The Divine Comedy - Generation Sex

[Carlos111111able]

Always funny Neil Hannon

[alexgerschenkron]

"A mourning nation weeps

And wails

But keeps

The sales

of evil tabloids healthy

The poor protect the wealthy

In this (#NOTW)"

The ever apt Neil Hannon

[chevgr]

I think you mean Diana dear.

[SirCrouch1]

There is a very clever referance to Princess Anne,

Lovers watch their backs as hacks in macs

Take snaps through telephoto lenses

Chase Mercedes Benz' through the night

[thomasrneville]

@SirCrouch1 Surely you mean Princess Dianna?

[SirCrouch1]

@thomasrneville Fuck off. But yes.

[thomasrneville]

@SirCrouch1 Why did you say F*** Off? 

[SirCrouch1]

@thomasrneville Fuck off. And I'm not sure. 

[thomasrneville]

@SirCrouch1 So you just say **** off to everything? Classy!

[SirCrouch1]

@thomasrneville ********

[ryan22041987]

@SirCrouch1 I Like Turtles

[SirCrouch1]

@ryan22041987 Miss me? 

[basemann42]

This song is fucking amazing. Neil Hannon is a modern day musical genius. The orchestration piece at the end is sublime and best heard turned up full when driving!

[PubicMen]

Genuis

[Toolarmy182]

I LOVE IT.

[PubicMen]

This song refers to princess dianna in the part "chase mercades benzes through telephoto lenses all through the night, morning nation weeps ect ect"

[MrMudfan]

These guys are pretty good, But I was dissapointed, because When they were on "Later With Jools Holland" I thought It was gonna be the other Divine Comedy. The one with Milla Jovovich.

These guys are still good though

[GenericEmotions]

I've been injecting the sperms of worms into the eggs of fieldmice too.

And do you know what happened........

Nothing :-(

[jazzmanEE]

this song is dedicated to duchebag culture..

god bless the divine comedy

[hungarianeve]

Generation sex respects the rights of girls

Who want to take their clothes off

As long as we can all watch that's OK

And generation sex elects the type of guys

You wouldn't leave your kids with

And shouts "off with their heads" if they get laid

Lovers watch their backs as hacks in macs

Take snaps through telephoto lenses

Chase Mercedes Benz' through the night

[hungarianeve]

A mourning nation weeps and wails

But keeps the sales of evil tabloids healthy

The poor protect the wealthy in this world

Generation sex injects the sperm of worms

Into the eggs of field mice

So you can look real nice for the boys

And generation sex is me and you

And we should really all know better

It doesn't really matter what you say

[pneumaticstarsailor]

what is up with sample of that woman speaking? where is it from, and why is it there? the intro bit makes sense (kind of), but what about the bridge when she's talking about interracial relations? is that being satarized as well?

[chevgr]

its katie putrick who is/was a tv presenter

[pumpkinqueen99]

neil hannon is pretty cute......

[KenfromDublin]

This band is better than Coldplay, but hardly anyone knows about them.

They should be a Supergroup by now but Neil Hannon seems to shy away from the limelight.

[f0rce0fnature]

Everything is better than Coldplay

But yes, TDC is a great great band

[CarryFlag8]

I DO LOVE THIS SONG.

Can listen to it endlessly

[givingitashot1]

we are generation sex!!!!!

waaaaaaaay:)

[rabbitwho]

this came out when i was a child (I was born in 86) and i hated it and thought it was disgusting and promoted all the things it mentions. HA

This is the first time I've noticed how intelligent it is.

[gtr1359]

@rabbitwho too smart for its own good-i love it

[petijoze]

j'adorre!!!!

[thomas1graham]

I adore the song and this is the first time I've seen any video that goes with it. The strong sense of police thuggery that is shown is very unfair to the police force as a whole and also adds to the very weak arguement that The Divine Comedy are somehow fighting for the wee man. He's not. He's a songwriter who's very good at what he does (one of the best), and spends his time trying to immerse himself in a life he had before, before going home to his pale skinned Irish Lovely to count his euros

[u01anm3]

ha, it's a music video! I'd also disagree with you that neil is trying to make some sweeping statement about the politics of policing.Since when has neil claimed to fight for the wee man? and when did he ever have a less than middle class existance? I believe he's also in the process of getting divorced...

[RavenDayexMilhas]

true but it is also possible he is portraying the message of dianna's death, artificial insimination so why not the police aspect

[evavigo]

I think it's not unfair, we all know the police usually chases subversion rather than real crime, that subversive statements are considered more dangerous than chasing a car until you cause the death of it's passengers, or allowing society to go through the path it's going. It's got more to do with that than with police violence itself.

And neither it's fair what you say about him, that's a very simplistic perspective of his work and public persona, really.

[manicmacintosh]

pounds.

[Icarusangel27]

I love this song! It's great.

[restlessdavid]

buggar

[nm1270]

Stop bickering children.Music doesn't have to be serious!Thank God for our celtic cousins The Divine Comedy and Belle and Sebastian.

[Monthagny]

@nm1270 Belle and Sebastien sucked though. I am British, I was 17 in 1998, I remember that nobody really got them and they sucked. What was worse is that they named themselves after a German cartoon series from 1989 that nobody even watched. Vicky the Viing was better anyway.

[bus140808]

You lot are like my parents! (ie argue about everything)

[jovetj]

Oh my gosh... that video is fantastic! I don't even like music videos. But that's so clever and well executed...

[aaadsf09]

did i say song's'? am i drunk? or did i mean generation 'six songs'? or am i wry? or am i just what the fuck judge judge judge... ?!

[aaadsf09]

one of their best songs!

[thespoofinator]

I agree with 'Craponacat', just shut up about commas etc and enjoy an original and brilliant song, that most British bands these days couldn't dream of writing something this witty and musically diverse! We are 'Generation Crap': Pete Docherty, The Streets, X Factor contestants in the charts - The Divine Comedy is a beacon of greatness in a sea of shit. I rest my case, I thank you!

[rapier17]

'Modern' music does leave me wondering how these 'artists' can look themselves in the mirror, compared to true genius' such as Neil Hannon. His works are of such a high calibre that it makes a lot of other 'music' pale in comparison.

[aussieingreece]

A great band...they must come down to Greece.

[whaleengineering]

why do we all argue on youtube?...its bizarre.....

I love the Divine Comedy

[pacantillon]

fuck u!!!

[acatcalledbasil]

Hannon Rocks

[tjoemmx]

EPIC

[eamonn54]

die die die

[longdog253]

Love the lyrics to this song. From the dig at the death of Princess Di to the cosmetics industry - superb. Well done Mr Hannon.

[jazzmanEE]

brilliant english pop!

[u01snr]

he's northern irish...

[katherine500]

clever song

[KenfromDublin]

It's a pity Neil Hannon is so media shy, a peerless singer/songwriting genius, the Divine Comedy would be one of the biggest bands on the planet right now if he would just come out of his shell, the blindfolds in this video are I feel ironic symbolism of his fear of commercial recognition.

[hoopymusicluva]

I don't think he's media shy--on the contrary, he seems to be a very engaging and open interviewee, and in front of the camera he's a natural. It's the media who aren't very interested in him. For the most part, the media is concerned with the fresh, new acts and the most popular (who will bring in the most cash). TDC is neither new, nor are they U2 or Coldplay.

However, I think his PR people need to be *way* more diligent. That might be one problem, but I don't really know.

[KenfromDublin]

'Fin de Siecle' by The Divine Comedy is an album that U2 or Coldplay would have been proud to call their own and this is the opening track.

I respect your opinion Hoopy but Neil doesn't seem to enjoy the attention that critical acclaim and commercial success brings, he appeared on the Late Late Show the Christmas before last wearing over sized sunglasses and a hunting cap that prompted Pat Kenny to ask him why he was 'in disguise' or words to that effect.

[Kitchenperson]

I think Hannon wanted commercial recognition but wasn't really ready to cope with business pressure. He kinda got his fingered burnt round 2001 and quietly retreated into dignified cool as far as success was concerned.

[Kitchenperson]

Still, Neil hasn't always been "media shy". Back in the 1990s and until "National Express" France was Divine Comedy's biggest market. There Hannon would do a lot of media stuff, he would duet with local chanteuses on the dodgiest TV shows, etc... The general opinion in my country being that Hannon was a gifted pop arrivist desperate to "strike it big" back home. He's obviously changed his focus!

[Beechy5000]

"the blindfolds in this video are I feel ironic symbolism of his fear of commercial recognition."

Only somebody who has been to university could say something as stupid as that. My course is full of people like you.

[KenfromDublin]

What a preposterously presumptuous and utterly ridiculous comment from Beechy5000.

May we presume folks that Beechy is the one driving the wrong way up the motorway?

"Darling be careful driving home, someone is driving the wrong way up the motorway"

Beechy5000 -

"It's not just one honey!- there's there's hundreds of them!"

lol! ;)

[Beechy5000]

Learning to use commas would be a good idea if you're indulging dellusions that you're a neo-Noel Coward.

Neil Hannon, although a brilliant musician, doesnt put symbolic clues to his psyche in his music videos & if he did, I suspect it would have anything to do with shunning commercial recognition, as, at the time, I seem to remember him doing television and radio interviews to suggest he perhaps DID want commercial recognition & perhaps wanted to make some money, just like anybody else would.

[KenfromDublin]

HA HA! I could have written Beechy's reply it's such an own goal for him!

'Learning to use commas would be a good idea if you're indulging dellusions....' - Beechy writes

....and then proceeds to hilariously omit placing a comma in the only word he used that required a comma! - shall I tell him or shall you folks? Maybe we should just let find out for himself - ask some 5 year old or something. lol!

By the way - you're having 'dellusions' regarding the spelling of 'delusions'

;)

[veloset]

You mean apostrophe, surely, sir?

Bless your angry little heart.

[KenfromDublin]

No I mean 'comma' you clown - and learn to parenthesize before you attempt - and fail miserably - to patronize.... now go fuck your mother like a good little boy veloset ;)

[pathammond]

You really don't get that video.

[champagnedsupernova]

great!

[fadsandfancies]

The album that followed this one (regeneration) was an absolute cracker

[vivagene]

One of the great songs of the nineties.

in truth, probably the last great song he wrote-but he'd already written more classics than most ever would. i just dont think he ever again captured the epic, tragic sound he fully encapsulated here.

"So, Mr. Heller-so you never wrote a book as good as Catch 22?"

Heller: "No. But neither did anyone else"...

[milkycaherlistrane]

What a band!!

[PapaSirHill]

j'adore j'adore c'est vraiment terrible ...

[personalidentifier]

Unbelieveable (in a good way, of course).

[sofiindublin]

I love The Divine Comedy, must have seen them 9 or 10 times in Dublin! And met Neil Hannon 2 or 3 times! Lovely, funny and nice man doing great music! Thanks Mr Neil!

[sporazene]

I luv Divine Comedy and do not give a toss for your opinion you prick. AHH tha's better.

[tottytv]

LOL

seemed to have stirred you up somewhat ! Touched a raw nerve ? Jacked it in ? In 2006 they released their 9th acclaimed album and Neil said he would be taking time out to work on other projects - soundtracks etc. So sorry to disappoint you but they will be back !

You can ignore their work you dont like - just dont type `divine comedy` when you use you tube - unless you typed sex in which case you can check out my videos !

[bufon63]

complacent easy listening MOR garbage.......thank god they finally realised that and mercifully did us all a massive favour and jacked it in...i beg you not to reform....please just stay on the dole, the world's a more tolerable place without these lightweights.......absolute horseshit

[tottytv]

nevertheless, out of literally millions of videos you could have looked up and enjoy ( I assume you do enjoy something ? ) you chose to look up this little video of someone you dont like and on top of that took time out to leave a comment as well.

Thank you for that !

Thankfully most of us have a life and prefer to spend time watching videos we like ....

[bufon63]

oh great arbiter of good sensible safe taste.........so we're all here to praise are we? It reads "comment" (duuuur.. that means positive, neutral or negative in case you don't know).....mmmmmm.... get back to your porn videos and let individuals comment how they godamm want..

[tromasteve]

"complacent easy listening MOR garbage"

The problem with that is that I'd say the Divine Comedy belong to a tradition outside of MOR, that being what we might call "literate orchestral pop" a la Scott Walker (an obvious but apt comparison).

Also, much of their orchestration is far from "easy" to listen to.

[lkorlaet]

hey, that's one clever, precise analysis!

tnx! :)

[sporazene]

Luving has no colour, i only fancy white girls. My mate only likes black girls, We is both white. Live how you wanna live man.

[dspikey]

they also performed my lovely horse for father ted, why have only 14thou people watched this video n 10 million have watched justin timberlake fuckin eejits

[kirkwanglers32]

This Group wrote the Father Ted Theme.

[Dem0nJohn]

We should really all know better

[brandybuck1984]

One of my all time favourite TDC songs, way up with Becomming More Like Alfie. Genius.

[MsEuropaDiscoDancer]

this guy is so cool

[uncle007moe]

'Lovers watch their backs,as hacks,in macs take snaps,through telephoto lens , chase mercedes benzs through the night. A mourning nation weeps and wails but keeps the sales of evil tabloids healthy the poor protect the wealthy in this world' Lyrics don't get better than that!!!!

[hansjackle]

nice song i like it. i love it so much

[hoopymusicluva]

I've got to say, this is probably TDC's best music video. Awesome.

[phunkmastergeneral]

This song rocks!

[daveslittlesub]

Just love it! And as a sub its a great song to get flogged to X

[funksoulfever]

its katiepuckrick at the start and midway taking the mick out of girl power, from a show shedid in america

[joelabour2]

just read your comment im now 19 and it was about your age that i started getting into thedivine c. and no 1 at my school had heard of them. however i manged to convince a few teachers and mates! i think the teachers loved the DC!

[kirkwanglers32]

Your talking out your arse

[BexTheFrogPrincess]

i am 13 years old and i totally love tdc and neil hannon, no one at my school had even heard of them which i found pathetic (and gutting) because the are one of the greatest bands on earth EVER!! after me converting all of my friends to listing to their music instead of the boring songs you get nowadays, they are all big fans (not as big as me though) which i found quite an acheivment! so i just have to say thanks to neil, and the rest of the band, for putting a smile on my face everyday!

[AKottan]

He sounds very much like Tot Taylor here - great !

[sporazene]

Another great song that will never be heard by the millions while all radio stations churn out the same old 50 boring songs. this is Divine.

[dannirobot]

Neillll !!!!

[Spikycheng]

the opening female's speech is really funny! "... why should we?.. it's 90s" very very funny!

Very good tune! one of the best divine comedy works.

[pogyatu]

Classic Divine Comedy At Their/His Best!

[fujisol]

Amo a Neil Hannon ...