The band started life as a side project for singer Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie and producer Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel, Headset and Figurine. The group formed, in 2001, after Gibbard contributed vocals for a song on Dntel's album Life Is Full Of Possibilities called (This Is) The Dream Of Evan And Chan.
The band released their debut album Give Up on 18 February 2003 on the Sub Pop label. The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and is the second best-selling record in the history of Sub Pop Records after Bleach by Nirvana.
Several songs on this album feature guest vocals from Jenny Lewis, the lead singer of Rilo Kiley, a band which was once on the same label as Death Cab (Barsuk Records) and vocals from Jen Wood, an indie rock solo artist. Chris Walla recorded some of the songs and played the piano on Nothing Better. Lewis' membership in the band was unclear during the "Give Up"-era, although she appeared with Tamberello and Gibbard in the music video for "We Will Become Silhouettes". By the time of their 2013 reunion, Lewis had become a permanent third member of the group.
The group's name comes from the manner in which their songs were written, due to the fact that the two of them lived too far away to be able to work together in person. Tamborello would create beats and mail them to singer and lyricist Gibbard, who would then edit them and put his melodies over the tracks and mail them back. Gibbard didn't write any of the lyrics until the tracks were completely finished.
In August 2003, the United States Postal Service sent the band a cease and desist letter, citing its trademark on the phrase "postal service". After negotiations, the USPS relented, allowing the band use of the trademark in exchange for promotional efforts on behalf of the USPS and a performance at its annual National Executive Conference. Additionally, at one point the USPS website sold the band's CDs. In 2007, "Such Great Heights" appeared in the background of the "Whiteboard" advertising campaign for one of the federal establishment's private competitors, the United Parcel Service.
The album's most notable single was Such Great Heights that has been featured in various television commercials, series, and movie trailers also remixed by John Tejada.
The Postal Service contributed a cover of Against All Odds to the soundtrack to the 2004 motion picture Wicker Park, and the band has worked on several remixes of other artists, including Do You Realize?? (Postal Service remix) (from Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots) and Little Girl Blue (Postal Service remix) (from Verve Remixed 3) and Mushaboom (Postal Service remix). Gibbard doesn't sing on these remixes (except for Feist's Mushaboom), and it is likely that he granted Jimmy Tamborello permission to work alone under the name The Postal Service.
Second album
On June 22, 2007, it was revealed that The Postal Service had begun work on a new album, though the specifics of the release date were ambiguous. Gibbard stated, "We're slowly starting. We're crawling right now, and whether that crawl turns into a walk remains to be seen. But we'll know more towards the end of the year. I've just been touring so much and trying to find time to make it happen and make our schedules line up." Tamborello added, "We're talking about wanting to finish an album by sometime next year, because we have to work with Death Cab's schedule and stuff. I definitely want to do another one."
On February 29, 2008, Spinner released an article stating that The Postal Service may not release a new album. Ben Gibbard stated, "Jimmy and I are still throwing ideas back and forth, but as time goes on, we find ourselves busy with our own music. ... We have some stuff, but it's been difficult to find the time and the drive to do the record. I'd love to finish it at some point and maybe even do some performances. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be."
In a December 2008 interview with Rolling Stone, Gibbard laughed off suggestions that The Postal Service's long overdue follow-up to their 2003 hit Give Up is an indie version of Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy. Gibbard said that both he and Tamborello do not see it as a priority in light of their main projects, Death Cab for Cutie and Dntel. He said, "The anticipation of the second record has been a far bigger deal for everybody except the two of us... I don't know about it being the indie-rock Chinese Democracy, but now that Chinese Democracy has come out, I guess it just becomes the second Postal Service record that will never come out. There never really was a plan to do a second album. We work from time to time together but we have other things that take up all of our time."
2013 Reunion
As of November 2012, Ben Gibbard posted on his Twitter account that there are "no plans" to produce another Postal Service record. He did not cite any specific reason for this statement, other than the fact that multiple fans questioned if there was going to be a second album.
In January 2013 Postal Service updated their website to read "The Postal Service 2013," reigniting speculation that the band would play shows, or possibly release a new album. It was later confirmed that the image on the band's site portended that the band's debut, Give Up, would receive a ten year anniversary re-issue featuring a 15-song disc of rarities, including two new songs with Jenny Lewis.
In February 2013, The Postal Service announced it would officially reunite for twelve tour dates including the 2013 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April, the Primavera Sound Festival 2013 in Barcelona, Sasquatch! Festival in Washington, and Lollapalooza 2013 in Chicago. The band played a Lollapalooza aftershow on August 4, 2013 to 1,200 people at Wrigleyville's Metro, in which Ben Gibbard prefaced the night's second rendition of "Such Great Heights" by saying "not only is this the last song of the tour, this is the last show we will ever do." At the song's conclusion, Gibbard stated that "The Postal Service is closed."
In 2023, the band reunited once again to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of "Give Up" in a co-headlining tour with Death Cab for Cutie for the 20th Anniversary of "Transatlanticism."
Against All Odds
The Postal Service Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just let you leave without a trace?
When I stand here taking every breath with you, ooh ooh
You're the only one who really knew me at all
How can you just walk away from me
When all I can do is watch you leave?
'Cause we've shared the laughter and the pain
And even shared the tears
You're the only one who really knew me at all
So take a look at me now
Well there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Take a look at me now
Well there's just an empty space
And you coming back to me is against the odds
And that's what I've got to face, oh
I wish I could just make you turn around
Turn around and see me cry
There's so much I need to say to you
So many reasons why
You're the only one who really knew me at all
So take a look at me now
Well there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Take a look at me now
Well there's just an empty space
But to wait for you is all I can do
And that's what I've got to face
Take a good look at me now
'Cause I'll still be standing here
And you coming back to me is against the odds
And it's what I've got to face
Take a look at me now
The Postal Service's cover of Phil Collins' "Against All Odds" is a song about heartbreak, loss, and longing. The lyrics express the pain of watching someone you love walk away, even though you know that they are the only one who really knows you. The singer is torn between wanting to hold onto the past and the memories they shared with their lover, and facing the reality that they may never come back.
The lyrics are full of contradictions, as the singer both pleads with their lover to stay and acknowledges that they may never return. The repeated line, "Take a look at me now," is a plea for their lover to see the emptiness they now feel without them. The singer is left alone with nothing but memories of their lover's face, and the hope that someday they may return.
The Postal Service's version of this classic song adds layers of electronic soundscapes and gentle beats, creating a dreamy and wistful atmosphere that perfectly captures the emotions expressed in the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
How can I just let you walk away,
I am deeply troubled by the thought of you leaving me, and I cannot seem to accept it.
Just let you leave without a trace?
I cannot imagine you leaving my life without leaving any memory of you behind.
When I stand here taking every breath with you, ooh ooh
I feel like I am breathing in sync with you, and every moment spent with you is precious.
You're the only one who really knew me at all
You are the only one who understands me completely, and losing you would mean losing a part of myself.
How can you just walk away from me
I cannot fathom the idea of you leaving me behind and walking away from our relationship.
When all I can do is watch you leave?
I feel helpless, as I have no control over your decision to walk away from me.
'Cause we've shared the laughter and the pain
We have experienced a lot together, including happy and sad moments, which makes your departure even harder to bear.
And even shared the tears
We have been vulnerable with each other and have cried together in difficult times, which makes our bond stronger.
So take a look at me now
I am urging you to see how deeply you have affected me, and how much I need you in my life.
Well there's just an empty space
Without you, my life seems hollow and incomplete.
And there's nothing left here to remind me
There is no memory of you here that can comfort me in your absence.
Just the memory of your face
The only thing I have left is the image of your face, which I hold onto tightly.
And you coming back to me is against the odds
I know that it is highly unlikely that you will return to me, but I still hope for it nonetheless.
And that's what I've got to face, oh
I have to accept the reality of the situation, even if it is painful to do so.
I wish I could just make you turn around
I desperately want you to change your mind and come back to me.
Turn around and see me cry
I want you to witness how much you mean to me and how much it hurts me to see you leave.
There's so much I need to say to you
There are a lot of things I want to express to you before you leave, but I don't know how.
So many reasons why
There are numerous reasons why I want you to stay, and I wish I could make you see them as well.
But to wait for you is all I can do
All I can do now is to wait and hope that you will come back to me one day.
And you coming back to me is against the odds
I am aware that the probability of you returning to me is very low, but I still cling onto the hope of it happening.
And it's what I've got to face
I have to come to terms with the harsh reality that you may never return to me, but I will keep hoping against all odds.
Take a look at me now
I am asking you to take a good look at me and see how much I need you in my life.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Phillip David Charles Collins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind