Championed by NME, the band's first single What a Waster charted at number 37, despite being banned from Radio 1 and commercial radio due to an overabundance of foul language; this set the trend for steadily increasing returns, culminating in a #2 single and #1 album in the UK Charts. However, the band's music was often eclipsed by its internal conflicts, many of which stemmed from Doherty's considerable drug use, and it was mostly because of this that after a final show in Paris (without Pete) that the band was disbanded at the end of 2004.
The former members of The Libertines have gone on to form three splinter bands, with varying degrees of commercial and critical success. These bands include Peter Doherty in Babyshambles, Carl Barât and Gary Powell in Dirty Pretty Things and John Hassall in Yeti.
Pete and Carl recently came back to work on Babyshambles' charity cover of The Clash's 'Janie Jones' for Strummerville. Carl and Pete also performed 13 songs together in April 2007 as Carl appeared on stage at one of Pete's shows. On the 29th of March 2010 the Libertines announced they had reunited to play the Leeds and Reading festivals in August.
On 20 April 2014 an image of London's Hyde Park was released to the band's Facebook page. Around this time both Carl Barat and Peter Doherty indicated in interviews that they had accepted an offer to play the venue on July 5, 2014. On 25 April, it was confirmed that The Libertines will play on Saturday 5 July in London's Hyde Park, headlining the day, as part of the Barclaycard British Summer Time series of concerts. Support for the concert will be provided by a number of bands and artists, most notably The Pogues, Spiritualized, Maxïmo Park, Raglans and The Enemy
On 20 May, it was confirmed that The Libertines will play on Saturday 19 July in Benicassim FIB, Spain, as headliners.
They have also announced a European tour, their first tour in 10 years, consisting of 9 dates prior to the release of a new album in 2015, 11 years after their previous studio release.
The band's reunion album was followed by a series of festival appearances, including a surprise gig during the 2015 Glastonbury Festival, as they were secretly called to replace Florence + the Machine (who were earlier announced as unscheduled headliners after Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl's injury prevented the latters from headlining the day). The Libertines were filmed as they landed down off an helicopter outside the festival site, and stated their show with a hit from their 2nd album, Can't Stand Me Now.
On the 13th of October 2023 the band released their first single in eight years, as well as announcing that their new album All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade will be arriving on March 8, 2024.[40] To celebrate the announcement of the new album the band announced "The Albionay Tour". An intimate club tour that sold out in seconds. [41]
Up the Bracket
The Libertines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Said they'd pay me for your address
Oh, I was so bold
I said you see these two cold fingers
These crooked fingers I show
You's a way to mean no
Said "Sunshine, I wouldn't wanna be in your shoes"
They chased me up two flights of stairs
Caught me in the lift how I sighed and said
"Hello," cause you're impossible
But it's just like he's in another world
He doesn't see the danger on show
Wind up like Joseph, bloody in a hole
And it's just like she's in another world
And how they suit each other oh no
But they never get close
It's impossible
Saw the same two men on the Cally Road
Said now they'd double their offer
I was so bold
To say "You see these two cold fingers"
These crooked fingers I show
Oh you's a way to mean no
But it's just like he's in another world
He doesn't see the danger on show
That he'll end up like Joseph, bloody in a hole
And it's just like she's in another world
And how they suit each other oh no
But they never get close
(Crazy, unstoppable)
But it's just like we're all in another world
How we suit each other oh no
But we never get close
That's close enough now
The opening lines of The Libertines' song "Up the Bracket" tell a story of a dangerous situation. The singer encounters two shadowy men on the Vallance Road, who offer to pay him for someone's address. The singer responds with a show of bravado, indicating that he won’t tell them anything. The two men are angered by his response and begin to chase him up two flights of stairs, catching him in an elevator. The singer sighs and greets them, thinking of the impossible girl for whom he refused to give up the address.
However, the song isn’t just about this dangerous encounter. The choruses describe the singer’s perception of a couple, the “he” and “she” that he sees around him. The singer sees them as being lost in their own worlds, unable to see the dangers around them. They “suit” each other, but never get close. The singer compares their situation to his own, and to the situation he finds himself in with the shadowy men, conveying a sense of futility and disconnection.
Overall, the song “Up the Bracket” portrays a sense of danger and disconnectedness. The story of the encounter with the two men on the Vallance Road highlights the singer's own boldness and impulsiveness, while the chorus indicates a sense of hopelessness and isolation.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw two shadow men on the Vallance Road
The singer saw two suspicious men who offered to pay him for someone's address on a particular road
Said they'd pay me for your address
The two men offered to pay the singer to reveal someone's address
Oh, I was so bold
Despite the suspicious men, the singer felt brave
I said you see these two cold fingers
The artist used his crooked fingers to show the men that he was not going to betray anyone's address
These crooked fingers I show
The artist used his crooked fingers as a gesture to indicate that he was unwilling to reveal any address
You's a way to mean no
The singer confidently rejected the offer by the men, by telling them that he could deny any request if he wished
Well they didn't like that much I can tell you
The two men were unhappy with the singer's response
Said "Sunshine, I wouldn't wanna be in your shoes"
The two men threatened the artist with harm, saying that they wouldn't want to be in his shoes
They chased me up two flights of stairs
The two men chased the artist up two flights of stairs
Caught me in the lift how I sighed and said
The two men caught up with the artist when he was in the lift
"Hello," cause you're impossible
The singer greeted the two men sarcastically, implying that they were impossible to deal with
But it's just like he's in another world
The artist describes someone who seems to live in a different reality, not perceiving the danger around them
He doesn't see the danger on show
The person described by the singer cannot see the danger present in their current situation
Wind up like Joseph, bloody in a hole
The singer compares the person's situation to that of Joseph from the Bible, who was left in a hole to die
And it's just like she's in another world
The singer describes another person who is similarly oblivious to their surroundings
And how they suit each other oh no
The artist comments on how these two people seem to be a good fit for each other, despite their obliviousness
But they never get close
Despite appearing to be well-suited, the two people described by the artist never really connect
Saw the same two men on the Cally Road
The singer sees the same suspicious men on a different road
Said now they'd double their offer
The two men offered to pay the singer more for the address they were seeking earlier
But it's just like we're all in another world
The artist broadens his observation to include everyone, saying that everyone is living in their own separate realities
How we suit each other oh no
Despite appearances, people might not be well-suited to each other after all
But we never get close
Despite living in the same world, people never really connect
That's close enough now
The narrative ends with the suggestion that it's time to stop trying to connect and accept the distance between people
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Carl Barat, Peter Doherty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gerardors9037
Grito
!Sal de eso!
Vi las sombras de dos hombres en la calle Vallance
Dijeron que me pagarían por tu dirección
Oh, fui tan atrevido
Les dije, ven estos dos dedos fríos
Estos dedos encordados, les mostré
Tu sabes, es una manera de decir "no"
Bueno, no les gustó mucho que digamos
Dijeron, cariño, no querría estar en tus zapatos
Y me agarraron tras huir por dos escaleras
Me atraparon en el ascensor, suspire y dije "hola"
Porque eres imposible
Pero es como si él estuviera en otro mundo
Él no ve el peligro inminente
Acabará como Joseph, sangrando en un hoyo
Es como si ella estuviera en otro mundo
Y como si se adaptarán uno a otro, oh no
Pero nunca te acercas
Es imposible
Vi a los mismos dos hombres en la calle Cally
Dijeron que ahora doblaron la oferta, fui muy osado
Les dije, ven estos dos dedos fríos, lo sé
Estos dedos encordados, les mostré
Oh, sabes que es una manera de decir "no"
Pero es como si él estuviera en otro mundo
Él no ve el peligro inminente
Terminará como Joseph, sangrando en un hoyo
Es como si ella estuviera en otro mundo
Y como se adaptan uno al otro, oh no
Oh, nunca te acercaste
Es imparable
Es como si estuviéramos en otro mundo
Cómo nos adaptamos el uno al otro, oh no
Pero nunca te acercas
Ya está lo suficientemente cerca..
@danielbelosic3112
I saw two shadow men on the Vallance Road
Said they'd pay me for your address
Oh, I was so bold
I said you see these two cold fingers
These crooked fingers I show
You's a way to mean no
Well they didn't like that much I can tell you
Said "Sunshine, I wouldn't wanna be in your shoes"
They chased me up two flights of stairs
Caught me in the lift how I sighed and said
"Hello, " cause you're impossible
But it's just like he's in another world
He doesn't see the danger on show
Wind up like Joseph, bloody in a hole
And it's just like she's in another world
And how they suit each other oh no
But they never get close
It's impossible
Saw the same two men on the Cally Road
Said now they'd double their offer
I was so bold
To say "You see these two cold fingers"
These crooked fingers I show
Oh you's a way to mean no
But it's just like he's in another world
He doesn't see the danger on show
That he'll end up like Joseph, bloody in a hole
And it's just like she's in another world
And how they suit each other oh no
But they never get close
(Crazy, unstoppable)
But it's just like we're all in another world
How we suit each other oh no
But we never get close
That's close enough now
@alfonsocabrera801
The Libertines
I saw two shadow men on the Vallance Road
Said they'd pay me for your address
Oh I was so bold
I said you see these two cold fingers
These crooked fingers I show
You a way to mean no
Well they didn't like that much I can tell you
Said sunshine I would n want to be in your shoes
And they chased me up three flights of stairs
Caught me in the lift how I sighed and said
Help 'cause you're impossible
But it's just like he's in another world
Doesn't see the danger on show
He'll wind up like Joseph bloody in a hole
And it's just like she's in another world
How they suit each other oh
But you never get close
Its impossible
Saw the same two men on the Cally road
Said they'd double their offer I was so bold
To say you see these two cold fingers
These crooked fingers I show
Oh You's a way to mean no
But it's just like he's in another world
Doesn't see the danger on show
He'll end up like Joseph bloody in a hole
It's just like she's in another world
How they suit each other oh no
Oh you never get close
Unstoppable
I said you see these two cold fingers
These crooked fingers I show
You a way to mean no
But it's just like were in another world
How they suit each other oh no
But you never get close
That's close enough
@tudormiller8898
Quality song, quality band. Nothing in the UK charts in 2020 compares to them.
@nellsun2521
I wasn't aware there were any bands in the 2020 charts(?).
@tudormiller8898
The 1975. Ever heard of them ?
@voxxromana
Why!!! The new album is a masterpiece too!
@3NC3PH4L0N
Then stop listen to chart music?
@jeromea9209
@Tudor Miller Horrible.
@dd.d249
This was the band that actually gave me tinnitus because of how loud I blasted them every single night for years. They absolutely defined my childhood, and my future exploration in music as a hobby.
@markdaniels2200
If I were you, I’d make a complaint to social services. They’re shit…
@markdaniels2200
@Paul McGrath They we’re on my feed. I know why they were on my feed but I would indulge your small brain. Yes they are shit, never been any good. I know one of the band, I won’t advise which one. Sorry to give you my honest opinion.
@mattjackson4177
@Mark Daniels pipe down mark the libertines are class. What do you listen to out of curiosity?