Belle & Sebastian – The Boy With The Arab Strap

Sebastian met Isabelle outside the Hillhead Underground station in Glasgow. Belle bothered Sebastian, but it was lucky for him that she did. She was very nice and funny and sang very sweetly. Sebastian, however, was not to know this. Sebastian was melancholy.

He had placed an ad in the local supermarket. He was looking for musicians. Belle saw him doing it. She asked him to teach her how to play the guitar. Sebastian doubted he could teach her, but he admired her energy, so he said "yes."

It was strange, Sebastian had just decided to become a one-man band. It's always when you least expect it that something happens. Sebastian had befriended a fox because he didn't expect to have new friends anytime soon. He still loved the fox, even though he had a new distraction. Suddenly, he was writing a lot of songs. Sebastian wrote all of his best songs in 1995. In fact, most of his best songs have the words 'Nineteen Ninety-five' in them. That worried him a little bit. What will happen in 1996?

They worked on the songs at Belle's house. Belle lived with her parents, and they were rich enough to own a piano. It was in a separate room at the back of the house, overlooking the garden. Here Belle taught Sebastian how to apply mascara. If Belle's mother had known, she would not have been happy. She paid for the guitar lessons. The lessons gave Sebastian's life some structure. He went to the barber to get his hair cut.

Belle and Sebastian don't make out. Sometimes they hold hands, but that's just a sign of public solidarity. Sebastian thinks Belle is 'kicking with the other foot'. Sebastian is wrong, but Sebastian can never see further than the next tragic ballad. Lucky for him, Belle has popular taste in music. She is the cheese to his pickle.

Belle and Sebastian don't care much about material goods. But neither Belle nor Sebastian ever had to worry about where their next meal was coming from. Belle's latest song is called Rag Day. Sebastian's song is called The Fox In The Snow. They once stayed at their favorite coffee shop for three days to recruit a band. Have you ever seen The Magnificent 7? That was kind of like it, only more boring. They put on a lot of weight and made an enemy of a couple of waitresses.

Belle is a senior in college. She didn't listen the first time. Sebastian is older than he looks. He's also weirder than he looks. But he has a good heart. And he cares for Belle, even though she doesn't need it. If he didn't play music, he'd be a bus driver or unemployed. Probably unemployed. Belle could do anything. Good looks always open doors for a girl.