They first played live in January 2000 and released the first of 7 singles (including splits with Boris, Paul O'Reilly and Querelle) later that year. Their 1st LP, The Lonely World of The Dudley Corporation, preceded their first tours to the US and UK, In Love With The Dudley Corporation brought further visits to the US, Iceland, and mainland Europe, a listing for 59th greatest Irish LP of all time in Hot Press magazine, a top-30 single in the Irish chart, and was licensed in the US, the Netherlands, Australia and Japan. Album number 3, Year of the Husband was released on Absolutely Kosher in 2008 with Rob Bochnik (The Frames/Smog) at the helm, and featuring recordings from the legendary Inner Ear (Fugazi) studios in Washington DC. The album featured sleeve art by Rick Froberg, of Obits/Hot Snakes/Drive Like Jehu. The 4th Dudley Corporation LP, Everyone Does Everything Wrong, was released in May of 2013.
“One listen to The Lens Begin or Step-Out and you'll realise it's time to fall in love with The Dudleys all over again.” – The Irish Times
"10 for production, a 10 for songwriting, and an 11 for character of being. The Dudley Corporation deserve every inch of credit they will receive." - Transform
"These guys wrong-foot the naysayers time after time" – Irish Times
“this Dublin three-piece have perfected the whole stop/start, quiet bit/loud bit thing.” – Q
“Absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder. A convincing and rewarding return.” – Hot Press
“This is a stunning comeback - destined to make somebody somewhere really happy.” – Clare People
"When they got to the crossroads with the sign reading 'comfortable mediocrity' one way and 'awkward brilliance' the other, Dublin's The Dudley Corporation are one of those rare bands who've chosen the latter." - Rock Sound
"an unruly uninhibited listen" – Golden Plec
"There is so much greatness in this album that it can't be explained in mere words, a little like love itself." AU Magazine (#8 LP of 2004)
“Playful, smart, rich in variety and ideas, this is a big and downright entertaining delight from this Dublin trio!” – Westzeit
“The Dudley Corporation have made a meticulously produced album that, with a mixture of precision-groove postrock and guitar ballads, is entirely unpretentious, but is impressive, poignant and thrilling.” –
Motor.de
www.thedudleycorporation.com
Stupid
The Dudley Corporation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your wedding
You'll chase me out of
Birthdays
But I'll run riot at
Your funeral
Cos your ghost can't
Haunt me there
I mix intention
Without belief
I string words together
And I don't know what they mean
What you saw inside me
Was everything stupid
I could show you
'By no means hide
Your idiot,
Let words run out
And clasp
Anything that makes sense
Pin it on to your chest'
'By no means hide
Your idiot,
Let words run out
And clasp
Anything that makes sense
Scratch them into your chest'
The lyrics to The Dudley Corporation's song "Stupid" touch upon themes of rejection, rebellion, and self-awareness. The singer of the song knows that they are not welcome at the various events mentioned - weddings and birthdays - but takes solace in the fact that they will be able to run riot at the funeral of whoever it is they are addressing. The line "cos your ghost can't haunt me there" suggests that this person has been a source of emotional torment for the singer, and the funeral will be a release from that.
The next verse delves into the singer's approach to creating art: they mix intention without belief, string words together without knowing what they mean. These lines suggest a lack of confidence in the singer's artistic abilities, as well as a fear of being misunderstood. The final line of the verse - "what you saw inside me was everything stupid I could show you" - could be interpreted a few different ways. It could be the singer acknowledging that they only revealed their more foolish or superficial qualities to this person, or it could be a self-deprecating phrase indicating that the singer doesn't believe they have anything intelligent or meaningful to offer.
The repeated refrain "By no means hide your idiot" is a call to arms to embrace one's true self, imperfections and all. The lines "let words run out and clasp anything that makes sense" are particularly impactful, as they suggest that sometimes just speaking without filtering or editing oneself can lead to moments of clarity and insight. The final line - "scratch them into your chest" - is a visceral image that suggests taking those moments of insight and making them a permanent part of oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
You'll chase me out of
Your wedding
You'll exclude me from your joyous moments of life
You'll chase me out of
Birthdays
You'll push me away from your moments of celebration
But I'll run riot at
Your funeral
But I'll make a scene at your funeral since you cannot harm me anymore
Cos your ghost can't
Haunt me there
Because your spirit cannot affect me there
I mix intention
Without belief
I have motives but lack conviction
I string words together
And I don't know what they mean
I form sentences without understanding their significance
What you saw inside me
Was everything stupid
I could show you
All I have to offer is my unintelligent self
'By no means hide
Your idiot,
Do not conceal your lack of intellect
Let words run out
And clasp
Anything that makes sense
Pin it on to your chest'
Allow your words to flow and attach any chance of meaning to yourself
'By no means hide
Your idiot,
Do not conceal your lack of intellect
Let words run out
And clasp
Anything that makes sense
Scratch them into your chest'
Let your speech continue and carve any fragment of significance onto your being
Contributed by Ruby P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.