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.
Gin Soaked Boy
The Divine Comedy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the leftness in the right
I'm the rightness in the wrong
I'm the shortness in the long
I'm the goodness in the bad
I'm the saneness in the mad
I'm the sadness in the joy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
I'm the ghost in the machine
I'm the genius in the gene
I'm the beauty in the beast
I'm the sunset in the east
I'm the ruby in the dust
I'm the trust in the mistrust
I'm the Trojan horse in Troy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
The gin soaked boy
I'm the tiger empty cage
I'm the mystery's final page
I'm the stranger's lonely glance
I'm the hero's only chance
I'm the undiscovered land
I'm the single grain of sand
I'm the Christmas morning toy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
The gin soaked boy
I'm the world you'll never see
I'm the slave you'll never free
I'm the truth you'll never know
I'm the place you'll never go
I'm the sound you'll never hear
I'm the course you'll never steer
I'm the will you'll not destroy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
Yeah, the gin soaked boy
I'm the half truth in the lie
I'm the why not in the why
I'm the last roll of the di
I'm the old school in the tie
I'm the spirit in the sky
I'm the catcher in the rye
I'm the twinkle in her eye
I'm Jeff Goldblum in "The Fly"
Well, who am I?
The Divine Comedy's song Gin Soaked Boy is a poetic and introspective piece that reflects on the complexities and contradictions that define human nature. The opening lines, "I'm the darkness in the light, I'm the leftness in the right," set the tone for the rest of the song, which consists of a series of paradoxical statements. The lyrics suggest that the singer is not easily categorized or understood, as he embodies both positive and negative qualities simultaneously.
The repeated line "I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy" serves as a sort of refrain, evoking the image of someone drowning their sorrows in alcohol. The phrase takes on a metaphorical resonance as the song progresses, suggesting that the singer is both the cause and the cure for his own emotional pain. The song ends with a series of enigmatic statements that seem to resist easy interpretation, culminating in the question "Well, who am I?" The lyrics suggest that the singer is a bundle of contradictions, just like the rest of us, and that there is no easy answer to that question.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the darkness in the light
I exist as the shadow in the presence of light.
I'm the leftness in the right
I exist as the opposite belief in the conviction of the right.
I'm the rightness in the wrong
I exist as the correct decision in the wrong situation.
I'm the shortness in the long
I exist as a brief moment in a long period of time.
I'm the goodness in the bad
I exist as a positive aspect in a negative situation.
I'm the saneness in the mad
I exist as a rational thought in an insane mind.
I'm the sadness in the joy
I exist as a sorrowful emotion even amidst happiness.
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
I am the alcoholic escape for a distressed person.
The gin soaked boy
Referring to the said person, imbibing gin continuously.
I'm the ghost in the machine
I exist as an unknown presence or error in the functioning of a system.
I'm the genius in the gene
I exist as a unique mastery that exists only in the DNA sequence.
I'm the beauty in the beast
I exist as the positive trait or characteristic in an otherwise negative entity.
I'm the sunset in the east
I exist in a place that contradicts my existence, like a sunset appearing in the east direction.
I'm the ruby in the dust
I exist as a precious or valuable entity that arose from unfavorable circumstances, like a ruby in the dust.
I'm the trust in the mistrust
I exist as confidence or faith in doubt or suspicion.
I'm the Trojan horse in Troy
I exist as the element that destroys from within the protected space.
I'm the tiger empty cage
I exist as the lack of confinement or restriction for an otherwise dangerous or ferocious entity.
I'm the mystery's final page
I exist as the unknown ending to an unresolved puzzle.
I'm the stranger's lonely glance
I exist as a lonely or unfamiliar presence attending an event.
I'm the hero's only chance
I exist as the final hope for the artist's success against all odds.
I'm the undiscovered land
I exist as the uncharted territory yet to be explored.
I'm the single grain of sand
I exist as a small particle in a vast expanse.
I'm the Christmas morning toy
I am a present received during the season of winter holidays.
I'm the world you'll never see
I exist as a reality or circumstance that will remain unseen or unknown to the person.
I'm the slave you'll never free
I exist as the person bound or oppressed that will never experience liberation.
I'm the truth you'll never know
I exist as a knowledge or fact that will never be disclosed or exposed.
I'm the place you'll never go
I exist as a location or destination that will remain unattainable to the person.
I'm the sound you'll never hear
I exist as an auditory experience that will never be evident to the person.
I'm the course you'll never steer
I exist as a path or direction that will never be pursued by the person.
I'm the will you'll not destroy
I exist as the spirit or disposition that cannot be defeated or crushed.
Yeah, the gin soaked boy
Reiterating the personification of the troubled individual.
I'm the half truth in the lie
I exist as the deceptive portion in an otherwise truthful statement.
I'm the why not in the why
I exist as the reasoning or justification for an unnecessary action.
I'm the last roll of the di
I exist as the final chance for success in a situation.
I'm the old school in the tie
I exist as the obsolete or outdated object in a modern or fashionable environment.
I'm the spirit in the sky
I exist as the existence of an afterlife or higher power.
I'm the catcher in the rye
I exist as the protector or guardian against the downfall or corruption of innocence.
I'm the twinkle in her eye
I exist as the adoration or affection in a person's gaze.
I'm Jeff Goldblum in "The Fly"
Referencing a character who seeks to make progress but suffers from unforeseen disaster or opposition.
Well, who am I?
Rhetorical question intended to challenge the listener's assumptions and understanding of the preceding statements.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NEIL HANNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@djensen1958
In case you wondered for the names of the horses listed in the video 1:48. They are
1 Gin Soaked Boy
2 Sunset East
3 Gene Genie
4 Tony Tobias
5 Xmas Toy
6 Ruby In The Dust
7 The Captain
8 Rye Catcher
9 The Trojan
10 S. Drowne
@F76-
ı'm the darkness in the light
ı'm the leftness in the right
ı'm the rightness in the wrong
ı'm the shortness in the long
ı'm the goodness in the bad
ı'm the saneness in the mad
ı'm the sadness in the joy
ı'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
the gin soaked boy
ı'm the ghost in the machine
ı'm the genius in the gene
ı'm the beauty in the beast
ı'm the sunset in the east
ı'm the ruby in the dust
ı'm the trust in the mistrust
ı'm the trojan horse in troy
ı'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
the gin soaked boy
ı'm the tiger's empty cage
ı'm the mystery's final page
ı'm the stranger's lonely glance
ı'm the hero's only chance
ı'm the undiscovered land
ı'm the single grain of sand
ı'm the christmas morning toy
ı'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
the gin soaked boy
ı'm the world you'll never see
ı'm the slave you'll never free
ı'm the truth you'll never know
ı'm the place you'll never go
ı'm the sound you'll never hear
ı'm the course you'll never steer
ı'm the will you'll not destroy
ı'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
yeah, the gin soaked boy
ı'm the half truth in the lie
ı'm the why not in the why
ı'm the last roll in the die
ı'm the old school in the tie
ı'm the spirit in the sky
ı'm the catcher in the rye
ı'm the twinkle in her eye
ı'm jeff goldblum in "the fly"
well, who am ı?
the divine comedy.
@susheelpatil209
I'm the darkness in the light
I'm the leftness in the right
I'm the rightness in the wrong
I'm the shortness in the long
I'm the goodness in the bad
I'm the saneness in the mad
I'm the sadness in the joy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
The gin soaked boy
I'm the ghost in the machine
I'm the genius in the gene
I'm the beauty in the beast
I'm the sunset in the east
I'm the ruby in the dust
I'm the trust in the mistrust
I'm the Trojan horse in Troy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
The gin soaked boy
I'm the tiger's empty cage
I'm the mystery's final page
I'm the stranger's lonely glance
I'm the hero's only chance
I'm the undiscovered land
I'm the single grain of sand
I'm the Christmas morning toy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
The gin soaked boy
I'm the world you'll never see
I'm the slave you'll never free
I'm the truth you'll never know
I'm the place you'll never go
I'm the sound you'll never hear
I'm the course you'll never steer
I'm the will you'll not destroy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
Yeah, the gin soaked boy
I'm the half truth in the lie
I'm the why not in the why
I'm the last roll of the di
I'm the old school in the tie
I'm the spirit in the sky
I'm the catcher in the rye
I'm the twinkle in her eye
I'm Jeff Goldblum in "The Fly"
Well, who am I?
@briantodd5851
Timeless CLASSIC. It's criminal how underrated The Divine Comedy are.
@MrDebranjandutta
The most underrated song of this century. The poetry was so divine
@obnoxiousbong
heard this divine track 24 odd years back as a wide eyed teen in India and yes there has been no song which has come even close to the sublime songwriting and I'm so proud to say I know the lyrics by heart. God bless you guys
@arichatt81
Absolutely! This song was written everywhere while growing up. Such layered beautiful writing
@SutekhChroma
to be honest it's the instrumental in combination with Neils songwriting here that makes this one unavaoidable well that & Youtube but still
@sohilz
Ditto.
@aweescotsdog8358
Hanlon is amazing, he’s the Lennon in the McCartney!
@Jackmack365
This is such a clever song, the juxtaposition of the meanings is just simply brilliant. One of my favourite all time songs.
@Jackmack365
S R H I'm sure you're not dim, I'll do my best to enlighten you, but this is only my take on it I could be completely wrong. By Juxtaposition I mean
That the words in the song contrast with the next word or line in the song for example: "I'm the darkness in the light' I'm the leftness in the right, (darkness and light, leftness and right) they are opposites, but are often used to highlight differences. They can be used for fun or serious writings or any other thing. In this case I'm thinking it's fun. The Gin soaked boy is one of the horses running the race, I'm not quite sure about the juxtaposition of the song against the racing background, all I know is it's just amazingly clever and I love it. I hope that helps.
@Jackmack365
S R H yes could be as he is the main character in the role. I never thought of it as being the Gin in the Gin Soaked Boy!