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.
Life On Mars?
The Divine Comedy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the girl with the mousy hair
But her mummy is yelling, "No!"
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seat with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen
For she's lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on
Sailors
Fighting in the dance hall
Oh, man
Look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh, man
Wonder if he'll ever know
Who's in the best-selling show
Is there life on Mars?
It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lenin's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a sadd'ning bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on
Sailors
Fighting in the dance hall
Oh, man
Look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh, man
Wonder if he'll ever know
Who's in the best-selling show
Is there life on Mars?
The Divine Comedy's song "Life on Mars" is a commentary on the state of modern society, juxtaposed with references to science fiction and popular culture. The opening lines, "It's a God-awful small affair / To the girl with the mousy hair," paint a picture of a young woman facing a difficult situation. Her parents are pressuring her to leave, but she is clinging to her dreams of a better life. She retreats into a world of movies and television, but even these escapist pleasures offer no real comfort as they become repetitive and dull "for she's lived it ten times or more."
The song then takes a turn towards more surreal and absurd imagery. The lines "Sailors / Fighting in the dance hall" and "Look at those cavemen go" suggest a scene from a science fiction movie. The character of the lawman comes in, "Beating up the wrong guy," indicating that the system is not just failing to offer comfort but actively working against those in need. The repeated refrain of "Is there life on Mars?" seems to be asking whether there is any escape from this bleak reality, whether there is any better world to be found.
Overall, "Life on Mars" is a powerful commentary on the state of modern society, offering insights into the ways in which people try to escape from and cope with their problems, even as they confront the absurdity and injustice of the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a God-awful small affair
The situation is distressing and insignificant.
To the girl with the mousy hair
Addressing a girl with an unremarkable appearance.
But her mummy is yelling, "No!"
Her mother disapproves of her actions.
And her daddy has told her to go
Her father wants her to leave.
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Her friend is absent.
Now she walks through her sunken dream
She works through her failed aspirations.
To the seat with the clearest view
She moves to a place with a better perspective.
And she's hooked to the silver screen
She is addicted to the entertainment industry.
But the film is a sadd'ning bore
The movie is depressing and dull.
For she's lived it ten times or more
She has seen similar stories repeatedly.
She could spit in the eyes of fools
She could undermine the stupidity of others.
As they ask her to focus on sailors
People urge her to pay attention to pointless things.
Fighting in the dance hall
Sailors participate in an absurd altercation.
Oh, man
Exclamation of bewilderment or concern.
Look at those cavemen go
People behave like primitive beings.
It's the freakiest show
An exhibition of weirdness and absurdity.
Take a look at the lawman
Observing the unjust authority figure.
Beating up the wrong guy
The authority figure is misusing their power.
Oh, man
Exclamation of bewilderment or concern.
Wonder if he'll ever know
Asking if the unjust authority will recognize their mistake.
Who's in the best-selling show
Questioning who is the most successful.
Is there life on Mars?
Asking if there is something more out there.
It's on America's tortured brow
The issue is significant to the United States.
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
A beloved icon has degraded in value.
Now the workers have struck for fame
The labor force is demanding attention and recognition.
'Cause Lenin's on sale again
Inflation has caused even revolutionary figures to be commercialized.
See the mice in their million hordes
Viewing masses of people in a dehumanizing way.
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Everywhere you go, people are the same.
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
Traditional values and beliefs are no longer valid.
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
No one is immune to these changes.
But the film is a sadd'ning bore
The movie is depressing and dull.
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
The artist has created similar works repeatedly.
It's about to be writ again
The artist plans to do it again.
As I ask you to focus on sailors
The artist wants people to pay attention to the trivial.
Fighting in the dance hall
Sailors participate in an absurd altercation.
Oh, man
Exclamation of bewilderment or concern.
Look at those cavemen go
People behave like primitive beings.
It's the freakiest show
An exhibition of weirdness and absurdity.
Take a look at the lawman
Observing the unjust authority figure.
Beating up the wrong guy
The authority figure is misusing their power.
Oh, man
Exclamation of bewilderment or concern.
Wonder if he'll ever know
Asking if the unjust authority will recognize their mistake.
Who's in the best-selling show
Questioning who is the most successful.
Is there life on Mars?
Asking if there is something more out there.
Contributed by Liam G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@melsheimy
It's a God-awful small affair
To the girl with the mousy hair
But her mummy is yelling no
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seat with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen
But the film is a saddening bore
For she's lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man, look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?
It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a saddening bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man, look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man, wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?
@AlmostAnimixers
This may just be the best cover of anything ever. In all fairness though, it'd be impossible to do a bad cover of this song. It's just so perfect. You could recreate it with flatulence and still end up with a masterpiece.
@Stiffkittens01
Kate Bush's cover of Rocket Man has been voted best cover by one newspaper
@MXOY99
@Stiffkittens: It's a jewel...
@Stiffkittens01
not taking anything away from this. it's fantastic
@MXOY99
@Stiffkittens: I know that darl... I just tend to use dots a lot.
@purpuradecoraciones8174
Me encanta ...esta versión ...
@Ideasquevalelapenadifundir
Thanks to this cover I found Neil hannon and the divine comedy ♥️♥️
@galgata
Creo que éste es el mejor cover de esta canción <3
@solehernandez8569
Fantástico, amo a David, amo a Neil.perfecto con Yan ...
@alexashalala8415
I love your magic Neil Hannon.