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
No You Didn't No You Don't
The Courteeners Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where I neglect endeavor does it mean I'm not clever?
No I don't think so
Just because my newspaper pages
Haven't been the times in ages
Does this meen that I don't no as much as you?
Jelousy will destroy us or so she used to say
But I suppose you know because your went to school with me
You sit in ya garage and you'd see
All the things we do don't you! no you didn't and no you don't
No you didn't and no you don't. no you don't!
Do you remember us lot doing keys
In the back of the garage at 243?
That was us and no one else
Lend luke a jumper off the shelf
Do you remember us lot doing keys
In the back of the garage where no one sees
That was us, no one else another jager off the shelf
So I suppose you know because your went to school with me
Sit in ya garage and you'd see
All the things we do don't you! no you didn't and no you don't
No you didn't and no you don't. no you don't!
Always be people lookin down there noses
I don't care I'm comin up smelling of roses
But I suppose you know because your went to school with me
Sit in ya garage and you'd see
All the things we do don't you! no you didn't and no you don't
No you didn't and no you don't. no you don't! no ya don't
In "No You Didn't No You Don't," The Courteeners tell a story of class divide and social jealousy. The lyrics focus on the singer's frustration with people looking down on them because of their background and the assumption that they are not intelligent or capable because of it.
In the first verse, the singer questions the assumption that they are not clever just because they use "salty phrases" and do not always pursue ambition. They point out that their knowledge and intelligence should not be judged based on external factors.
The second verse continues this theme, with the singer calling out those who think they are better because they read "The Times" instead of "newspaper pages" like the singer. The chorus states that the person who looks down on them does not know anything about their life because they only perceive what happens in their garage.
The bridge brings up a memory of their past, specifically a time when they used drugs in a garage that no one else knew about. This memory is a reminder that the singer's life and experiences are not understood by those who judge them.
Overall, the song is a message to those who judge others based on their social class or background. It reminds the listener that intelligence and capability should not be judged based on external factors and that everyone has their own unique experiences and stories.
Line by Line Meaning
So just because I use salty phrases and I go through stages
Just because I curse and have my highs and lows, it does not mean that I lack intelligence.
Where I neglect endeavor does it mean I'm not clever?
Even when I am not actively pursuing a goal, it doesn't mean I am not smart.
No I don't think so
I disagree with that notion.
Just because my newspaper pages
Just because I am not in the headlines of newspapers,
Haven't been the times in ages
I haven't been in the spotlight for a while,
Does this meen that I don't no as much as you?
It doesn't mean that I know any less than you do.
Jelousy will destroy us or so she used to say
As someone once said, jealousy can be destructive.
You'd kill for half the things we do including yesterday
Perhaps you envy us and wish you could have done some of the things we have, including yesterday.
But I suppose you know because your went to school with me
I guess you think you know me well because we went to the same school.
You sit in ya garage and you'd see
You sit in your garage and watch what we do.
All the things we do don't you! no you didn't and no you don't
You do not know all the things we have done, and you do not know all the things we are currently doing.
Do you remember us lot doing keys
Do you remember when we were using keys (perhaps to a car)?
In the back of the garage at 243?
In the back of the garage at number 243 (presumably an address).
That was us and no one else
That was just us, nobody else was there.
Lend luke a jumper off the shelf
Luke needed a jumper (sweater) and I lent him one from the shelf.
In the back of the garage where no one sees
In the secluded part of the garage where nobody can see us.
That was us, no one else another jager off the shelf
Again, it was just us in the garage having fun, and I shared another Jägermeister from the shelf.
Always be people lookin down there noses
There will always be people who look down on others with condescension.
I don't care I'm comin up smelling of roses
I do not care because I am still successful and will come out on top in the end.
no ya don't
And you really don't know what we're capable of.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LIAM JAMES FRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@blueteslasson5590
So just because I use salty phrases and I go through stages
Where I neglect endeavor does it mean I'm not clever?
No I don't think so
Just because my newspaper pages
Haven't been the times in ages
Does this meen that I don't no as much as you?
Jelousy will destroy us or so she used to say
You'd kill for half the things we do including yesterday
But I suppose you know because your went to school with me
You sit in ya garage and you'd see
All the things we do don't you! no you didn't and no you don't
No you didn't and no you don't. no you don't!
Do you remember us lot doing keys
In the back of the garage at 243?
That was us and no one else
Lend luke a jumper off the shelf
Do you remember us lot doing keys
In the back of the garage where no one sees
That was us, no one else another jager off the shelf
So I suppose you know because your went to school with me
Sit in ya garage and you'd see
All the things we do don't you! no you didn't and no you don't
No you didn't and no you don't. no you don't!
Always be people lookin down there noses
I don't care I'm comin up smelling of roses
But I suppose you know because your went to school with me
Sit in ya garage and you'd see
All the things we do don't you! no you didn't and no you don't
No you didn't and no you don't. no you don't! no ya don't
@DoorsAreSecured
I don't think that I will ever get tired of this band or this song
@sidewaysbonobo2107
Tired of it yet? 'All the way from over there'
@tombrads5958
Still gives me goose bumps this
@marknewton8149
I left a comment so every time someone likes it, I can come back and listen to this tune again.
@MissLibra-ce8qe
Another listen for you 👍
@JoeMcNally-.-
Your welcome
@swanster7338
But can you play guitar my boy?
@jonnyofspenny
Lyrically brilliant. Musically brilliant. Proper music will never die.
@keanhewitt4892
Still a banger this!!!🔥
@ciarashanya1287
Yess