FEATURE:
Too Good to Be Forgotten: Songs That Are Much More Than a Guilty Pleasure
The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger
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IN this current part of my feature…
that highlights songs that are seen as guilty pleasures, I am investigating The Fratellis’ 2006 hit, Chelsea Dagger. My aim is to show that there is no such thing as a guilty pleasure song. A lot of tracks that are seen as such are a lot stronger than many give it credit for. On 28th August, 2006, the Glasgow band unleashed a huge tune. I am including this song, not only because it turns fifteen later in the year; the band released their album, Half Drunk Under a Full Moon, on 2nd April. Whilst some see The Fratellis as a bit of an average band, I think that they are pretty decent. Their debut album, Costello Music, has some great tracks on it. Whilst Chelsea Dagger is not my favourite off that album – that honour goes to Creepin Up The Backstairs -, it is a song that has got some stick through the years – some see it is boozy and a crowd track that is a bit basic and stupid. As Wikipedia outline, Chelsea Dagger has been celebrated and ranked high in critical lists:
“This song was number 77 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007. "Chelsea Dagger" has become notable for its usage in sports. It has also been featured in adverts for Amstel Light and KitKat, the films Run Fatboy Run and Pitch Perfect, a TV spot for Open Season, an episode of The Inbetweeners, as well as the video games Burnout Dominator and Guitar Hero: On Tour Modern Hits. The song peaked at number 2 on the Scottish Singles Chart and number 5 on the UK Singles Chart and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry in 2018”.
I am going to bring in a recent feature from The Guardian, where Jon Fratelli (songwriter, vocals, guitar) and Tony Hoffer (producer) talked about making the song. It is has quite an interesting backstory:
“Jon Fratelli, songwriter, vocals, guitar
From the age of 16 onwards, I spent my time either lying in bed or on the sofa, with the TV on and a guitar in my hands. For some reason, to write songs, those elements just always had to be present. And out of that would come these little ideas. Chelsea Dagger was one.
I was living in a quiet village outside Glasgow. I didn’t know anybody. I hadn’t travelled. I hadn’t really lived. So with that song, I was trying to create this alternative reality – a slightly dodgy underworld I’d never been to, filled with characters I’d never met. Burlesque dancers. Gangsters. Cradle-snatchers. The song has the atmosphere of a sinister old speakeasy.
I wrote it after meeting my girlfriend, who became my wife. At the time, she was building up to her first burlesque performance at Club Noir in Glasgow, which was the world’s biggest burlesque club night. I had no idea what “burlesque” meant. I’ll be honest: at first, it sounded to me like stripping, but I was told in no uncertain terms it was completely different. She’d chosen Chelsea Dagger as her stage name – as a play on Britney Spears – and something told me I could get a song out of that. But I don’t really see her as Miss Dagger, the burlesque dancer in the song. My wife is more wholesome.
PHOTO CREDIT: Sony BMG Entertainment
We went to Los Angeles to record. I wasn’t mad keen on going down the road of the chant vocals. I really wanted to have a New Orleans big band playing. But Tony Hoffer, our producer, had us doing multiple vocal takes from all around the studio. At one point, I seem to remember standing on top of a £60,000 Steinway grand piano.
We didn’t think we’d made a hit. Most musicians are so hard on themselves that they never write something then punch the air. It was nice when Celtic started playing Chelsea Dagger at matches, but I think it got overused at sporting events. There was a period where every third team was using it and it’s hard for any song to keep up. I understand why some journalists formed the opinion that Chelsea Dagger was music for football hooligans, but I would never give any credence to that.
I wasn’t eased into success. It was a headfuck. Of course, there’s a downside to having a song like Chelsea Dagger, but it feels perverse to talk about it, because it’s made my life so much more pleasant. I doubt Rod Stewart wants to be playing Maggie May every night. I’m not even sure if Springsteen wants to play Born to Run. I’m exactly the same. But that’s the deal you make, and you have to do it in good faith. If you do it begrudgingly, people smell that a mile off.
Chelsea Dagger is a song for a crowd. When we play it, we fade into the background and it becomes theirs. That never gets dull”.
I have seen a lot of quite decent songs have to defend themselves. I do not think that one can see any song as a guilty pleasure. Everything is worthy and valuable. If you have been a bit reticent to embrace the howls and chants of Chelsea Dagger then I would encourage you to revisit. It is a powerful song where one cannot help but sing along to the chorus! Maybe it is not the most sophisticated or deep song, but it has a charm and a catchiness that is hard to refute. Rather than see it as a guilty pleasure and a track that should be given a wide berth, check out Costello Music’s second single. I remember when that album came out. It is hard to believe that it is almost fifteen years old! The album is actually pretty strong. It got some positive reviews, though I think it is underrated and warrants a fresh listen. I can appreciate that some feel Chelsea Dagger has been overplayed or has not dated that well. I would disagree. It is a fine song that one should surrender to. You can release energy and tension singing along to it! After years of the song being played and sung along to, Chelsea Dagger remains…
A magnificent racket.