The Delgados are a Scottish indie rock band who formed in Hamilton, South L… Read Full Bio ↴The Delgados are a Scottish indie rock band who formed in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire in 1994 after friends Alun Woodward (vocals/guitar), Stewart Henderson (bass) and Paul Savage (drums) were forcibly ejected from the band Bubblegum. Joined by Paul's then-girlfriend Emma Pollock (vocals/guitar), the band chose to name themselves after Tour de France winning cyclist Pedro Delgado. They split in April 2005, with Emma signing a solo deal with 4AD shortly afterwards. June 2006 saw the release of a mammoth 29 track album of all the band's Peel sessions.

The band continue to turn out promising independent artists under their cult record label Chemikal Underground.

Their first commercial release came with the inclusion of their track "Liquidation Girl" on the compilation album Skookum Chief Powered Teenage Zit Rock Angst from Nardwuar the Human Serviette. Neglecting to go the traditional route of signing to a record label, the band instead started their own, Chemikal Underground, with which to release not only their records but also those of other local bands. Chemikal Underground's first release was naturally The Delgados first single Monica Webster / Brand New Car. Despite being greatly overshadowed by the Blur/Oasis race, the single caught the attention of veteran BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel and the band quickly became one of his favourites, going on to play more than ten sessions for his show.

The cost of Chemikal Underground's second release, the single Disco Nation 45 by Bis, left the cash-strapped label unable to afford another release by The Delgados, so their next release Lazarwalker came from the London based Radar Records. Tempted by Radar to a five album deal, the band declined, instead poaching their A&R contact, Graeme Beattie, for work at Chemikal Underground.

Another single, Cinecentre followed in early 1996 as the band juggled work at the label (made all the more hectic with Bis' appearance on Top of the Pops) with several tours, and recording their debut album. The band released two more singles, this time taken from their album Domestiques released on October 28, 1996. Both singles and the album were critically lauded, with the song "Under Canvas, Under Wraps" being voted number three in John Peel's Festive Fifty.

The band released their second album in 1998. Peloton - also a cycling reference - which saw the band begin to broaden their musical palette. Including a wider range of styles and more complex arrangements the record proved a critical success. It did not sell in huge numbers, however, though the single Pull the Wires From the Wall gave the Delgados their first UK chart hit, reaching number 69. The band's close relationship with John Peel continued, with Pull the Wires From the Wall voted to number one in the Festive Fifty (it would also make the all time chart made in 2000) and other entries at 9 and 38.

The Delgados' evolution continued with The Great Eastern in 2000. The record, produced by Dave Fridmann, was heavily orchestrated and contained shifting time signatures. Again, the record was lauded by the critics but failed to significantly expand the band's following. The first single, American Trilogy, reached number 61 in the UK charts. The record was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and four of its songs reached the Festive Fifty, two in the top ten.

This pattern was extended for their fourth album, Hate, which was released on Mantra rather than the band's own Chemikal Underground label. The album's epic songs were popular among critics and festive fifty voters but a wider public still proved elusive. The song The Light Before We Land was used as the opening music for the anime Gunslinger Girl, bringing the band to a new audience.

The band returned to their own label for 2004's 'Universal Audio' - which marked something of a move away from the orchestrated sounds of its two predecessors, towards a simpler, poppier approach.

The band announced they were disbanding in April 2005 due to the departure of bass player Stewart Henderson who found it difficult "to pour so much of my energy and time into something that never quite seemed to get the attention or respect I felt it deserved". The four friends will continue to run Chemikal Underground together. Songwriters Emma Pollock and Alun Woodward are pursuing individual projects, while drummer Paul Savage will continue production duties at the band's Chem19 Studios in Hamilton and in a new studio.

The members recently announced that they've secured the rights for their BBC session performances. A double-disc containing 29 tracks was released on June 12th 2006 in Europe. A release in the USA is expected before the end of 2006.

In June 2022, the band announced that they were reforming.

Child Killers
The Delgados Lyrics

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Lately days all seem the same since I lost my brain
Golden nights will see you through
Darker days need glue
How can I find what's right
In truth our love was the night
What's the point to you?

Goodbye wonder, Goodbye brain

This life is insane
No one here gets out alive
Not for life you'd like

How can I find what's right
The truth is our lives were shite
What's the point to you?
Come down, down, down
We have the only gack in town

Understand that it's here that I'm coming from
If I'm wrong or I'm right
Maybe soon we'll find peace in another one
Say goodnight

Eyes of black and lips of grey
When do I get my say?
Hard to come and easy go
Is the life I know

How can I find what's right
The truth is our lives were shite
What's the point to you?
Come down, down, down
We have the only gack in town

Understand that its here that I'm coming from
If I'm wrong or I'm right
Maybe soon we'll find peace in another one
Say Goodnight

Understand that its here that I'm coming from
I don't mind if you're right

Maybe now I'll find peace in another world
Andy goodnight

Overall Meaning

The Delgados's song Child Killers reflects on a lost sense of identity and purpose in life. The opening line "Lately days all seem the same since I lost my brain" suggests a feeling of disorientation and confusion, a lack of direction in life. The song speaks to the search for meaning and the struggle to find a place in the world. The lines "How can I find what's right/In truth, our love was the night/What's the point to you?" suggest a feeling of hopelessness, questioning whether anything truly matters or has any value.

The chorus lyrics "Goodbye wonder, goodbye brain/This life is insane/No one here gets out alive/Not for life you'd like" touch on themes of mortality and the inevitability of death. The lines "We have the only gack in town" could be interpreted as a reference to drugs or addiction, highlighting the harmful ways in which people sometimes seek meaning or escape their problems.

The song's overall mood is somber, with a sense of bitterness and disillusionment. The lyrics depict a character who feels trapped and unable to find their way, facing the harsh reality of existence with a sense of apathy and detachment. Ultimately, the song suggests that perhaps there is no easy answer or solution to the challenges of life, and that sometimes all we can do is say goodnight and hope for a better tomorrow.

Line by Line Meaning

Lately days all seem the same since I lost my brain
I feel like I'm in a rut since I've become uninspired and unmotivated.

Golden nights will see you through
Good times make everything easier.

Darker days need glue
During tough times, you need something to hold you together.

How can I find what's right
How can I figure out what's best for me?

In truth our love was the night
Our relationship was exciting and intense, like a night out.

What's the point to you?
What meaning does life have for you?

Goodbye wonder, Goodbye brain
I'm saying farewell to my curiosity and imagination.

This life is insane
Life is crazy and unpredictable.

No one here gets out alive
We're all going to die someday.

Not for life you'd like
Our reality isn't always what we wish it would be.

Come down, down, down
Get off your high horse and join us.