If You're Feeling Sinister :: Belle & Sebastian

It would come to no surprise to anyone who knows me that "If You're Feeling Sinister" by Belle & Sebastian is one of my favorite albums. Sometimes in the course of your life, everything that is going on around you sort of leads you to a particular album or group, and that is what happened to me. My sophomore year of college was basically hell. Everything in my life was terrible, and every day, I only thought about how much I wanted to die. I have very little memory of that horrible, depressing year of my life, but I do remember a beautiful thing that helped sustain me: this album.

I remember clearly setting the CD player to "Play" and looking out my dorm room window at the world somehow going on with life while I was stuck. "Make a new cult every day to suit your affairs.... kissing girls in English at the back of the stairs..." God, how I loved that album. And I still love it today! Those opening lines were like a balm on my poor wounded soul. Stuart Murdoch's voice was like a big bear hug. It's a really dorky thing- between Erika and I, we can probably sing every line of every Belle & Sebastian song.

In music-dork circles, this is considered one of the best albums OF ALL TIMES. It's so good that B&S actually re-recorded the album live in concert and sold it exclusively on iTunes a few years ago. Interesting trivia- there are at least TWO bands named after Belle & Sebastian songs. What are they? Post answers in the comment section.

I Fought in a War :: Belle and Sebastian

So, lots of things are going on and are happening super fast. I hauled ass and got to MN from DC in 2 days - driving through torrential rains, extreme boredom, gut rot from gas station food/coffee, and annoying Chicago drivers...I did it. But I wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't for the musical stylings of one...or should i say two?...Belle and Sebastian.

I was first introduced to B&S my sophomore year of college at Luther by Brenda - the much wiser, cooler senior friend I had made. Every time I went to her room (aka the Hot Box), B&S would 9 times out of 10 be playing in the background while she sat in the orange 'family' chair - legs crossed, chillin, reading a book or a magazine. Brenda was the epitome of coolness and I secretly (but probably really obviously) ate up all the things she introduced me to, especially B&S.

This particular song is off their album, Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant holds the best spot on the album as Track 1. I purchased this album for my cross country trek because I needed something that was going to remind me of that excited feeling I got from visiting Brenda in the Hot Box.

I hope you all enjoy it, as it is my favorite track off this album! My apologies for the short/late post, but as soon as things get more under control for me, I'll be back to my sassy, anal retentively timely postings...

Until then...Enjoy!
The end.
Love,
Meggo.

The State That I Am In :: Belle and Sebastian

If you know me, you will know that I am a FREAK for Belle and Sebastian. Seriously. The way I feel about B and S is the way that a lot of people feel for the Beatles or the Rolling Stones or the Grateful Dead. When they go on tour (which is not super often, though I have had the privilege of seeing them live twice), I continually fantasize about leaving my job and following them all over North America.

In my fantasy, they would notice me in the audience and pull me out of the crowd. They would take me back to Scotland and I would live with Stuart Murdoch in an old abandoned church.

Speaking of Stuart, he gets me all kinds of hot and bothered:



I can't really pick out a favorite song of Belle and Sebastian, though I've always been fond of "The State That I Am In." It's off of "Tigermilk," which was really early on in their recordings. What really makes their songs great is the lyrics. This song sums up a lot of themes that run through Belle and Sebastian songs: ambiguous sexuality, unrequited love, losing oneself, redemption through personal growth or higher power, and a general sense of being ok even in the midst of confusion.

My favorite lines:

The priest in the booth had a photographic memory
For all he had heard
He took all of my sins and he wrote a pocket novel called
The state I am in
So I gave myself to god
There was a pregnant pause before he said ok

Imagine me singing along (the harmony part).

The audio starts a little soft, but then gets better:



I was surprised, I was happy for a day in 1975
I was puzzled by a dream, stayed with me all day in 1995
My brother had confessed that he was gay
It took the heat off me for a while
He stood up with a sailor friend
Made it known upon my sisters wedding day

I got married in a rush to save a kid from being deported
Now shes in love
I was so touched, I was moved to kick the crutches
From my crippled friend
She was not impressed that I cured her on the sabbath
So I went to confess
When she saw the funny side, we introduced my child bride
To whisky and gin

The priest in the booth had a photographic memory
For all he had heard
He took all of my sins and he wrote a pocket novel called
The state I am in
So I gave myself to god
There was a pregnant pause before he said ok
Now I spend my day turning tables round in marks & spencers
They dont seem to mind

I gave myself to sin
I gave myself to providence
And Ive been there and back again
The state that I am in

Oh love of mine, would you condescend to help me
Cause Im stupid and blind
Desperation is the devils work, it is the folly of a boys empty mind
Now Im feeling dangerous, riding on city buses for a hobby is sad
Lead me to a living end
I promised that Id entertain my crippled friend
My crippled friend