Tag Archives: i should coco

#807: Supergrass – Mansize Rooster

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I received I Should Coco for what I think was my 14th birthday. Might have even been my 13th. But by the end of that first full listen, I was sure it was another 10/10 by the group. As time’s gone on, I do think some songs on there do sound a bit dated. ‘Mansize Rooster’ falls under that category. Everything from the jaunty piano, the walking bassline, and those horns that come in the chorus. Those are just a few things. But it’s just so darn catchy, still.

The track is about a young man who is well-endowed for his age. The narrator’s strapped for cash and things aren’t looking too great in life, but with his package he might just be able to turn things around. It took me a while to get the joke in the song’s title. What’s another name for a rooster? There you go. And although the music sounds dated, I think it definitely works to give off this strange childish and horny tone of the lyrics. It’s a swinging number from the beginning before switching to a frenetic, fast-paced freakout for the choruses. It alternates between those tempos every time. It’s a crazy ride of a listen.

As you can see, Supergrass were very, very young in this music video. The members were practically children, it’s quite surreal to see. Some strange things happen in it. The three guys share a bathtub, guitarist Gaz Coombes appears in women’s clothing for a brief moment. It’s all a bit campy. It’s a good time for all.

#768: Supergrass – Lose It

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Wondering where to start with this one. I was given Supergrass’ debut album I Should Coco as a gift for, I think, my fourteenth birthday and I remember taking to it immediately on the first listen. ‘Lose It’ has always been a high point from the album for me even if it may be a song of Supergrass’ that a lot of people might not know so much about.

I think what made me appreciate it at first was how mean it sounded compared to the track that comes before it on the album. It was like ‘Alright’ was just a brief moment where everything’s fun and sunny before things get heavy again. Like a lot of other songs on Coco, ‘Lose It’ possesses very high energy and a bit of claustrophobic atmosphere that makes it feel like the band are just thrashing this performance in a tight room somewhere. It’s a bit intense. There aren’t many lyrics in this track either. If it wasn’t for the short “I don’t want anybody…” verse/(bridge?) – the song would just consist of its chorus. The repetitive nature just makes it all the more memorable.

The song was released as a very limited single in ’95, packaged only in the United States in the form of 2,500 copies of vinyl. Still managed to chart in the UK somehow.

My iPod #170: Supergrass – Caught by the Fuzz

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Supergrass’ first official single as a band. Sounding like it was recorded in a few minutes in cramped and compact room, “Caught by the Fuzz” is an autobiographical account of lead singer Gaz Coombe’s first time of being arrested by the police when he was only 15.

The song is very quick. Quite punk-esque, with a semi-talking verse and a belter of a chorus which all end with the word ‘tonight’. Well, it’s not really a chorus. But if you listen to it, you will understand what I mean.

The film “Hot Fuzz” has this track playing during the credits, so if you wanted to know what that song was called…. here it is.

It is the second song on the band’s first album “I Should Coco“, a bit of Cockney rhyming slang for those of you who aren’t familiar.

My iPod #30: Supergrass – Alright

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Supergrass was a band that was at its most prominent during the Britpop era. Although that scene quickly died out around 1997, the band still managed to stay pretty relevant and their last album ‘Diamond Hoo Ha’, released in 2008, entered at 19 in the album chart.

I miss Supergrass. 😦 They are one of my favourite bands too.

Britpop was a fine time for British music. New bands were thrust upon the scene; Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Suede and various others dominated the charts. Who could forget ‘The Battle of the Bands’, which saw Blur and Oasis go head to head for the number one spot, which Blur eventually won?

I talk as if I was 20 years old around this time, although really I had only just been born.

Supergrass were relatively new at the time. ‘Alright’ was released as the last single from their debut ‘I Should Coco’ in 1995, and became somewhat of a youth anthem here and in America too after being featured in the film ‘Clueless’.

You can’t be sad to this song. The intro is unforgettable, as soon as you hear that piano tune you know that you won’t be disappointed. The band was young at the time of writing the song and so the youth of the time were able to empathise with what the band was feeling. I guess it wouldn’t have been so popular if it was some old man singing about being young when he clearly wasn’t.

And watch that video too! It’s all so happy. Oh man. Why do you need a video with a concept when you could just be messing around on a beach, or fooling about with bicycles? Steven Spielberg even wanted to do some sort of ‘Monkees’ documentary based on them, but they declined in order to start work on their second album. That’s dedication.

This is considered to be Supergrass’ signature song. It’s not my favourite, probably because it’s the one that will always be played on a holiday advert, or the one Supergrass video that will always be played on a music channel. Supergrass have many other great songs. Not just this one. Find them.

Come back Supergrass. Please!

Until next time.

Jamie.