Owen and Hobbs both grew up in the village of Wendover, Buckinghamshire. They met when they were still in school and started writing songs together. They began writing and recording songs for The Boy Least Likely To in the summer of 2002. The group created the independent label Too Young to Die as a means to release their music. Their first release was the 7" single "Paper Cuts" in 2003. They released three singles and completed the recording of their debut album before they played any live shows. Their debut album The Best Party Ever was released in the UK in February of 2005. The album was released in the United States in late Spring 2006.
The Best Party Ever was included in the Pitchfork top 50 albums of 2005 and was number 8 in the Rough Trade Shop top 100 albums of the same year.
They are known for the colourful characters that they use in their artwork, which are drawn by Jof Owen's brother, Tim. The artwork for their second album features 3D versions of the drawings that have been knitted.
The band describe their own sound as "Country Disco". They were included in the top ten bands of 2006 in Rolling Stone magazine, and described as sounding like what would happen "if all your childhood stuffed animals got together and started a band."
In October 2006 they toured the United Kingdom with Razorlight.
The touring band commonly included: Alistair Hamer, dr., Adam Chetwood, gtr., Anthony Bishop, bs., Bahar Brunton, keys/vio., Amanda Applewood, keys./bvs/cakes.
In September 2006 they began work on their second album, and in February 2008 the band posted two new songs from their upcoming album on their Myspace.
The Law Of the Playground was then released on April 14 2009.
Website: http://www.theboyleastlikelyto.co.uk
Label: http://www.tooyoungtodierecords.com
Fansite: http://www.thegirlleastlikelyto.com
I See Spiders When I Close My Eyes
The Boy Least Likely To Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I worry about nothing.
I think I've got fleas or some tropical disease
And my spider-sense is tingling.
I've got nothing to panic about,
So I panic about nothing.
I won't buy grapes, I check the 'sell by' dates,
I've got the blues,
I've got lifts in my shoes,
And I'm scared of the countryside.
I can't sleep 'cause I see spiders
When I close my eyes.
I've got nothing to be afraid of,
So I'm afraid of nothing.
I've emptied out the cupboard underneath the stairs
Because I think the sky is gonna fall in.
How did I get to be such a
Mess so soon in my life?
I can't sleep 'cause I see spiders
When I close my eyes.
All I ever wanted to be
Was comfortable and kind.
I can't sleep 'cause I see spriders
When I close my eyes.
I'd love to go to San Francisco,
But I'm too afraid to fly.
I can't help it, I see spiders
When I close my eyes.
The Boy Least Likely To's song "I See Spiders When I Close My Eyes" is a quirky and colorful tune that delves into the mind of a person who experiences anxiety and paranoia despite having nothing to worry about. The singer explains his tendency to worry about small things that may seem inconsequential to others, such as checking sell-by dates on grapes and eating fruit only out of tins. The song's first verse hints at his hypochondria: he thinks he has fleas or a tropical disease and feels his spider-sense tingling.
The chorus is where the song title makes its appearance: the main character can't sleep because he sees spiders when he closes his eyes. This can be interpreted both figuratively and literally; the spiders could represent his fears and anxieties or be a symptom of a sleep disorder. Either way, it illustrates the depth of his anxiety and how it affects his daily life. The second verse reiterates his tendency to worry about things that are beyond his control, like the sky falling in, which leads him to empty out his cupboard underneath the stairs.
The bridge is particularly poignant: "How did I get to be such a mess so soon in my life?" The main character is aware that his anxieties are excessive, and that acknowledging his irrational fears only exacerbates them. However, he doesn't know how to break the cycle, and so he continues to worry and panic. The song ends with a note of sadness: he wants to be comfortable and kind, but his anxieties prevent him from enjoying life to the fullest. He wants to go to San Francisco, but he's too afraid to fly, which demonstrates how much his fears control him.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got nothing to worry about,
Despite having no actual worries or problems in my life, I still find myself constantly worrying about things.
So I worry about nothing.
My tendency to worry is so strong that I end up worrying about things that don't actually matter (or things that don't exist).
I think I've got fleas or some tropical disease
I often imagine that I am suffering from various illnesses or infestations, even when there is no evidence to suggest that I actually am.
And my spider-sense is tingling.
I feel a sense of anxiety or apprehension about the world around me, as though I am constantly on the lookout for danger.
I've got nothing to panic about,
Just as I have nothing to worry about, I also have no real reason to panic or become anxious.
So I panic about nothing.
Despite not having any real concerns, I still find myself becoming overwhelmed with feelings of panic and anxiety.
I won't buy grapes, I check the 'sell by' dates,
I am overly anxious about food safety and always take extra precautions to make sure that I am not consuming anything that could be harmful or past its expiration date.
And I only eat fruit out of tins.
Due to my anxiety about food safety, I only feel comfortable eating packaged or preserved foods that I can trust.
I've got the blues,
I am feeling sad or depressed, despite not experiencing any significant problems or challenges in my life.
I've got lifts in my shoes,
I am trying to artificially boost my confidence or self-esteem in some way to counteract my negative feelings.
And I'm scared of the countryside.
I am afraid of natural or rural settings, likely due to a fear of the unknown or a belief that they are inherently dangerous.
I can't sleep 'cause I see spiders
When I close my eyes.
My anxiety and fear are so pervasive that they follow me even into my dreams, where I frequently experience vivid and terrifying nightmares about spiders.
I've got nothing to be afraid of,
Similar to my lack of worries or problems, I also have no real reason to feel afraid or anxious in my daily life.
So I'm afraid of nothing.
Despite my lack of legitimate fears, I still experience overwhelming feelings of fear or dread on a regular basis.
I've emptied out the cupboard underneath the stairs
Because I think the sky is gonna fall in.
My fears and anxieties are so irrational that I engage in extreme behaviors or preparations to try and protect myself from perceived threats that are not actually there.
How did I get to be such a
Mess so soon in my life?
Despite my relatively young age, I already feel overwhelmed and exhausted by my constant worrying and anxious behavior.
All I ever wanted to be
Was comfortable and kind.
Despite my fears and anxiety, all I really want is to feel at peace and be able to show kindness to others without feeling overwhelmed by negative emotions.
I'd love to go to San Francisco,
But I'm too afraid to fly.
I feel trapped by my fears and worries to the point where they prevent me from pursuing my goals or dreams.
I can't help it, I see spiders
When I close my eyes.
No matter how hard I try to overcome my fears, they continue to haunt me and disrupt my life on a regular basis.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JONTHAN OWEN, PETER HOBBS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
imma-burr
This is, was, and forever will be my favourite track on this album.