The Dark of the Matinée

"The Dark of the Matinée" (known as "Matinée" on single versions) is a song by Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand. It was released as the third single from their eponymous debut studio album on 19 April 2004. The song reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart. In Australia, the song was ranked number 50 on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2004.

"The Dark of the Matinée"
Single by Franz Ferdinand
from the album Franz Ferdinand
B-side
  • "Better in Hoboken"
  • "Forty Feet"
  • "Michael" (live)
Released19 April 2004
Recorded2003
StudioGula (Malmö, Sweden)
Genre
Length4:03
LabelDomino
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Tore Johansson
Franz Ferdinand singles chronology
"Take Me Out"
(2004)		 "The Dark of the Matinée"
(2004)		 "Michael"
(2004)

Background

The song is about walking home from Bearsden Academy fantasizing about a better life in the future, telling Terry Wogan about it on UK national television, then being shaken from the fantasy as its own ridiculousness shatters its very existence. The chorus and title started off from a mail conversation with Bob Hardy where he suggested the dark of a matinée performance was a utopian environment.

Music video

The video features the band dressed as schoolboys, dancing in an automatic, almost possessed, fashion and miming along to the main vocal track. It was inspired by Dennis Potter's television play Blue Remembered Hills (1979), which features adults playing children, and the lip-sync device Potter used in his 'serials with songs' Pennies from Heaven (1978) and The Singing Detective (1986).

Another part of the video sees the band dressed in white clothing and standing in front of a large photograph of Terry Wogan (who is namechecked in the song).

The finale of the video also takes several visual cues from the "Dry Bones" sequence in Singing Detective. Kapranos wanted to shoot the video in the corridors of Bearsden Academy and approached the school who, while initially receptive, ultimately rejected the idea, as the idea of schoolboys in their early 30s was too reminiscent of the recent scandal involving Brian MacKinnon.

UK track listings

All lead vocals performed by Alex Kapranos.

CD1

  1. "The Dark Of The Matinée" (Alex Kapranos/Nick McCarthy/Bob Hardy/Paul Thomson)
  2. "Better In Hoboken" (Alex Kapranos/Nick McCarthy/Bob Hardy)
  3. "Forty Feet" (Alex Kapranos/Nick McCarthy)

DVD

  1. "The Dark Of The Matinée" [Promo Video]
  2. "The Dark Of The Matinée" live at KCRW [Video]
  3. Gallery with Cheating On You live audio
  4. Desktop Wallpaper

7"

  1. "The Dark Of The Matinée" (Alex Kapranos/Nick McCarthy/Bob Hardy)
  2. "Michael" (live at KCRW) (Alex Kapranos/Nick McCarthy)

12"

  1. "The Dark Of The Matinée" (Alex Kapranos/Nick McCarthy/Bob Hardy)
  2. "Better In Hoboken" (Alex Kapranos/Nick McCarthy/Bob Hardy)
  3. "Forty Feet" (Alex Kapranos/Nick McCarthy)

Charts

References
  1. "Offiziellecharts.de – Franz Ferdinand – Matinée". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  2. "Dutchcharts.nl – Franz Ferdinand – Matinee" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  3. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Matinée". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  4. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  5. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  6. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  7. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2004" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
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