BELLE AND SEBASTIAN Release New Single ‘It Only Takes One Lion’
Belle & Sebastian dial up World Cup fever with It Only Takes One Lion, their bid for Scotland’s tournament anthem. Written following Scotland’s 4-2 qualifying win against Denmark and premiered at London’s Royal Albert Hall as part of the band’s triumphant anniversary world tour for their classic first two albums Tigermilk and If You’re Feeling Sinister, It Only Takes One Lion moves from hopeful hymn to uptempo, string-laden disco pop, capturing the giddy expectancy of the games with the band’s signature wit and flair. The song was produced by and co-written with Pete Ferguson.
Speaking of the song, Murdoch said, “It’s a personal song about following the travails of Scotland’s national team for the last 50 years and it came out naturally the day after the game against Denmark. The song tries to encompass the experience of the whole country following Scotland.”
Belle and Sebastian continue their worldwide tour celebrating 30 years of Tigermilk and If You’re Feeling Sinister this spring and summer, performing the iconic albums in full during a series of two-night stands at classic venues across Europe, North America, Mexico, Australia, Singapore and Japan. A full live itinerary is below.
Of the UK leg of the tour, The Times said, “a jubilant, five-star 30th birthday gig (…) this enchanting band have somehow cast their spell over a new generation”. The Guardian wrote, “Stuart Murdoch and co wittily reanimate their world of aesthetes and misfits”.
Stuart Murdoch released his debut novel, Nobody’s Empire, in 2024, which the Guardian praised as, “Radiantly written”. In 2023, Belle and Sebastian released Late Developers, the second of two back-to-back albums following 2022’s A Bit of Previous. It is a full-hearted embrace of the band’s brightest tendencies that is not only fresh and immediate, but possessing that B&S je ne sais quoi. Like If You’re Feeling Sinister, this is a near-simultaneous follow-up that’s somehow even better than its acclaimed predecessor,” wrote Pitchfork.
Stream / Download It Only Takes One Lion: https://belleandsebastian.mat-r.co/onelion
Belle & Sebastian Australian Tour Dates
Sep 12 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
Sep 13 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW
Sep 15 – The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, QLD
Sep 17 – The Astor Theatre, Perth, WA
Sep 18 – The Astor Theatre, Perth, WA
Tickets via belleandsebastian.com/tours