Wrestlers

Album: Made In The Dark (2008)
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Songfacts®:

  • This R&B influenced track came about after vocalist/keyboardist Alexis Taylor got a text message from LCD Soundsystem supremo James Murphy. Joe Goddard (vocals, synthesiser, percussion) told the Sun newspaper February 1,2008: "Al (fellow Hot Chipper Al Doyle) had been on tour with LCD last year and then Alexis got a text from James, saying, 'Sorry you can't have Al back, I'll wrestle you for him. And I'll beat you because I'm bigger and stronger than you.' And so the words in that song are about wrestling and we have no doubt that James Murphy would kill us all in wrestling."
  • In the same Sun interview Taylor added: "It's very easy for me to focus on the more serious lyrics, like a love song very dear to my heart, but 'Wrestlers' is equally as important and feels like a very different style of music than we have ever got down on record before. It's quite a clear statement - musically and lyrically quite direct. It doesn't have thousands of layers whereas some of ours are quite chaotic, like the song 'Bendable Poseable.'"
  • Some of the music press were surprised at the inclusion of 4 slower, more soulful songs on the album including "Wrestlers." Taylor admitted to the Daily Telegraph: "There does seem something shocking to people about us being influenced by R. Kelly. There is a conservatism where everyone wanted to sound post-punk and now everyone wants to sound like Dusty Springfield." He added, "I just like singing slow songs. There is a lot of artificial sincerity around but I really try to make my voice completely honest."

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