Unfair… Read Full Bio ↴The Auteurs was a British alternative rock band of the 1990s.
Unfairly dismissed as the egotrip of acclaimed songwriter Luke Haines, The Auteurs were one of the unsung bands of the mid-nineties Britpop movement. Releasing their first record, New Wave, in 1993, the Auteurs were compared to Suede, and the resurgent glam-rock movement, and began to amass a reasonable cult following. 1994's second album, and commercial highlight, Now I'm A Cowboy, saw the band embracing at times a more contemporary sound, notably on the single Lenny Valentino, which probably remains Haines' best-known song. Now I'm A Cowboy was marked out by sprawling guitar lines as much as by Haines' inimitable lyrics, a kind of visceral social commentary. While touring this album in 1995, Haines jumped off a fifteen-foot wall, breaking both ankles, resulting in his being in a wheelchair for the rest of that year, recording the starker, angrier third album After Murder Park, most notable for the ballad-like lead single Unsolved Child Murder, released for Christmas at Haines own bidding. Following this, Haines took time out to work on other projects such as Black Box Recorder and Baader Meinhof, reforming the Auteurs in 1999 for the release of the mostly overlooked final album, How I Learned To Love The Bootboys.
While Haines remains widely respected for his lyrical eloquence and eye for the minutae of life, his eccentric, confrontational personality, and habit of styling himself as a louche ne'er-do-well, perhaps impeded the formation of a more affectionate bond with his fans. The Auteurs, similarly, tended to be respected rather more than they were loved.
Asti Spumante
The Auteurs Lyrics
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He is a good lad raised on the water
It's a little less tat then your council flat
It's a little less flat then your counil tat
When I was younger when I was nothing at all
Asti Spumante he's frozen orange
In a black bin liner in the boot of your car
Dump the leaves in Potters Bar
Your old Ford Zephyr ,your old Ford Zephyr
Won't start, start, start, start, start, start
They're making martyrs, English Tarmac
Why are you crying, are you a baby?
Never done nothing unless he was told
Never done nothing unless he was told
It's the best feeling in the world
Asti Spumante he's frozen orange
Asti Spumante he's frozen orange
Asti Spumante he's frozen orange
Asti Spumante he's frozen orange
The lyrics of The Auteurs' Asti Spumante are cryptic and hard to decipher, but it seems to be a commentary on class and social inequality. The singer is described as "frozen orange," which could be interpreted as being stuck between two worlds or not fitting into one particular group. He's a "good lad" who is "raised on the water" and "raised by a waiter," suggesting that he comes from a working-class background. The line "It's a little less tat then your council flat" implies that he's trying to distance himself from his roots, while "It's a little less flat then your council tat" could be a dig at those who patronize him for trying to improve his situation.
The second verse includes the image of a black bin liner in the boot of a car, which suggests someone disposing of something unwanted or not needed. The line "Dump the leaves in Potters Bar" is another reference to getting rid of something, albeit on a larger scale. The repeated use of "start" in the chorus could be seen as a plea to get going, to be successful. References to English Tarmac and martyrs suggest that the struggle against social inequality is ongoing, and that those who try to change their circumstances are often met with resistance.
Line by Line Meaning
Asti Spumante he's frozen orange
He is frozen and orange in color, possibly referring to a drink or a person who may be cold and frostbitten
He is a good lad raised on the water
He is a well-behaved guy who grew up near the sea or river
It's a little less tat then your council flat
A place that is slightly better quality than a public housing apartment
It's a little less flat then your council tat
A place that is slightly more interesting than a public housing apartment which is typically plain and unadorned
When I was younger when I was nothing at all
Referring to a time in the past when the artist was younger and had not yet accomplished much
He is a good lad raised by a waiter
He is a decent guy who was raised by someone in the service industry
In a black bin liner in the boot of your car
Suggesting that someone or something is being carried around in the trunk of a vehicle in a trash bag
Dump the leaves in Potters Bar
Throw away some leaves in a place named Potters Bar
Your old Ford Zephyr, your old Ford Zephyr, won't start, start, start, start, start, start
An old car that will not start no matter how many times it is attempted
They're making martyrs, English Tarmac
The authorities are creating heroes among those who fix the roads in England
Why are you crying, are you a baby?
A rhetorical question that asks why someone is crying and suggests they are acting childish
Never done nothing unless he was told
Someone who only does what they are instructed to do and never takes the initiative
It's the best feeling in the world
The feeling of not having to make decisions or take responsibility can be quite enjoyable
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LUKE MICHAEL HAINES, SIMON MEDWAY-SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind