History Music / TheDivineComedy

The first incarnation of the band dates from 1989 when Hannon and two other musicians had released an album called ''Fanfare for the Comic Muse''. The album flopped and the band split up. In 1993 Hannon started over with what is considered the official first Divine Comedy album, ''Liberation''. Though sales were modest in Britain, Hannon's quirky, intellectual and gently self-ironic style earned him a fair bit of success abroad, especially in France. This early fame across the Channel resulted in Hannon working on and off throughout the following years for the French music newsmagazine ''Les Inrockuptibles'', conducting interviews of such singers as [[Music/{{Pulp}} Jarvis Cocker]] and [[Music/{{Bjork}} Björk]].

The Divine Comedy attempted to become more than just Neil Hannon and interchangeable backup musicians with the more mainstream album ''Regeneration'' in 2001, but the experience only convinced Hannon that he could only express his vision by retaining exclusive authorship and control. ''Absent Friends'' was released in 2004, ''Victory for the Comic Muse'' (a wink to the band's first album) in 2007 and ''The Duckworth Lewis Method'' (a cricket-themed collaboration with Pugwash's Thomas Walsh) in 2009. Hannon also provided vocals for the soundtrack releases for the ''Series/DoctorWho'' 2005 and 2006 Christmas special songs "Song for Ten" and "Love Don't Roam", and the soundtrack of the movie adaptation of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy2005''. Hannon also wrote the original songs for ''Film/{{Wonka}}'' in 2023.

** [[{{Pun}} "The Complete Banker"]] is an upbeat tune about the malpractice of the financial sector leading up to the global recession.

* ConceptAlbum: ''Promenade'' as a whole can be interpreted as one about the adventures of a young couple.

** [[IncrediblyLamePun "The Complete Banker"]] is an upbeat tune about the malpractice of the financial sector leading up to the global recession.

The Divine Comedy attempted to become more than just Neil Hannon and interchangeable backup musicians with the more mainstream album ''Regeneration'' in 2001, but the experience only convinced Hannon that he could only express his vision by retaining exclusive authorship and control. ''Absent Friends'' was released in 2004, ''Victory for the Comic Muse'' (a wink to the band's first album) in 2007 and ''The Duckworth Lewis Method'' (a cricket-themed collaboration with Pugwash's Thomas Walsh) in 2009. Hannon also provided vocals for the soundtrack releases for the ''Series/DoctorWho'' 2005 and 2006 Christmas special songs "Song for Ten" and "Love Don't Roam", and the soundtrack of the movie adaptation of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy2005''.

-->''If you believe all that you read''
-->''You'll know the end is nigh''
-->''We're all gonna '''DIE!!!!!'''''

* UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland: "Sunrise"

'''The Divine Comedy provides examples of:'''

* IAmSong: "Gin-Soaked Boy", although it ebds like a riddle.

The Divine Comedy attempted to become more than just Neil Hannon and interchangeable backup musicians with the more mainstream album ''Regeneration'' in 2001, but the experience only convinced Hannon that he could only express his vision by retaining exclusive authorship and control. ''Absent Friends'' was released in 2004, ''Victory for the Comic Muse'' (a wink to the band's first album) in 2007 and ''The Duckworth Lewis Method'' (a cricket-themed collaboration with Pugwash's Thomas Walsh) in 2009. Hannon also provided vocals for the soundtrack releases for the ''Series/DoctorWho'' 2005 and 2006 Christmas special songs "Song for Ten" and "Love Don't Roam", and the soundtrack of the movie adaptation of ''Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''.

* YouCanPanicNow: Pretty much the entire point of "Here Comes The Flood"[[note]] No relation to the Music/PeterGabriel song[[/note]], which is basically a laundry list of potential [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt doomsday scenarios]] with the not-so-subtle implication that the media has overhyped them to the point where many people believe the collapse of society is pretty much imminent and inevitable.
-->''If you believe all that you read''
-->''You'll know the end is nigh''
-->''We're all gonna '''DIE!!!!!'''''

[[LiteraryAllusionTitle The Divine Comedy]] is a British {{baroque pop}} band fronted by Neil Hannon.

* TraumaCongaLine: The last verse of "A Lady of a Certain Age" is one for the titular english Lady. Formerly a rich it-girl who could be found at Creator/NoelCoward's parties, she is left penniless after her husband dies and leaves his villa to his mistress. To add insult to injury, her children don't visit her anymore, and even whe she goes to a bar to escape her little flat, men there don't believe her when she lies about her age.

* ReligiousRantSong: In "Don't Look Down", the main character proclaims to be an athiest at a top of a ferris wheel, no less.

* TeenageDeathSong: "Your Daddy's Car" is about a couple who go on a drunken joyride and end up crashing the vehicle into a tree.