The Boy with the Arab Strap: Why This Belle And Sebastian Album Title is Actually REALLY Funny

This has to be one of the funnier stories in indie rock history, and it all centers around one of the more pleasant indie pop bands out there: Belle And Sebastian. After the success of their first two albums in 1996, the Scottish band ventured to London with Arab Strap. During this trip, frontman Stuart Murdoch penned a song about the experience, naming it and their third album The Boy with the Arab Strap. This is the story of how it came to be and what it actually means.

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CHAPTERS:
0:00 You’ll Never Look At This Indie Pop Album the Same Way Again
0:41 The Most Fitting Origin Story in History
1:53 If You’re Feeling Sinister (Hype And Delays)
3:39 The Boy with the Arab Strap
6:04 Arab Strap Wasn’t Amused (Plus a Look at Their Lyrics)
8:27 Belle And Sebastian’s Sense of Humor

CLIPS & REFERENCES:
Belle & Sebastian “The Boy With the Arab Strap” (NME Song Stories): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Veqf8cUsSF8
Belle et Sébastien 1965 French TV Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc_09iQ4l5k
High Fidelity Belle And Sebastian Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlLu48Ql4fw
High Fidelity Reorganization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2msCS8dvSok

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Written by Poetic Wax