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.
Bad Ambassador
The Divine Comedy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to sleep like the dead on a bed of roses
Me and my lovely wife
We're in the prime of life
I want to feel real, I want to free-wheel
I want to steal the show from under their noses
I want to get you off
Ain't that enough?
And buy myself a Jaguar
I'm a bad ambassador for that elusive place you're searching for
I want to show you so much more
But maybe some other time
I want to play with the big boys
I want to ride with the tough guys on a Japanese motorbike
I want to hold your hand
Hey, what's your favorite band?
I want to look like they looked
I want to shake like they shook,
I want to take what they took
I want to get you high
Don't ask me why
It's just something I've got to do
I'll try to make it up to you
I'm a bad ambassador for that elusive place you're searching for
I want to show you so much more
But maybe some other time
I'm not the Pope and I don't want to be
The Archbishop of Canterbury
I'm a bad ambassador for that elusive place you're searching for
I want to show you so much more
Yeah I could show you so much more
But I'm a bad ambassador
Well, maybe some other time
The Divine Comedy's song "Bad Ambassador" talks about the desire for excitement, a need to feel alive, and the search for something elusive. The song is about feeling stuck, wanting to break free and experience more of life. The lyrics start with a desire to slow down, to relax and take it easy. The idea of sleeping like the dead on a bed of roses suggests that the singer wants to escape from the pressures of life, to drift away from it all.
The lyrics then move on to the desire for more excitement, to steal the show, to get high, and to shake like the big boys. The singer wants to be a part of something bigger, to experience more of life, to explore new things. However, the singer acknowledges that he may not be the best person to show others the elusive place they are searching for. He admits that he is a bad ambassador but promises to make it up to those who follow him.
The song encapsulates the experience of many people who feel trapped in their daily lives and yearn for a sense of adventure. It highlights the desire to break free, to explore and take risks, to find something that is missing. However, it also acknowledges that this can be difficult, that it may not always lead to happiness, and that sometimes you need to be careful about the influence you have on others.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to chill, I want to sit real still
I desire calmness and stillness, to relax and not be bothered by the world's demands.
I want to sleep like the dead on a bed of roses
I want to sleep soundly and peacefully, with no disturbances whatsoever.
Me and my lovely wife
My spouse and I, who I cherish deeply.
We're in the prime of life
We are currently at the height of our physical and emotional functioning.
I want to feel real, I want to free-wheel
I want to experience authentic emotions, to feel alive and free of any constraints or limitations.
I want to steal the show from under their noses
I want to outshine everyone else, taking center stage and being the focus of attention.
I want to get you off, Ain't that enough?
I want to give you pleasure and satisfaction, isn't that sufficient reason to engage in these activities?
I'm gonna abseil down my ivory tower
I'm going to leave behind my elevated status and interact with others in a new way.
And buy myself a Jaguar
I am going to purchase a luxury car as a symbol of my newfound freedom.
I'm a bad ambassador for that elusive place you're searching for
I am not qualified to represent the place you are seeking, as I possess flaws and shortcomings.
I want to show you so much more
I want to introduce you to new experiences and sensations that you may have never encountered before.
But maybe some other time
However, it may not be the right moment to share these experiences with you.
I want to play with the big boys
I want to compete and succeed at the highest levels, to prove my worth and capability.
I want to ride with the tough guys on a Japanese motorbike
I want to be associated with and ride motorcycles with the most skilled and daring riders.
I want to hold your hand, Hey, what's your favorite band?
I want to establish a connection with you, and also discover your musical tastes.
I want to look like they looked
I want to appear as those who I admire and respect, to emulate their style and appearance.
I want to shake like they shook
I want to replicate their movements and mannerisms, to feel as though I embody their traits.
I want to take what they took
I want to achieve what they have accomplished, to acquire their level of success and recognition.
I want to get you high, Don't ask me why
I want to contribute to your altered state of mind, for reasons that may not be entirely clear to me or difficult to articulate.
It's just something I've got to do
It's an impulse or desire that I feel compelled to fulfill, no matter its consequences or rationale.
I'll try to make it up to you
I will attempt to atone or compensate for my actions, to reconcile and establish a deeper connection with you.
I'm not the Pope and I don't want to be, The Archbishop of Canterbury
I do not want to represent the highest religious authorities, who must uphold strict moral and ethical standards.
Yeah I could show you so much more
I possess a wealth of experiences and knowledge that I could share with you.
But I'm a bad ambassador
However, given my limitations and imperfections, I may not be the ideal spokesperson for this matter.
Well, maybe some other time
Again, it may be more appropriate or effective to share this knowledge and experience another time or with someone else.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NEIL HANNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vivianaviviana8113
I want to chill, I want to sit real still
I want to sleep like the dead on a bed of roses
Me and my lovely wife
We're in the prime of life
I want to feel real, I want to free-wheel
I want to steal the show from under their noses
I want to get you off
Ain't that enough?
I'm gonna abseil down my ivory tower
And buy myself a Jaguar
I'm a bad ambassador for that elusive place you're searching for
I want to show you so much more
But maybe some other time
I want to play with the big boys
I want to ride with the tough guys on a Japanese motorbike
I want to hold your hand
Hey, what's your favorite band?
I want to look like they looked
I want to shake like they shook,
I want to take what they took
I want to get you high
Don't ask me why
It's just something I've got to do
I'll try to make it up to you
I'm a bad ambassador for that elusive place you're searching for
I want to show you so much more
But maybe some other time
I'm not the Pope and I don't want to be
The Archbishop of Canterbury
I'm a bad ambassador for that elusive place you're searching for
I want to show you so much more
Yeah I could show you so much more
But I'm a bad ambassador
Well, maybe some other time
@lasciamidasolo
I want to chill, I want to sit real still
I want to sleep like the dead on a bed of roses
Me and my lovely wife
We're in the prime of life
I want to feel real, I want to free-wheel
I want to steal the show from under their noses
I want to get you off
Ain't that enough?
I'm gonna abseil down my ivory tower
And buy myself a Jaguar
I'm a bad ambassador for that elusive place you're searching for
I want to show you so much more
But maybe some other time
I want to play with the big boys
I want to ride with the tough guys on a Japanese motorbike
I want to hold your hand
Hey, what's your favorite band?
I want to look like they looked
I want to shake like they shook,
I want to take what they took
I want to get you high
Don't ask me why
It's just something I've got to do
I'll try to make it up to you
I'm a bad ambassador for that elusive place you're searching for
I want to show you so much more
But maybe some other time
I'm not the Pope and I don't want to be
The Archbishop of Canterbury
I'm a bad ambassador for that elusive place you're searching for
I want to show you so much more
Yeah I could show you so much more
But I'm a bad ambassador
Well, maybe some other time
@ashleymonday298
Neil Hannon is one of the best songwriters ever if you ask me.
@totodepatas
Criminally underrated. This band rocks.
@darrenkearney8070
Hands down my favourite band for the past 25 years!
@MoxieMcMurder
Still a classic, this band are so underrated.
@Highland_Moo
Beautiful ❤
@darrenkearney8070
Got to see this performed live and in person two weeks ago..... This man, his band and his music have helped me in so many ways....
@VulgarHands
After all these years this song is still a banger... The video still a masterwork of story telling and lighting
@Yardbird1968
What more can I say than Neil Hannon is a genius?!
@davidkiddjones
I think i must have watched this video 100's of times and im going to watch it a hundred times more, brilliant song & a amazing video,just fantastic 👏🏼
@AWIELEGAZPI
it's 2019 -- in my opinion still the best music video ever made :)