This one's for the "freaks"

[Razzle Dazzle Rose]

How do you guys feel about being called "freaks" on Underdogs? For my part I find it pretty damn provocative, LOL.

[Son of Stopped]

The biggest thing is they missed a trick by not having the next line end with "Man-eeks".
As for original line, I'm used to it. Still, would Masses have gotten to number one if it had that f word?

[Routine Builder]

Quite a bit of the fan base took offence to that one back in the day. Don't mind it myself though maybe misfits might a better term of endearment....

[jac185]

I was kind of surprised to learn from No Manifesto that this riled up fans at the time.

Let's face it, when there's a Manics gig in town and you're walking down the street, you can often play 'spot who is going to the Manics gig' and it's not the most difficult thing in the world.

I definitely just thought it was a playful term of endearment. Just a shorthand way of saying we're a weirdo band that was called names growing up and our fans are like us too.

[Routine Builder]

It's a bit of a weird one really, as the band sort of gifted the song to the fan base (or specifically this site if I remember correctly) and asked them to make a video. I believe they thought it was a way of connecting to their fans but it sort of blew up in their face. To someone with a better memory than I, was this around the time of happy feet?

[hummingbird]

I've always thought they were referring to what other people say....or what some people call themselves not that the band was calling their fanbase freaks.

Total overreaction. I'm with Happy Feet

[Porco]

Originally Posted by hummingbird

I've always thought they were referring to what other people say....or what some people call themselves not that the band was calling their fanbase freaks.

Total overreaction. I'm with Happy Feet

Agreed.

I think the intention was always pretty clear from the rest of the lyrics. And the title of the song(!).

I’m not so keen on the “people like you need f— …people like me’” line, I find it a bit cringeworthy, but other than that I quite like the whole notion of a song specifically for the marginalised, the underdogs.

[hummingbird]

Originally Posted by Porco

Agreed.

I think the intention was always pretty clear from the rest of the lyrics. And the title of the song(!).

I’m not so keen on the “people like you need f— …people like me’” line, I find it a bit cringeworthy, but other than that I quite like the whole notion of a song specifically for the marginalised, the underdogs.

Wouldn't make sense after lifeblood bombed, solo albums not setting the world alight, that they would come back and insult the fanbase . Unless it was revenge !

I like underdogs - agree that "people like you wanna .." line is naff but not enough to hate the song. Edit that wasn't an edit but was really doesn't bother me either.

I always want to play Pulp's misshapes when this topic comes up - similar sentiment and better song

[Red]

Originally Posted by Razzle Dazzle Rose

How do you guys feel about being called "freaks" on Underdogs? For my part I find it pretty damn provocative, LOL.

I can live with being called a freak. It's just the rest of it that gets me. Like, come on Nicky, I like your band and I without a doubt am a freak, but describing me as "beaten down", "crushed", "shy and withdrawn", "out of touch", mistake-prone, vengeful, so obscure as to be disappeared, and irrepressibly sexually drawn to him is all a bit much.

I sometimes wonder if the infamous Underdogs Edit is just to remove a verse in which they sing "Also, you're a fat cunt" over and over.

[Dac X Lee]

Originally Posted by hummingbird

I've always thought they were referring to what other people say....or what some people call themselves not that the band was calling their fanbase freaks.

Total overreaction. I'm with Happy Feet

Same, and I thought the lyrics are pretty clear and straightforward. Guess the song was just released in unfortunate times when it was trendy to take things literally so one can take personal offence.

Personally, I found the song pretty cute when I first heard it, and still do. And when I saw on the documentary that there was a backlash for something like this, I was puzzled. Like... really?

As for the "infamous" people like you need to fuck line, I thought the poetry played on ambiguity here.
"Fuck" can mean both the sexual act and to achieve an unexpected success that everyone was doubting without second thoughts.
By "people like me", it also refers to being famous and successful, so this can also be an invitation to be better than themselves. At the same time, it might be an unusual way of wishing successful partners to someone who was bullied by society. It can also be the writer's way of expressing his fascination with the feelings of devotion and passion that come out of a fandom.

I don't know, I don't see anything too bad with the song. Guess it's just my punk self. ♡

[Suicide Aldi]

Underdogs is a good song.











There I said it!

[ohsoso]

i thought the fuck-line was a reference to tracey emin as nickys mentioned her in the past.

[Porco]

Originally Posted by Dac X Lee

As for the "infamous" people like you need to fuck line, I thought the poetry played on ambiguity here.
"Fuck" can mean both the sexual act and to achieve an unexpected success that everyone was doubting without second thoughts.
By "people like me", it also refers to being famous and successful, so this can also be an invitation to be better than themselves. At the same time, it might be an unusual way of wishing successful partners to someone who was bullied by society. It can also be the writer's way of expressing his fascination with the feelings of devotion and passion that come out of a fandom.

Originally Posted by ohsoso

i thought the fuck-line was a reference to tracey emin as nickys mentioned her in the past.

Well both of these posts have improved the line for me, thank you both!

[qster]

Can I shock you, I like underdogs.

[Dac X Lee]

Originally Posted by Porco

Well both of these posts have improved the line for me, thank you both!

You're very welcome. ^_-