Founde… Read Full Bio ↴The Frank and Walters are a pop/rock band from Cork, Ireland.
Founded in 1990 the group (named in honour of two eccentric Cork characters) are Paul Linehan (vocalist/bassist), his brother Niall Linehan (guitar) (replaced by Kevin Pedreschi in 2004) and Ashley Keating (drums).
Signing to the Setanta label in 1991, the group debuted with album EP1, and the lead track "Fashion Crisis Hits New York" became an indie hit. The follow-up album EP.2 was quickly forthcoming.
Shortly after signing to the Go! Discs label, The Franks partnered with producer Edwyn Collins to record the Happy Busman EP. Success in the UK was not far away, and following a tour in support of Carter USM, an Ian Broudie remix of the LP track After All reached the top twenty in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 11.
After a long sabbatical, the group returned with Grand Parade (with contributions from Gus Dudgeon), and the Indian Ocean EP in 1997. This was followed with Beauty Becomes More Than Life in 1998 and Glass in 2000. Setanta released a well received "Best of" in 2002.
In 2004 Niall Linehan left the band and was replaced by a friend of the band, Kevin Pedreschi. The band signed a new deal with FIFA Records in Ireland, and released a B-sides triple album, Souvenirs, in October 2005.
The band released a new album, Renewed Interest In Happiness, on October 27th 2006 possibly their most complete work to date.
Fashion Crisis Hits New York
The Frank and Walters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw a blind man he was eating his fork
He said thats what you had to do to be cool
You eat your cutlery instead of your food
What a hippy diddly crazy world
What a hippyd iddly crazy world
Well fashion it moves on and on
While the things we've bought
I still like my old three piece suite
But its in the shed and I've got no seat
Oh no no...
They say necklines to the waist
You change your body to keep up with the pace
The rich buy dearest 'cause want to be sure
The poor can't afford to be that insecure
What a hippy diddly crazy world
What a hippy diddly crazy world
The Frank and Walter's song "Fashion Crisis Hits New York" is a satirical take on society's obsession with trend and fashion. The opening lines, "I saw a blind man, he was eating his fork. He said that's what you had to do to be cool. You eat your cutlery instead of your food," is a commentary on how blindly we follow fashion trends, even if it means going to ridiculous lengths to be seen as "cool". The song continues to highlight the absurdity of fashion and its influence on our lives, with lines like "They say necklines to the waist. You change your body to keep up with the pace. The rich buy dearest 'cause they want to be sure. The poor can't afford to be that insecure."
The overall theme of the song is that fashion is an ever-changing industry that feeds on people's insecurities and desire to fit in. The line "Well fashion it moves on and on while the things we've bought have been hardly worn" speaks to how we are constantly buying into new trends, only to throw them away once the next new thing comes along. Despite this, the singer of the song still holds onto his old three-piece suit, emphasizing the idea that classic style is timeless and doesn't need to be constantly refreshed.
In summary, "Fashion Crisis Hits New York" is a satirical take on society's obsession with fashion and trend. It highlights the absurdity of fashion, how it feeds on our insecurities, and how quickly it changes. The song ultimately suggests that true style is timeless and doesn't need to follow the ever-changing fashion industry.
Line by Line Meaning
Fashion crisis hits New York
The city of New York is currently going through a crisis in terms of fashion trends.
I saw a blind man he was eating his fork
The singer once saw a man who was blind and eating his cutlery instead of his food.
He said thats what you had to do to be cool
The blind man suggested that eating one's cutlery instead of one's food was necessary in order to be considered trendy or fashionable.
You eat your cutlery instead of your food
The act of consuming one's cutlery rather than the food on the plate is seen as fashionable in this society.
What a hippy diddly crazy world
The world is an unpredictable and strange place.
Well fashion it moves on and on
Fashion trends are continually changing and evolving over time.
While the things we've bought have been hardly worn
People have not had the opportunity to wear many of the clothes they've purchased due to the quickly changing fashion trends.
I still like my old three piece suite
The artist still enjoys their old three-piece suit, which is no longer considered fashionable.
But its in the shed and I've got no seat
The artist's suit is currently stored away and cannot be worn because they have nowhere to wear it.
Oh no no...
The artist expresses a sense of disappointment or frustration.
They say necklines to the waist
Fashion experts recommend wearing shirts or dresses with low-cut necklines that reveal more skin than previously considered appropriate.
You change your body to keep up with the pace
People feel pressured to alter their bodies in order to conform to current fashion trends.
The rich buy dearest 'cause want to be sure
Wealthy individuals often spend more money on clothing in order to feel confident that they are adhering to high fashion standards.
The poor can't afford to be that insecure
Those who cannot afford to buy expensive clothing are at a disadvantage when it comes to keeping up with current fashion trends, and may feel less secure or confident as a result.
What a hippy diddly crazy world
The world remains unpredictable and uncertain.
Contributed by Eli L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sir243_simr
Very underrated song, now almost forgotten which is a pity
@frankhickman2997
This is one of the best songs I listened to growing up. The Frank and Walters was and is still is one of the best bands ever.
@davidbeckett3345
To right , saw them on telly at the Pheonix Festival , years ago doing this , brilliant
@rwlane
Fantastic. The chorus makes me cry tears of joy.
@jcstato9048
Absolute masterpiece. Takes me back every time, and the words obviously as relevant as ever.
@treehouse722
Man, fucking killer chorus.
@massimogioia4422
when I heard this song in March of 1992 I've recorded it and was listening about 20 times on a row
@stellaviolens
One of the F & W 's best if not their very best. What a hippy diddly crazy song.
@edmundbradley730
A real shame that the rerelease of this truly great record just missed the top 40 and we had to wait several more years for some new material.
@JaneArschavirHodgePodgeDays
Utterly in love with this song!