Their second album 'Derdang Derdang' was recorded in Nashville in the summer of 2005 and produced by Jacquire King; it was later released on April 3, 2006. The album received generally excellent reviews, with UNCUT and Mojo awarding it four stars. The London listing magazine Time Out awarded it five. They performed a showcase at the 2006 South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. In April of 2006 they embarked on a European tour with labelmates Clearlake. The band perform on stage accompanied by an illuminated plastic goose.
In December 2006, Mojo voted Derdang Derdang fifth best album of 2006 in their end of year poll beating such notables as Cat Power and Sonic Youth.
In January 2007, they won the South Bank/Times Breakthrough Award.
The Archie Bronson Outfit played a live gig at the T-Mobile Transmission television event in April 2007.
Dart For My Sweetheart
Archie Bronson Outfit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two only you can remove such an ache so
Three let me see what you've got
what you’re made of, what you’ve got
Four is sore, just a ripped and bloodied claw
Five is a bunching fist that's within me
Six little stitches thread through my heart
Seven shiny reasons are tearing us apart
Eight lose your hate, it's a game so come on
love me it's your fate
Nine cold crimes in the night please forgive me
Ten are the tears that are frozen on your face
Eleven I know, I’m not your favourite man
Twelve I’ll take you like only I can
The lyrics of Dart For My Sweetheart by Archie Bronson Outfit seem to depict a longing, final plea and expression of love from the singer to their sweetheart. However, it is also evident that their relationship is strained and about to come to an end. The lyrics are broken down into 12 numbered lines, with each number possibly standing for a stage or phase in their relationship or the singer's emotional state.
Lines one to six seem to embody the singer's physical pain and heartache. The dart in line one could represent the pain that their sweetheart has caused them, and the wound is only curable by that same person. The singer is asking for them to show their true colors and prove their value. The bunching fist in line five might signify the anger and frustration within the singer, and the stitching through the heart in line six could represent the emotional pain they feel.
Lines seven to twelve explore the reasons for their crumbling relationship. The singer recognizes that there are insurmountable conflicts or misunderstandings ("shiny reasons") tearing their relationship apart. They urged their sweetheart to let go of their hatred and make use of the fleeting opportunity to save what they had between them. They further admit to their cold-heartedness in the past ("cold crimes") and acknowledge that they have caused the tears on their sweetheart's face, but they still want to hold on to them forever.
Overall, the song's lyrics convey a message of lost love, disappointment, and longing for what could have been.
Line by Line Meaning
One is a gun with a dart for my Sweetheart
I have a weapon that I want to use on my lover to cause them pain.
Two only you can remove such an ache so
Only my lover can ease the pain and make me feel better.
Three let me see what you’ve got
I want to test my lover's abilities and see what they can do for me.
Four is sore, just a ripped and bloodied claw
I am injured and in pain, like a bloody claw scratching at me.
Five is a bunching fist that's within me
I am angry and frustrated, and the feeling is like a clenched fist.
Six little stitches thread through my heart
My heart is wounded and it feels like it's being sewn back together.
Seven shiny reasons are tearing us apart
There are many attractive things that are causing problems in our relationship.
Eight lose your hate, it's a game so come on
We should let go of negative emotions and enjoy our relationship like a game.
Nine cold crimes in the night please forgive me
I have committed hurtful actions in the past, and I beg for forgiveness.
Ten are the tears that are frozen on your face
My lover is crying and the tears are so cold they appear frozen on their face.
Eleven I know, I’m not your favourite man
I am aware that my lover has other options and I may not be their first choice.
Twelve I’ll take you like only I can
I will love and care for my lover in a unique and special way that only I can provide.
Contributed by Alexandra K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.