright or "faking it" might not be the best solution in such situations. The following line "Don't know if you're going to make it" could refer to the fear of failure or the dread of not knowing what the future holds.

The chorus of the song consists of two conflicting statements: "You're tired and you're broken, You're true feelings remain unspoken." These lines hint at the inability of the person in question to be honest with themselves and their emotions. They might be "broken" or going through a tough phase but they refuse to admit it. The line "You couldn't hide behind your name" adds to the sense of disillusionment and the feeling of being lost in a world that seems unfamiliar.

The last two lines of the chorus changes the tone of the song, offering a glimmer of hope to the person facing the struggle. They are not a "sucker" and should not let their fears hold them back. They are succeeding even if they don't realise it, and they have to take control of their life to turn things around.

Line by Line Meaning

There's no future so don't fake it
Don't pretend or fake it because there is no promising future ahead.

Don't know if you're going to make it
You have doubts and uncertainties about whether you will be able to survive.

When everything becomes unclear
You're unsure of what's happening around you.

You're tired and you're broken
You're exhausted and feeling defeated.

You're true feelings remain unspoken
Your genuine emotions are hidden and unexpressed.

You couldn't hide behind your name
Your identity can not protect you from your problems.

You're excited and ecstatic
You are overwhelmed with joy and happiness.

You're exit was so dramatic
You left in a dramatic and emotional manner.

When all your passion disappeared
Your motivation and enthusiasm for life have disappeared.

You're no sucker so don't blow it
You're not gullible, so don't make a mistake and ruin everything.

You're succeeding but you don't know it
You're doing well, but you're not aware of it.