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.
Regeneration
The Divine Comedy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just you and I and the sheltering sky
The battle is over but the war's not yet won
It's only just begun
We'll walk the razor's edge
The highest ledge of the worlds highest window
The first lap is finished but the race isn't run
Where will we run to?
Where will we hide?
Where will we rest our heads tonight?
Where is the party?
And who will be there?
Angels or devils, we don't care
We don't care
New forms, new formulae
X plus why equals new life
They'll tell you it's over, just tell them they're wrong
'Cause it's only just
It's only just begun
The Divine Comedy's song Regeneration speaks about a sense of starting anew, seeing old worlds with a newfound perspective, and beginning something new, although the battle may be over, the war has just begun. The song is a hopeful celebration of new beginnings and starting on this new journey together. The lyrics suggest that with new forms and formulas, there is an opportunity for new life, and despite what others may say about it being over, the journey is just beginning.
Throughout the song, the idea of moving forward with a new outlook on life is emphasized. Walking the razor's edge and the highest ledge of the world's highest window suggests taking risks and moving out of one's comfort zone. However, there is an underlying uncertainty about where to run to, where to hide, or where to rest their heads. It's unclear where the party is, whether angels or devils would be there, but they don't care. This uncertainty adds to the excitement of the journey and the unknown.
Overall, Regeneration is a song about embracing change and the unknown, taking risks, and starting anew. It is about being optimistic about what is to come in the future, even when things may seem bleak, and continuing to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Old worlds seen through new eyes
Looking at things from a new perspective, with a fresh outlook and an open mind
Just you and I and the sheltering sky
It's just the two of us under the vast, protective sky
The battle is over but the war's not yet won
One struggle may be finished, but the greater fight still lies ahead
It's only just begun
There's much more to come, the journey has only just started
We'll walk the razor's edge
Taking risks, pushing boundaries, living on the edge
The highest ledge of the worlds highest window
Reaching the top, setting new heights, aiming for greatness
The first lap is finished but the race isn't run
One stage has been completed, but there's still a long way to go
Where will we run to?
Where can we go to escape, to find sanctuary and safety?
Where will we hide?
Where can we go to keep ourselves out of danger and harm?
Where will we rest our heads tonight?
Where can we find peace, rest and repose in the midst of turmoil?
Where is the party?
Where can we find joy, celebration and camaraderie during dark times?
And who will be there?
Who can we count on to stand by us, to join us on this journey?
Angels or devils, we don't care
We don't mind who our companions are, as long as they share our spirit and determination
New forms, new formulae
Trying new things, exploring new possibilities, breaking free from old constraints
X plus why equals new life
Adding a sense of purpose and meaning to our existence, creating something new and fresh
They'll tell you it's over, just tell them they're wrong
People may try to discourage us, but we must keep going, even when the odds seem against us
'Cause it's only just
We must keep pushing ourselves, imagining what's possible, realizing our dreams
It's only just begun
The journey is long, the road is winding, but we must strive forward, never giving up on ourselves or our dreams.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NEIL HANNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind