Boys In The Better Land

Album: Dogrels (2019)
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Songfacts®:

  • The five Fontaines D.C. band members first met in Dublin while attending music college at British and Irish Modern Music Institute. They bonded over a mutual love of James Joyce, Brendan Behan and W.B. Yeats.

    Here, singer Grian Chatten describes a model "with a face like sin and a heart like a James Joyce novel." He told Q magazine: "I feel like the world has gone pretty bleak, a lot of values have been lost and you can sense them in the dialogue of Joyce's writing."
  • The Anglo-phobic cab driver in this song only smokes Carrolls - an Irish cigarette brand now only made in Dublin. They're products that don't often get out of town, illustrating the hopelessness of such people.

Comments: 2

  • Leah Humpherson from NottinghamI truly believe that Irish is of decent meaning that a true and honest Irish man or gentleman speaks only of the simple or small things in love, poetry and about life. They speak quite beautifully and there is no pretending or artificial aspect to Irish culture.
    Take it from somebody who knows this well. I am of Irish descent because my Grandfather John fought in Wars to keep us united and together. He unfortunately lost many parts of himself that could never be repaired.

    He is my hero and remains my hero. I unfortunately did not have the pleasure of meeting him. That being said i possess his strength and courage and spirit. That is enough for me.

    - L H
  • James Oloughlin from DublinI feel like this song has a similar message to zombie by the cranberries, about how set in the past many irish nationalists are. And how Irish nationalism has gone from a united Ireland for all to a united Ireland for the Irish.
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