The formula may seem predictable: four English guys from Sheffield form a rock band in 2003, soon earning the approval of both the public and critics... don't be fooled, these guys are not like all the others you've listened to while remaining "almost" impassive.
Original in everything, the Arctic Monkeys have not released a single album, and their success relies on word of mouth from fans and the internet. In June 2005, the turning point arrives with a contract with Domino that releases the single: I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor (who doesn't like it?!) and on January 30, 2006, the debut of the "arctic monkeys" titled Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not will materialize, a work that has been present in the virtual world for many months already.
Great drums, an insistent bass line, skewed and non-skewed guitars, and raspy voices chase each other in a work that is simple and fun but, at the same time, as surprising as a rock album should be: Mardy Bum, When The Sun Goes Down, Riot Van, Still Take You Home, and the already mentioned single are all tracks that appeal at first listen... discover the others on your own, you have one month, once the deadline passes, let's buy this album!
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 The View From the Afternoon (03:38)
Anticipation has the habit to set you up
For disappointment in evening entertainment but
Tonight there'll be some love
Tonight there'll be a ruckus, yeah, regardless of what's gone before
I want to see all of the things that we’ve already seen
The lairy girls hung out the window of the limousine
And of course it's fancy dress
And they're all looking quite full on
In bunny ears and devil horns
Anticipation has the habit to set you up
For disappointment in evening entertainment but
Tonight there'll be some love
Tonight there'll be a ruckus, yeah, regardless of what's gone before
I want to see all of the things that we've already seen
I want to see you take the jackpot out the fruit machine
And put it all back in
You've got to understand it you can never beat the bandit, no
And she won't be surprised and she won't be shocked
When she's pressed the star after she's pressed unlock
And there's verse and chapter sat in her inbox
And all that it says is that you've drank a lot
You should bear that in mind tonight
Bear that in mind, yeah you should
Bear that in mind tonight
Bear that in mind
You can pour your heart out but her reasoning will block
All that you send her after nine o' clock
Anticipation has the habit to set you up
For disappointment in evening entertainment but
Tonight there'll be some love
Tonight there'll be a ruckus, yeah, regardless of what's gone before
And she won't be surprised and she won't be shocked
When she's pressed the star after she's pressed unlock
And there's verse and chapter sat in her inbox
And all that it says is that you've drank a lot
You should bear that in mind tonight
Bear that in mind, yeah you should
Bear that in mind tonight
Bear that in mind
You can pour your heart out around 3 o' clock
When the 2 for 1's undone the writer's block
02 I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor (02:53)
Stop making the eyes at me, I'll stop making the eyes at you
And what it is that surprises me, is that I don't really want you to
When your shoulders are frozen
(cold as the night)
Oh but you're an explosion
(you're dynamite)
Your name isn't Rio, but I don't care for sand
And lighting the fuse might result in a bang, with a bang-go!
I bet that you look good on the dance floor
I don't know if you're looking for romance or
I don't know what you're looking for
I said I bet that you look good on the dance floor
Dancing to electro-pop like a robot from 1984
From 1984!
I wish you'd stop ignoring me, because it's sending me to despair
Without a sound yeah you're calling me, and I don't think it's very fair
That your shoulders are frozen
(cold as the night)
Oh and you're an explosion
(you're dynamite)
Your name isn't Rio, but I don't care for sand
Lighting the fuse might result in a bang, ba ba bang-go!
I bet that you look good on the dance floor
I don't know if you're looking for romance or...
I don't know what ya looking for
I said I bet that you look good on the dance floor
Dancing to electro-pop like a robot from 1984
From 1984!
And oh there ain't no love no, Montague’s and Capulets
We just banging tunes 'n' DJ sets 'n'
Dirty dance floors and dreams of naughtiness
I bet that you look good on the dance floor
I don't know if you're looking for romance or
I don't know what you're looking for
I said I bet that you look good on the dance floor
Dancing to electro-pop like a robot from 1984
From 1984!
03 Fake Tales of San Francisco (02:58)
Fake Tales of San Francisco
Echo through the room
More point to a wedding disco
Without a bride or groom
There's a super cool band yeah
With their trilbys and their glasses of white wine
And all the weekend rockstars in the toilets
Practicing their lines
I don't want to hear you
(Kick me out, kick me out)
I don't want to hear, you know
(Kick me out, kick me out)
I don't want to hear you
(Kick me out, kick me out)
I don't want to hear you
I don't want to hear your...
Fake Tales of San Francisco
Echo through the air
And there's a few bored faces in the back
All wishing they weren't there
And as the microphone squeaks
A young girl's telephone beeps
Yeah she's dashing for the exit
And she's running to the streets outside
"Oh you've saved me," she screams down the line
"The band were fucking wank
And I'm not having a nice time"
I don't want to hear you
(Kick me out, kick me out)
I don't want to hear, you know
(Kick me out, kick me out)
Yeah but his bird said it's amazing, though
So all that's left
Is the proof that love's not only blind but deaf
He talks of San Francisco, he's from Hunter's Bar
I don't quite know the distance
But I'm sure that's far
Yeah I'm sure it's pretty far
And yeah, I'd love to tell you all my problem
You're not from New York City, you're from Rotherham
So get off the bandwagon, and put down the handbook
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Get off the bandwagon and put down the handbook
Get off the bandwagon and put down the handbook
Get off the bandwagon and put down the handbook
Get off the bandwagon and put down the handbook
Yeah
04 Dancing Shoes (02:21)
Get on your dancing shoes
There's one thing on your mind
Hoping they're looking for you
Sure you'll be rummaging through
Oh and the shit, shock, horror
You've seen your future bride
Oh, but it's oh so absurd
For you to say the first word
So you're waiting and waiting and...
The only reason that you came
So what you scared for?
Well don't you always do the same
It's what you're there for, don't you know
The lights are flashing
Down in here tonight
And some might exchange a glance
But keep pretending to dance
Don't act like it's not happening
As if it's impolite
To go and mention your name
Instead you'll just do the same
As they all do, and hope for the best
The only reason that you came
So what you scared for?
Well don't you always do the same
It's what you're there for, but no!
Get on your dancing shoes
You sexy little swine
Hoping they're looking for you
Sure you'll be rummaging through
Oh and the shit, shock, horror
You've seen your future bride
Yeah, but it's oh so absurd
For you to say the first word
So you're waiting and... woahhh!
05 You Probably Couldn't See for the Lights but You Were Staring Straight at Me (02:10)
One look sends it coursing through the veins oh how the feeling races
Back up to their brains to form expressions on there stupid faces
They don't want to say hello
Like I want to say hello
Oh the heartbeats at its peak when you're coming up to speak
And I'm so tense, never tenser
Could all go a bit Frank Spencer?
I'm talking gibberish, tip of the tongue but I can't deliver it
Properly, oh it's all getting on top of me
And if it weren't this dark you'd see how red my face has gone
Everybody's trying to crack the jokes and that to make you smile
Those that claim that they're not showing off are drowning in denial
They're not half as bad as me say anything and I'll agree
When it comes to acting up, I'm sure I could write the book
And now that you're more than a part in the play
It's slightly easier to think what to say
You had us all, standing on our heads
Doing our best tricks
Never again, will there be another one that's as desirable as you
06 Still Take You Home (02:53)
Well, it's ever so funny, cause I don't think you're special, I don't think you're cool
You're just probably alright, but under these lights you look beautiful
And I'm struggling, I can't see through your fake tan
Yeah and you know it for a fact that everybody's eating out of your hands
But what do you know?
Oh, you know nothing
Yeah, but I'll still take you home
Oh yeah, I'll still take you home
So what do you know?
Said you don't know nothing
Well fancy seeing you in here, you're all tarted up and you don't look the same
Well, I haven't seen you since last year and surprisingly you have forgot my name
But you know it, yeah and you knew it all along
Oh and you say you have forgotten but you're fibbing go on tell me I'm wrong
So what do you know?
Oh, you know nothing
Yeah, but I'll still take you home
Oh yeah, I'll still take you home
So what do you know?
Oh, you don't know nothing, no
I fancy you with a passion, you're a Topshop princess, a rockstar too
You're a fad, you're a fashion and I'm having a job trying to talk to you
But it's alright, ya, I'll put it on one side,
Everybody's looking, you've got control of everyone's eyes
Including mine
07 Riot Van (02:15)
Up rolls the riot van
And sparks excitement in the boys
But the policemen look annoyed
Perhaps these are ones they should avoid
They got a chase last night from men with truncheons dressed in hats
They didn't do that much wrong, still ran away though for the laugh
Just for the laugh
"Please just stop talking
'Cause they won't find us if you do
Oh those silly boys in blue
Well they won't catch me and you"
"Have you been drinking son? You don't look old enough to me"
"I'm sorry officer, is there a certain age you're supposed to be?
'Cause nobody told me"
And up rolls the riot van
And these lads just wind the coppers up
Ask why they don't catch proper crooks
Get their address and their names took
But they couldn't care less
He got thrown in the riot van
And all the coppers kicked him in
And there was no way he could win
Just had to take it on the chin
09 Mardy Bum (02:55)
Well now then Mardy Bum
I've seen your frown
And it's like looking down the barrel of a gun
And it goes off
And out come all these words
Oh there's a very pleasant side to you
A side I much prefer
It's one that laughs and jokes around
Remember cuddles in the kitchen
Yeah, to get things off the ground
And it was up, up and away
Oh, but it's right hard to remember that
On a day like today when you're all argumentative
And you've got the face on
Well now then Mardy Bum
Oh I'm in trouble again, aren't I
I thought as much
'Cause you turned over there
Pulling that silent disappointment face
The one that I can't bear
Well can't we just laugh and joke around
Remember cuddles in the kitchen
Yeah, to get things off the ground
And it was up, up and away
Oh, but it's right hard to remember that
On a day like today when you're all argumentative
And you've got the face on
Yeah I'm sorry I was late
But I missed the train
And then the traffic was a state
And I can't be asked to carry on in this debate
That reoccurs, oh when you say I don't care
But of course I do, yeah I clearly do
So laugh and joke around
Remember cuddles in the kitchen
Yeah, to get things off the ground
And it was up, up and away
Oh, but it's right hard to remember
That on a day like today when you're all argumentative
And you've got the face on
10 Perhaps Vampires Is a Bit Strong But... (04:28)
I've seen your eyes as they fix on me
What is he doing? What on earth's the plan? Has he got one?
You'd better give me some pointers
Since you are the big rocket launcher, and I'm just the shotgun
Well I ain't got no dollar signs in my eyes
That might be a surprise but it's true
So I'm not like you and I don't want your advice
Or your praise or to move in the ways you do, and I never will
'Cause all you people are vampires
And all your stories are stale
And though you pretend to stand by us
I know you're certain we'll fail
Well I've seen your eyes as they fix on me
Full of confusion
Your snarl is just so condescending
Try to explain that we're onto a win
If the feel we get in
Near recoups what we're spending
He says, "I can't believe that you drove all that way
Well how much did they pay ya? How much did they pay ya?
You'd have been better to stay round our way
Thinking 'bout things but not actually doing the things"
'Cause all you people are vampires!
And all your stories are stale
And though you pretend to stand by us
I know you're certain we'll fail
'Cause all you people are vampires!
And all your stories are stale
And though you pretend to stand by us
I know you're certain we'll fail
All you people are vampires!
11 When the Sun Goes Down (03:20)
Who's that girl there?
I wonder what went wrong
So that she had to roam the streets
She don't do major credit cards
I doubt she does receipts
It's all not quite legitimate
And what a scummy man
Just give him half a chance
I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes,
That he's got a driving ban
Amongst some other offences
And I've seen him with girls of the night
And he told Roxanne to put on her red light
They're all infected but he'll be alright
Cause he's a scumbag, don't you know
I said he's a scumbag, don't you know!
Although you're trying not to listen
Avert your eyes and staring at the ground
She makes a subtle proposition
“I'm sorry love I'll have to turn you down”
He must be up to summat
What are the chances sure it’s more than likely
I've got a feeling in my stomach
I start to wonder what his story might be, what his story might be
They said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
Look here comes a Ford Mondeo
Isn't he Mister Inconspicuous?
And he don't have to say 'owt
She’s in the stance ready to get picked up
Bet she's delighted when she sees him
Pulling in and giving her the eye
Because she must be fucking freezing
Scantily clad beneath the clear night sky
It don't stop in the winter, no
They said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
They said it changes when the sun goes down
Over the river going out of town
They said it changes when the sun goes down
Around here
What a scummy man
Just give him half a chance
I bet he'll rob you if he can
Can see it in his eyes that he's got a nasty plan
I hope you're not involved at all
12 From the Ritz to the Rubble (03:13)
Last night these two bouncers
And one of em's alright
The other one's the scary one
His way or no way, totalitarian
He's got no time for you
Looking or breathing
How he don't want you to
So step out the queue
He makes examples of you
And there's nowt you can say
Behind they go through to the bit where you pay
And you realise then that it's finally the time
To walk back past ten thousand eyes in the line
And you can swap jumpers and make another move
Instilled in your brain you've got something to prove
To all the smirking faces and the boys in black
Why can't they be pleasant?
Why can't they have a laugh?
He's got his hand in your chest
He wants to give you a duff
Well secrectly I think they want it all to kick off
They want, arms flying everywhere and
Bottles as well it's just
Something to talk about
A story to tell you
Well I'm so glad they turned us all away we'll put it down to fate
I said a thousand million things that I could never say this morning
Got too deep, but how deep is too deep?
This town's a different town today
This town's a different town to what it was last night
You couldn't have done that on a Sunday
That girl's a different girl today
Said that girl's a different girl to her you kissed last night
You couldn't have done that on a Sunday
Well I'm so glad they turned us all away we'll put it down to fate
I thought a thousand million things that I would never think this morning
Got too deep, but how deep is too deep?
Last night what we talked about
It made so much sense
But now the haze has ascended
It don't make no sense anymore
13 A Certain Romance (05:31)
Well oh they might wear classic Reeboks
Or knackered Converse
Or tracky bottoms tucked in socks
But all of that's what the point is naut
The point's that there ain't no romance around there
And there's the truth that they can't see
They'd probably like to throw a punch at me
And if you could only see 'em, then you would agree
Agree that there in't no romance around there
You know, oh it's a funny thing you know
We'll tell them if you like
We'll tell them all tonight
They'll never listen
Because their minds are made up
And course it's all okay to carry on that way
Cause over there there's broken bones
There's only music, so that there's new ringtones
And it don’t take no Sherlock Holmes
To see it's a little different around here
Don't get me wrong though there's boys in bands
And kids who like to scrap with pool cues in their hands
And just 'cos he's had a couple of cans
He thinks it's alright to act like a dickhead
Don't you know, oh it's a funny thing you know
We'll tell them if you like
We'll tell them all tonight
They'll never listen
Because their minds are made up
And course it's all okay to carry on that way
But I said no, oh no, well you won't get me to go
Not anywhere, not anywhere, no I won't go, oh no no
Well over there there's friends of mine
What can I say, I've known them for a long long time
And they might overstep the line
But you just cannot get angry in the same way
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Other reviews
By Donjunio1
Three-quarters of this record is crap.
Rock and roll is really something else.
By Sickboy
The dazzling sparkle of 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' woke me from my THC dreams.
I hope the Monkeys saga isn’t a one-off and that we proceed to a slow (but not too slow) screwing of the record companies.
By Jack Darko
"A great debut album that paves the way for a great career."
"It’s a homogeneous album that follows a certain order but manages to always be innovative in mixing instrumental roles and sometimes reversing them."
By tetsuoironman
What the hell is this damned mix of guitars played shoddily with a voice that makes Britney Spears shudder?
Did I say rock ‘n’ roll is dead? I meant to say: music is dead.
By uno qualunque
This is an album, yes, absolutely enjoyable, but certainly not a masterpiece or anything similar, an album in truth, just above mediocre.
It’s a record to listen to when you don’t want to dive into too demanding listens without it falling too much into the commercial.