In March 1988 their second independent single, “Be Still” was released on Harbour Sound Records, once again to critical acclaim. By this time, following various shifts in personnel, the band’s classic line-up was firmly established, with Nick and Robert now joined by Dermot Lynch (bass) and guitar player and multi-instrumentalist Tim Bradshaw.
In October 1989, The Fat Lady Sings released their third single “Arclight” on their own Fourth Base Record label. The critical and public interest in this song, and for the band’s follow-up single “Dronning Maud Land” (released January 1990), together with the enormous live following that they’d build up in both Ireland and the UK (they sold out both the National Stadium in Dublin and the Town & Country Club in London, an unprecedented feat for an unsigned band) attracted major label interest.
In 1990 the band signed to East West Records in London (Atlantic in America). Their first major label single “Man Scared” was released in October 1990. In May 1991, the band’s first album, “Twist” was released. This album spawned 3 more singles: a re-release of “Arclight” (April 1991), “Twist” (May 1991) and “Deborah” (August 1991).
Following a year of touring and promotional activity, taking in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US, the band began preparations for their second album without drummer Robert Hamilton, who’d decided to leave and subsequently set up the “Peace Together” charity with another TFLS old boy Ali McMordie. (The charity went on to record and release a charity single version of the TFLS tune “Be Still” featuring Peter Gabriel, Nanci Griffith, Feragal Sharkey, Jah Wobble and Sinead O’Connor.)
The band’s second album “Johnson”, produced by Steve Osborne (and with Nic France on drums), was released in June 1993, preceded by the single “Show Of Myself”. The second single from the album, “Drunkard Logic” gave the band their highest ever chart placing in the UK, just falling short of the Top 40. The band once more threw themselves into a punishing 6 months of touring, culminating in a 3 month US stint that ended with a storming pre-Christmas show in New York punk mecca CBGBs.
In January 1994, the band split with Nick Kelly’s surprise announcement that he was quitting.
Following a self-imposed exile from the music industry, Nick subsequently achieved great critical acclaim for his first independently-released solo album, “Between Trapezes” (1997), which won him the accolade of “Best Solo Male Artist” at the 1998-99 Irish Music Critics Awards. Nick’s long-awaited follow-up album, “Running Dog”, released in January 2005, also on his own Self Possessed Records label, is already garnering similar plaudits.
Tim and Dermot both enjoyed Top 10 Chart success in America as members of the band Dog’s Eye View in 1995. Tim’s multi-instrumental and production / arrangement talents have been subsequently availed of by artists as diverse as Tanita Tikarem, Fatima Mansions and, most notably, David Gray, with whom he both tours and records on a full-time basis. Dermot’s recent playing career also includes stints with David Gray; in addition, in recent years he has also become established as one of the most sought-after tour and production managers in the UK, working with the likes of Keane, Fun Loving Criminals and Supergrass.
To celebrate the release of The Fat Lady Sings’ forthcoming double compilation album “The Fat Lady Singles (& Opera Obscura)”, the band have decided to reform for a one-off show in Dublin’s Vicar Street on Friday April 8th – the first time they will have appeared together onstage since the show in CBGB’s back in December 2003.
Man Scared
The Fat Lady Sings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The shock of the new
These are the scary little things
Turned me into you
I'm sick and tired
I must be tired of life itself
I feel like a house that no-one's lived in
For twelve long years
I'm lost and I don't know why
If the black mountains can scratch the blue sky
You won't reach your hand and touch
A man who's scared of the dark
The ache of the old
The shock of the new
These are the scary little things
Turned me into you
Horse stuck before the cart
I am shacked up with this bleeding heart
Waiting for someone to come my way
And tear my world apart again
I'm lost and I don't know why
If the black mountains can scratch the blue sky
You won't reach your hand and touch
A man who's scared of the dark
Gently does it
Gently does it
Gently will have to do
Because I can't decide between the sweet and clean
And swimming in the deep blue sea
I'm lost and I don't know why
If the black mountains can scratch the blue sky
You won't reach your hand and touch
A man who's scared of the dark
The Fat Lady Sings’ song "Man Scared" is a reflective and melancholic piece about the overwhelming feelings of uncertainty and fear that come with growing older and facing the unknown. The lyrics are introspective, with the singer expressing their weariness and sense of being lost in the world. The opening lines, "The ache of the old, the shock of the new, these are the scary little things turned me into you," suggest that the singer has undergone a transformation of some sort, possibly losing their former naivety or sense of invincibility. The phrase "scary little things" implies that it is often small and unexpected events that cause us the most anxiety and unease.
The singer goes on to describe feeling exhausted with life, comparing themselves to an abandoned house that has not been lived in for years. They are waiting for something or someone to come along and "tear my world apart again", suggesting a level of numbness or detachment from their surroundings. The line "I'm lost and I don't know why" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's uncertainty and confusion.
The chorus of "Man Scared" includes the powerful line, "You won't reach your hand and touch a man who's scared of the dark." This reinforces the idea that the singer is struggling with feelings of vulnerability and anxiety, unable to let others get too close or offer comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
The ache of the old
The feeling of pain from the past experiences
The shock of the new
The fear of encountering something unfamiliar
These are the scary little things
These small issues evoke big fears inside
Turned me into you
Made me become like you - someone who's scared
I'm sick and tired
I am exhausted and done with everything
I must be tired of life itself
The tiredness goes beyond the physical realm and it's about life in general
I feel like a house that no-one's lived in
I feel empty and abandoned; as if no one really understands me
For twelve long years
This feeling has been persistent for a long time
I'm lost and I don't know why
I am confused and disoriented
If the black mountains can scratch the blue sky
If something so impossible can happen, then anything can happen
You won't reach your hand and touch
You won't be able to reassure me or help me overcome my fears
A man who's scared of the dark
Someone like me who is afraid to face the unknown
Horse stuck before the cart
Things are in the wrong order - I am stuck before I can even start moving
I am shacked up with this bleeding heart
I am trapped and unable to get away from this emotional state
Waiting for someone to come my way
Hoping for someone to rescue me from this state of mind
And tear my world apart again
Even though I'm afraid, I secretly want someone to come make a change in my life
Gently does it
Go easy and take things slower
Gently will have to do
I can't handle anything too extreme, so gentle is the way to go
Because I can't decide between the sweet and clean
I'm uncertain about what I want - something that's easy and comforting or something that's new and fresh
And swimming in the deep blue sea
Jumping into something new and unknown
Writer(s): Nick Kelly
Contributed by Muhammad D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.