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.

Winter
Teenage Fanclub Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The summer was out of sight
We couldn't sleep at night
Shadows were closing in
Back in the dark again
Basement we didn't own
Cut off the telephone
Ceiling was falling down
Winter was underground

There are worlds
We can find
A hidden place
Is in our mind

Place where the water falls
Nobody ever calls
Sky is forever clear
Road never made it here
Forests are deep and green
Like nothing we've ever seen
Heavens revolving sin
Seasons change everything

There are worlds
We can find
A hidden place

Is in our mind
[Repeat x 2]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Teenage Fanclub's song "Winter" highlight the struggles of the singer, who is facing a difficult time in his life. The summer has passed, and the darkness of winter has arrived. The "shadows" are enclosing him, and he is trapped in a basement that he does not even own. It appears that life is falling apart for the singer who feels disconnected from the outside world as his phone has been cut off. The “ceiling was falling down”, offering an ominous reminder of the dismal environment within which he finds himself.

The singer then imagines a world he could find and create in his mind, where he would be away from the darkness and chaos he is experiencing. This imaginary world has a "hidden place," that he could retreat to. These lyrics express the singer's desire to escape from reality and find solace in an imagined space. He envisions a place where the sky is always clear, the forests are deep green and therapeutic, and the waterfalls, serene. It's an idyllic version of paradise where he can go for respite.

In summary, "Winter" by Teenage Fanclub is a song that portrays the struggles one may face during the winter season, where the hopelessness leads to a desire to retreat into the imagination, seeking an idealized and serene world.

Line by Line Meaning

The summer was out of sight
The summer had ended and we couldn't enjoy it anymore

We couldn't sleep at night
The lack of the summer had made it difficult for us to sleep at night

Shadows were closing in
The darkness of winter was starting to set in

Back in the dark again
We were back in the darkness of winter

Basement we didn't own
We didn't have complete ownership over the place we were staying in

Cut off the telephone
We were disconnected from the outside world

Ceiling was falling down
The place we were staying in was not in good condition

Winter was underground
The severity of winter was more than what could be seen on the surface

Place where the water falls
There is a peaceful place where water cascades down

Nobody ever calls
No one comes to this place, leaving it always calm and serene

Sky is forever clear
The sky is always beautiful and cloudless here