I had absolutely no idea what this song was until Guy clarified (at the Glastonbury concert last year, I think) that it's all about rigging a horse race. So, for those who were as lost as me, as many of these confusing lovely terms clarfied as I can, thanks to a dictionary and Wikipedia:
"The fix is in" - they've fixed the horse race! Epsom Downs is a racecourse near London. Postally means angrily... pipped means drunk, I think, which doesn't make much sense, but the short of it is that they're bleedin' annoyed. They've made the saddles on the other horses heavier, and mickeys (or Mickey Finns) are drinks they've slipped the other jockeys to get them drunk.
"The redoubtable beast has had pegasus pills" - I'm reasonably sure they've given their horse steroids. Vino di Vici is wine, of course. :)
"Pigeons have finally landed" sounds like it should be a saying, but I draw a blank. The Donahue Sisters is a play. But they may be actual sisters. A penguin is a tuxedo, so they'll be rich and classy. I want to see Guy Garvey in a tuxedo now.
Good work moonflash. The only thing I can add is that I think 'postally pipped' is possibly a reference to the phrase 'pipped at the post' which means to lose something narrowly, particularly in horse racing. So in other words they're saying they've missed out too many times so now they're going to make sure they win.
Good work moonflash. The only thing I can add is that I think 'postally pipped' is possibly a reference to the phrase 'pipped at the post' which means to lose something narrowly, particularly in horse racing. So in other words they're saying they've missed out too many times so now they're going to make sure they win.
In the UK, if you've been 'pipped at the post', it means you've been beaten right at the end of the race. So, postally pipped means they've been beaten too many times right at the line.
In the UK, if you've been 'pipped at the post', it means you've been beaten right at the end of the race. So, postally pipped means they've been beaten too many times right at the line.
Also, if your pigeons (or any birds) have come home to roost, then it means either that secrets you had long forgotten have come back to haunt you or you've finally got your reward for something, probably the latter in this context.
Also, if your pigeons (or any birds) have come home to roost, then it means either that secrets you had long forgotten have come back to haunt you or you've finally got your reward for something, probably the latter in this context.
I just wanted to add that Vino di Vici not just wine is, but the wine of victory (like in Caesar's popular quote "veni vidi vici" - I came, I saw, I conquered).
I just wanted to add that Vino di Vici not just wine is, but the wine of victory (like in Caesar's popular quote "veni vidi vici" - I came, I saw, I conquered).
@moonflash Just to clarify a few things. "Pipped" means basically "just beaten", meaning that at the post they were just beaten and they lost their bets, not that they were drunk or annoyed. "The mickeys are slipped"; slipping a mickey in a drink is an old school way of saying that you've drugged a drink. So it probably means they've drugged either the other horses or someone involved in the race.
@moonflash Just to clarify a few things. "Pipped" means basically "just beaten", meaning that at the post they were just beaten and they lost their bets, not that they were drunk or annoyed. "The mickeys are slipped"; slipping a mickey in a drink is an old school way of saying that you've drugged a drink. So it probably means they've drugged either the other horses or someone involved in the race.
@moonflash I think, from memory, that racing saddles have pouches for weights, used in Handicap Racing, so that weight can be added or removed to evenly match up the horse and rider pairs. Presumably, in a non-handicap race, one can surrupticiously "load the saddles" of your rivals.
I've certainly seen riders being weighed while holding their saddles, much like F1 drivers get weighed at the end of a race.
@moonflash I think, from memory, that racing saddles have pouches for weights, used in Handicap Racing, so that weight can be added or removed to evenly match up the horse and rider pairs. Presumably, in a non-handicap race, one can surrupticiously "load the saddles" of your rivals.
I've certainly seen riders being weighed while holding their saddles, much like F1 drivers get weighed at the end of a race.
I had absolutely no idea what this song was until Guy clarified (at the Glastonbury concert last year, I think) that it's all about rigging a horse race. So, for those who were as lost as me, as many of these confusing lovely terms clarfied as I can, thanks to a dictionary and Wikipedia:
"The fix is in" - they've fixed the horse race! Epsom Downs is a racecourse near London. Postally means angrily... pipped means drunk, I think, which doesn't make much sense, but the short of it is that they're bleedin' annoyed. They've made the saddles on the other horses heavier, and mickeys (or Mickey Finns) are drinks they've slipped the other jockeys to get them drunk. "The redoubtable beast has had pegasus pills" - I'm reasonably sure they've given their horse steroids. Vino di Vici is wine, of course. :) "Pigeons have finally landed" sounds like it should be a saying, but I draw a blank. The Donahue Sisters is a play. But they may be actual sisters. A penguin is a tuxedo, so they'll be rich and classy. I want to see Guy Garvey in a tuxedo now.
Good work moonflash. The only thing I can add is that I think 'postally pipped' is possibly a reference to the phrase 'pipped at the post' which means to lose something narrowly, particularly in horse racing. So in other words they're saying they've missed out too many times so now they're going to make sure they win.
Good work moonflash. The only thing I can add is that I think 'postally pipped' is possibly a reference to the phrase 'pipped at the post' which means to lose something narrowly, particularly in horse racing. So in other words they're saying they've missed out too many times so now they're going to make sure they win.
In the UK, if you've been 'pipped at the post', it means you've been beaten right at the end of the race. So, postally pipped means they've been beaten too many times right at the line.
In the UK, if you've been 'pipped at the post', it means you've been beaten right at the end of the race. So, postally pipped means they've been beaten too many times right at the line.
Also, if your pigeons (or any birds) have come home to roost, then it means either that secrets you had long forgotten have come back to haunt you or you've finally got your reward for something, probably the latter in this context.
Also, if your pigeons (or any birds) have come home to roost, then it means either that secrets you had long forgotten have come back to haunt you or you've finally got your reward for something, probably the latter in this context.
Thanks moonflash, nicely done.
Thanks moonflash, nicely done.
I just wanted to add that Vino di Vici not just wine is, but the wine of victory (like in Caesar's popular quote "veni vidi vici" - I came, I saw, I conquered).
I just wanted to add that Vino di Vici not just wine is, but the wine of victory (like in Caesar's popular quote "veni vidi vici" - I came, I saw, I conquered).
Thanks Keredwh - 'pigeons have come home to roost' is also a nod to a northerner's love of racing pigeons
Thanks Keredwh - 'pigeons have come home to roost' is also a nod to a northerner's love of racing pigeons
@moonflash Just to clarify a few things. "Pipped" means basically "just beaten", meaning that at the post they were just beaten and they lost their bets, not that they were drunk or annoyed. "The mickeys are slipped"; slipping a mickey in a drink is an old school way of saying that you've drugged a drink. So it probably means they've drugged either the other horses or someone involved in the race.
@moonflash Just to clarify a few things. "Pipped" means basically "just beaten", meaning that at the post they were just beaten and they lost their bets, not that they were drunk or annoyed. "The mickeys are slipped"; slipping a mickey in a drink is an old school way of saying that you've drugged a drink. So it probably means they've drugged either the other horses or someone involved in the race.
@moonflash I think, from memory, that racing saddles have pouches for weights, used in Handicap Racing, so that weight can be added or removed to evenly match up the horse and rider pairs. Presumably, in a non-handicap race, one can surrupticiously "load the saddles" of your rivals. I've certainly seen riders being weighed while holding their saddles, much like F1 drivers get weighed at the end of a race.
@moonflash I think, from memory, that racing saddles have pouches for weights, used in Handicap Racing, so that weight can be added or removed to evenly match up the horse and rider pairs. Presumably, in a non-handicap race, one can surrupticiously "load the saddles" of your rivals. I've certainly seen riders being weighed while holding their saddles, much like F1 drivers get weighed at the end of a race.