Featuring vocalist Liam Fray, lead guitarist Daniel "Conan" Moores, and drummer Michael Campbell, Courteeners formed in Manchester in 2006, when the 22-year-old Fray -- already known around town for his acoustic singer/songwriter gigs -- brought three of his childhood friends (including ex-bassist Mark Cupello) together to form a proper band. After signing to Loog Records, a pseudo-indie label owned by Polydor, the Courteeners released their limited-edition debut single, "Cavorting," in August 2007. Three more singles, "Acrylic," "What Took You So Long?," and "Not Nineteen Forever," dotted the charts between October 2007 and March 2008, prior to the release of the group's debut album. Produced by Stephen Street (celebrated for his work with the Smiths, Blur, and the Cranberries) and featuring Fray's painting of Audrey Hepburn on the cover, St. Jude was released in April 2008. The album reached number four in the U.K., where it also achieved gold status.
While touring in support of the record, the Courteeners began playing new material at select shows, much of which found its way onto 2010's Falcon, a slower, more ambitious set of songs. The band's third album, Anna, reflected an '80s synth pop influence and arrived in early 2013. In 2014, the Courteeners returned with their fourth studio album, Concrete Love, which found them building upon Anna's anthemic '80s-influenced sound. The album fared well, reaching number three on the U.K. albums chart. A year after Concrete Love, the group parted ways with bassist Cupello, replacing him with longtime collaborator and producer Joe Cross. In 2016, they released their fifth studio album, Mapping the Rendezvous. Featuring singles "The 17th" and "No One Will Ever Replace Us," the set peaked at number four in the U.K.
Celebrating the tenth anniversary of their debut in 2018, the Courteeners issued St. Jude Re:Wired, a reimagined vision of their 2008 breakthrough. They embarked on a celebratory concert run in England before returning to the studio for a proper follow-up to Rendezvous. Their sixth set, More. Again. Forever., arrived in early 2020 and came as a result of a dark period of uncertainty for Fray and the band. Featuring a distinctly dance-friendly sound influenced by LCD Soundsystem, the set focused on bass grooves and insightful lyrics that marked a late-era maturation for the crew.
Biography by Stewart Mason
Are You In Love With A Notion?
The Courteeners Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And hide away from everybody's prying face
You told Deborah that he is the one
You're going to quit Debenhams
Elope and get married in the sun
Have you really thought this through, oh-oh?
Is he really the one for you, oh-oh?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
You linger on a feeling
That you can't quite put your finger on
Reminiscent of a summer in the Isle of Wight
But you think that it's too late
To back out at this stage
You need to emancipate
Step back and disengage
Have you really thought this through, oh-oh?
Is he really the one for you, oh-oh?
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
I don't know if he'd stay or if he be on his pedalo
Cramping from the frantic pace
You told Alison next door
That all your dreams were made
But then your home screen flashed some more
He never was one for serenade
Have you really thought this through?
Is he really the one, really the one?
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
The song "Are You In Love With A Notion?" by The Courteeners tells the story of someone who has fallen in love with a seemingly perfect idea or notion of a person, rather than the person themselves. The lyrics suggest that the singer is considering eloping with this person, leaving behind their current life, and committing themselves to this notion they have created. However, the chorus questions whether this notion is truly a good thing for the singer, and whether they have thought through the consequences of their actions.
The lyrics also suggest that the singer may be hesitant about their decision, unsure of whether this notion is truly what they want. They seem to be holding onto a feeling, reminiscing about a past experience, but are uncertain about whether this is enough to make such a life-altering decision. The references to "pedalo" and "Isle of Wight" create a sense of youthfulness and nostalgia, perhaps indicating that the singer is holding onto a feeling from their past and is struggling to let go.
Overall, the song explores the idea of falling in love with an idealized version of a person or relationship, rather than the reality. The chorus reminds the listener that this notion may not be good for them and encourages them to question whether this is truly what they want.
Line by Line Meaning
Run away from this godforsaken place
Escape from this miserable place
And hide away from everybody's prying face
Find a secluded place away from everyone's scrutiny
You told Deborah that he is the one
You confided in Deborah that you believe he is the one
You're going to quit Debenhams
You plan to leave your job at Debenhams
Elope and get married in the sun
Run away and get married somewhere warm and sunny
Have you really thought this through, oh-oh?
Have you fully considered the consequences?
Is he really the one for you, oh-oh?
Is he truly the right person for you?
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
Why are you so infatuated with an idea or fantasy?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
It's not beneficial to you in any way
You linger on a feeling
You dwell on a certain emotion or sensation
That you can't quite put your finger on
That you can't fully explain or understand
Reminiscent of a summer in the Isle of Wight
Similar to a past summer you spent in the Isle of Wight
But you think that it's too late
But you believe it's too far along to change course
To back out at this stage
To withdraw from the situation now would be difficult
You need to emancipate
You need to break free and release yourself
Step back and disengage
Take a step back and disconnect from the situation
I don't know if he'd stay or if he be on his pedalo
I don't know if he'll remain committed or if he'll flee
Cramping from the frantic pace
Exhausted and overwhelmed by the situation
You told Alison next door
You confided in your neighbor Alison
That all your dreams were made
That you feel like all of your dreams have come true
But then your home screen flashed some more
But then you received more notifications on your phone
He never was one for serenade
He was never one for romantic gestures or songs
Is he really the one, really the one?
Is he truly the right person for you?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSEPH JAMES RIXON CROSS, LIAM JAMES FRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Yoby Afis
Run away from this godforsaken place
And hide away from everybody's prying face
You told Deborah that he is the one
You're going to quit Debenhams
Elope and get married in the sun
Have you really thought this through, oh-oh?
Is he really the one for you, oh-oh?
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
You linger on a feeling
That you can't quite put your finger on
Reminiscent of a summer in the Isle of Wight
But you think that it's too late
To back out at this stage
You need to emancipate
Step back and disengage
Have you really thought this through, oh-oh?
Is he really the one for you, oh-oh?
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
I don't know if he'd stay or if he be on his pedalo
Cramping from the frantic pace
You told Alison next door
That all your dreams were made
But then your home screen flashed some more
He never was one for serenade
Have you really thought this through?
Is he really the one, really the one?
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
Why are you so in love with, why are you so in love with a notion?
It doesn't do you any good, it doesn't do you any good at all
Ruby Rodriguez
Listened to this song a lot when I fell for a notion. I left a boyfriend of four years to be with him and fast forward to now, everything I could have hoped for came true. We are married and I’m holding our 8 month old right now. Always trust your gut.
NobleHam
I'm not sure you really got the message of the song, but I'm very happy for you, that's awesome.
Derek Merrilees
Fucking amazing!,these lads don't get the credit they deserve,every time I've seen them it's been superb!
God bless the band ✌🏼️
Kombat
Class song, class band, amazing live🙌god bless the band
Callum Burke
My neighbours love this song so much they smashed my window just to hear it more
liam jones
You're a funny lad fair play
Rob
@Ciaran Adams 😂 glad someone realised what it was hahaha
Ciaran Adams
@Rob This broke me i sang it as i read it hahahaha
Mikey Craig
You said it wrong. It's 'my neighbours love this song so much they chucked a brick through my window to hear it better'.
Stephan Fitzgerald
Don't play stone roses or they might take the front of the house down!