Neil Hannon, Originally from Derry, has been the only ever-present member of the band, being its founder in 1989 when he was joined by John McCullagh and Kevin Traynor. Their first album, the heavily R.E.M.-influenced and now-deleted Fanfare for the Comic Muse, enjoyed little success though. A couple of equally unsuccessful EPs - Timewatch (1991); Europop (1992) - were to follow, with newly-recruited member John Allen handling lead vocals on some tracks. After the commercial failure of the latter EP, this line-up soon fell apart.
Hannon, however, was not deterred in his efforts and re-appeared in 1993 with Liberation. Featuring a fairly diverse musical outlook that goes from the tongue-in-cheek synth pop of Europop(nearly unrecognisable from the previously-released version) to the classical stylings of Timewatching.
Indeed, it was only some minor success in France that really enabled Hannon to proceed to his second effort Promenade. Released in 1994, this was heavily driven by classical influences, with Michael Nyman's stylings clearly an influence. Hannon himself acknowledged this when he apparently sent a copy of his new album to the composer, jokingly asking him not to sue. Essentially a concept album about a day spent by two lovers, it also received similar critical acclaim to that which Liberation was afforded. Commercial success, though, was not forthcoming.
At around the same time, Hannon also wrote and performed the theme music for the TV sitcom Father Ted (which would subsequently be incorporated into the song Songs of Love on the album Casanova), and later wrote the music for the deliberately bad mock-Eurovision song My Lovely Horse for one episode. Hannon resisted widespread requests from fans to release the track as a single for the Christmas market, but it was eventually released in 1999 as the third track on the CD-single Gin Soaked Boy. This would not be the only time they would be responsible for a TV theme, as In Pursuit Of Happiness was also used by the BBC science and technology show, Tomorrow's World. Hannon also recently composed the music for the comedy series "The IT Crowd".
The album Casanova (1996), and in particular the single Something for the Weekend led to the band's first major successes, with Neil Hannon becoming a distinctive, albeit unlikely, popstar in an immaculate suit, and always appearing the elegant dandy. At the height of their commercial success, the band put out A Short Album About Love (a reference to the Krzysztof Kieślowski movie A Short Film About Love), recorded live at soundcheck with the Brunel Ensemble in preparation for a concert at the Shepherd's Bush Empire, from which several songs were released as b-sides. It was aptly released on Valentine's Day in 1997. Subsequently, the band contributed a reworking of Noel Coward's I've Been to a Marvellous Party to a compilation of covers of the writer's songs, with Hannon affecting a Cowardesque lilt (albeit interspersed with an aggressive electronic musical backing).
The foppish image, but not the suit, was ditched for the more sombre album Fin De Siècle in 1998, although its biggest hit, the jaunty National Express, a song about the national coach operators, belied its more intimate, soul-searching tone. Maintaining the balance between these poles, 1999's Secret History - the Best of The Divine Comedy included a re-recording of Liberation track The Pop Singer's Fear of the Pollen Count and two new songs (Gin-Soaked Boy and Too Young to Die) alongside the band's main hits. In the same year, the band also collaborated with Tom Jones on a cover version of Portishead's All Mine, featured on his album Reload.
A serious side to the band was also in evidence in 2000's collaboration with Ute Lemper on her album Punishing Kiss, most of which featured The Divine Comedy as Lemper's backing band.
The 2001 album Regeneration attempted to remove the band still further from its association with comedy. Hannon hired famous producer Nigel Godrich to "remake" the band. Neil ditched the suit and donned the Britrock band image. However, the album was a greater critical than commercial success, and soon after its release it was announced that The Divine Comedy were splitting up. However within a year Hannon was touring again with a revised band line-up, playing a series of joint-headline gigs in the USA, UK and Ireland featuring both The Divine Comedy and Ben Folds, who would cover The Divine Comedy's Songs of Love on his Sunny 16 EP.
Eventually a new album surfaced in the form of 2004's Absent Friends. Striking a balance between the occasionally earnest sound of the band's later material and the lighter tone of the more popular releases, it encapsulated the essence of The Divine Comedy. 2004 saw two dates of particularly acclaimed performances, one at the London Palladium (which was later released as a live DVD) and one at the Royal Albert Hall.
In January 2005, Hannon announced that he had acquired the worldwide copyrights to all of his recorded output with his former record label, Setanta Records. He declared on the band's official website that he would be launching his own record label Divine Comedy Records in order to re-release his 1990s output.
Hannon's ninth album under the Divine Comedy moniker, Victory for the Comic Muse (a reference to his debut), was released in June 2006. It is suggested by fans to be less personal and more free-approach in tone than his most recent albums. The bulk of the record was recorded in just two weeks, hence the more spontaneous sound, and features appearances from Travis bass player Dougie Payne.
Hannon collaborated with Thomas Walsh of Pugwash to create an album themed around the sport of cricket. Released under the alias The Duckworth Lewis Method, the self-titled album was released in 2009 to critical acclaim.
The following year saw the tenth Divine Comedy album and first on his own label, Bang Goes the Knighthood.
A Seafood Song
The Divine Comedy Lyrics
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On a little dishy?
Who will have a fishy
When the boat comes..."
And then he says
"With our glasses both raised in a toast
Let's sing for those in peril on the sea
To thy every wish
With every fish
As fresh as fish can be
You see, I'm into my oysters
My king prawns and caviar
No matter how far away they are
I'll be there!"
And then she says,
"Now with our glasses both raised in this toast
Let's sing for those in peril on the sea
Who labour tirelessly
In their tiny boats
Off John O' Groats
Their socks soaked for me
You see, I do like my lobster
My hake, skate and rainbow trout
And if there's a fishy smell about
I'll be there! And then
And then we'll sing for those in peril on the sea
Don't be frightened
Don't be scared
Chop off their heads
And little legs
Then peel away the shell
And open up your senses to the smell
The sound and colour
Touch and taste
Of crab, cod, clams and kippers
Scampi, squid, sole, shark and scallop
Winkles, whelks, whale and whiting
Seaweed, swordfish, sardines and sea urchin
Haddock, halibut, herrings and eel
Cockles, mussels, mackerel and veal
Pilchard, plankton, St Peter's fish and plaice
Octopussy jellyfishy
And dolphin's an acquired taste
"Who will have a fishy
On a little dishy?
I will have a fishy
When the boat comes in."
The song "A Seafood Song" by The Divine Comedy begins with a cheerful refrain about having a fishy on a little dishy when the boat comes in. The lyrics then move to a toast to the fisherman who labor tirelessly to bring fresh fish to the table. The singer declares his love for oysters, king prawns, and caviar regardless of how far away they are, while the female singer expresses her appreciation for lobster, hake, and rainbow trout. The chorus repeats the toast and invites listeners to share in the appreciation of seafood.
The lyrics then take a more aggressive and graphic turn, with a call for listeners not to be frightened or scared to chop off the heads and legs of seafood and to open their senses to the smell, sound, color, touch, and taste of various kinds of seafood. The long list of seafood includes crab, cod, clams, kippers, scampi, squid, sole, shark, and scallop, among many others. The song concludes with a final repetition of the opening refrain.
Line by Line Meaning
Who'll have a fishy
On a little dishy?
Who will enjoy a fresh seafood dish?
Who will have a fishy
When the boat comes...
Who will be ready to receive fresh seafood from the fishermen?
With our glasses both raised in a toast
Let's sing for those in peril on the sea
Who cater ceaselessly
To thy every wish
With every fish
As fresh as fish can be
You see, I'm into my oysters
My king prawns and caviar
No matter how far away they are
I'll be there!
Let us raise our glasses to honor and thank the brave fishermen who tirelessly provide us with fresh seafood delicacies like oysters, king prawns, and caviar. No matter how far they have to go, they always manage to provide the freshest and finest seafood. I am always ready to enjoy a delicious seafood feast no matter where I am.
Now with our glasses both raised in this toast
Let's sing for those in peril on the sea
Who labour tirelessly
In their tiny boats
Off John O' Groats
Their socks soaked for me
You see, I do like my lobster
My hake, skate and rainbow trout
And if there's a fishy smell about
I'll be there! And then
And then we'll sing for those in peril on the sea
Let us raise our glasses to honor and thank the fishermen who labor tirelessly in their tiny boats off John O' Groats to provide us with seafood delicacies like lobster, hake, skate, and rainbow trout. I don't mind the fishy smell because I love seafood so much. We will continue to sing for the brave fishermen in peril on the sea.
Don't be frightened
Don't be scared
Chop off their heads
And little legs
Then peel away the shell
And open up your senses to the smell
The sound and colour
Touch and taste
Do not be afraid of seafood. Learn how to prepare it by removing heads, legs, and shells, and immerse yourself in the seafood experience using all your senses, including smell, sound, color, touch, and taste.
Of crab, cod, clams and kippers
Scampi, squid, sole, shark and scallop
Winkles, whelks, whale and whiting
Seaweed, swordfish, sardines and sea urchin
Haddock, halibut, herrings and eel
Cockles, mussels, mackerel and veal
Pilchard, plankton, St Peter's fish and plaice
Octopussy jellyfishy
And dolphin's an acquired taste
Seafood can come in many varieties and flavors, including crab, cod, clams, kippers, scampi, squid, sole, shark, scallop, winkles, whelks, whale, whiting, seaweed, swordfish, sardines, and sea urchin, haddock, halibut, herrings, eel, cockles, mussels, mackerel, veal, pilchard, plankton, St. Peter's fish, plaice, octopussy, jellyfish, and even dolphin.
Who will have a fishy
On a little dishy?
I will have a fishy
When the boat comes in.
I am ready to enjoy fresh seafood delicacies when the fishermen come back with their catch.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NEIL HANNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind