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.
I Fought The Angels
The Delgados Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fought the angels here today
Hope
My defeat will end this play
Everybody knows that
I only have myself to blame
Everybody knows that
Softly, softly wins the game
Trust
I'll try to learn again
My words
Are seldom for a friend
Knew
At the time that they came out
Wish
I could have them disallowed
Everybody knows that
We say things we do not mean
Everybody knows that
We say things that are unclean
Trust
I'll try to learn again
My words
Are seldom for a friend
Run
Conversations in my head
Write
My own scripts to dish the dread
And if I speak out loud
I will have to change the rules
For speaking's out of bounds
If it's practised by a fool
Trust
I'll try to learn again
My words
Are seldom for a friend
So lend me
An ear to lean upon
To speak to
And learn my speaking from
In "I Fought The Angels," The Delgados explore the theme of self-destruction through the singer's wrestling with his own inner demons. The song is marked by the use of repeated phrases and a catchy melody which underline the central conflict of the song. The titular "angels" refer to the singer's own conscience, represented as figures that he struggles to overcome. Through his struggles, the singer hopes to stop playing the destructive game he has created for himself.
The opening lines, "I fought the angels here today / Hope my defeat will end this play" suggest the singer's desire to stop battling his conscience and come to a resolution. However, he acknowledges that he is responsible for his own downfall with the lines, "Everybody knows that I only have myself to blame/ Softly, softly wins the game." This line speaks to the singer's realization that he needs to work on himself, rather than try to overpower his conscience through force.
The song then goes on to explore the idea of the singer's struggle with his own words and thoughts. He wishes he could take back things he's said, knowing that they were untrue or hurtful. He sees himself as a fool for speaking out loud, as it "changes the rules" and he may be forced to face the consequences of his actions. The repeated phrase "Trust I'll try to learn again/ My words are seldom for a friend," highlights the singer's desire to better himself and be more mindful of the words he chooses to speak.
Overall, "I Fought The Angels" is a deeply introspective song that delves into the struggles of one's own conscience. The song's catchy melody and repetitive lyrics help to emphasize the central theme, and the singer's recognition of his own faults and desire to improve himself is a relatable and universal concept.
Line by Line Meaning
I fought the angels here today
I battled my inner demons today
Hope my defeat will end this play
I hope that losing this battle will put an end to my struggles
Everybody knows that I only have myself to blame
I accept responsibility for my actions and their consequences
Everybody knows that softly, softly wins the game
Being gentle and patient is more effective than being aggressive or hasty
Trust I'll try to learn again
I will make an effort to regain trust and learn from my mistakes
My words are seldom for a friend
I often say things that are not kind or helpful to my friends
Knew at the time that they came out
I knew that my words were hurtful when I said them
Wish I could have them disallowed
I regret saying those words and wish I could take them back
Everybody knows that we say things we do not mean
It's common to say things we don't really believe or intend to do
Everybody knows that we say things that are unclean
We often say things that are vulgar, inappropriate, or offensive
Run conversations in my head
I have imaginary conversations with myself
Write my own scripts to dish the dread
I create scenarios in my mind where I express my fears and anxieties
And if I speak out loud, I will have to change the rules
If I express my true feelings aloud, I will have to face the consequences and make changes
For speaking's out of bounds if it's practised by a fool
People are judged harshly for expressing themselves openly if they are perceived as foolish
So lend me an ear to lean upon
Please listen to me and support me
To speak to and learn my speaking from
I want to communicate better and learn from your example
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Logan Hatcher
This song is amazing. The Delgados will forever be one of the underground legends of rock.
Lag Seeing
Even now
jmasterX
The Delgados are awesome, it's such a shame almost no one knows abut them, they need more publicity :-P (well, they are no longer making music but still) I wish they were more well known, people only know them for Gunslinger Girl OT but their music is just soo much more than that!
Crazy Marie
I finaly found this song! I heard it in the first episode of lip service and its been over a year since i'm trying to find it. Its so good!
Lag Seeing
Find it again
dmower397
Sure, we all know The Delgados deserved waaaaay more recognition than they got...but on the other hand isn't it kinda cool to be one of the few who are "in" on the best-kept secret in Indie rock? Plus, they have released some pretty cool bands under their Chemikal Underground label.
Rodrigo Mizumoto
This is the song of my life... I've never listened anything so full of feelings and creativeness. It's simply the highest moment of this band. It's a pity that the band splited and none of them continued to compose songs like this one...
Lewis Tyler
This band blows me away every time. Their songs are so great.
Roberto Tapia
Hoy lucha con los Angeles...!!!! Muy buena Cancion!
Afsheen R.
Been a Delgados fan for a few years now, and a fan of The Hunger Games books for a few years too...only now I'm putting two and two together, this song totally fits the books and should have been on The Hunger Games movie trailer!!