Snaith grew up in Dundas, Ontario, Canada, which gave its name to a song from his debut album Start Breaking My Heart. He studied at the University of Toronto as an undergrad, but was based in the UK for several years until he completed his Ph.D. in mathematics at the Imperial College, London in 2005.
Snaith previously recorded under the stage name "Manitoba", but changed it under threat of a lawsuit by Handsome "Dick" Manitoba, frontman for The Dictators, a punk-rocker with an appetite for litigation. Uninterested in the legal stoush, Snaith is quoted saying that he chose the new moniker "Caribou" while on an LSD trip with friends in the Canadian wilderness. He then climbed a tree and didn't come down until he finished his first album under the new moniker, which was four months later.
He has recorded five full lengths: Start Breaking My Heart, a jazzy, "folktronica" IDM album, Up in Flames, the critically acclaimed shoegazer with analog synths and sometimes live, sometimes sampled drums, The Milk of Human Kindness, his krautrock-inspired album that bleeds 70's prog and 70's drugscapes, the psychedelic pop record, Andorra which landed him the prestigious 2008 Polaris Music Prize on September 29th, 2008 and Swim a disco / dance inspired album created from the idea of making dance music that sounds like being under water. A few years prior to the recording of the album, Snaith's wife gave him swimming lessons as a Christmas present, prompting him to take it up as a new hobby. This partially led to the eventual ideology behind Swim.
His eclectic live performances are renowned, in part for their use of simultaneous drummers and synchronised visuals. The live band currently consists of Dan Snaith (guitar, keyboards, vocals, drums, flutophone), Ryan Smith (guitar, keyboards), Brad Weber (drums) and John Schmersal (bass, vocals).
Odessa
Caribou Lyrics
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Before she knows it, all I ask before she goes home
She's tired of cryin' and sick of his lies
She's suffered him for far too many years of her life
Feeling low, and scared that he'll say
Does he know how over time you drove her away?
Saving up for the day when she goes
The day when she stands up
For everything that she chose
She can say, she can say, she can say
She can say, she can say, she can say
Who knows what she's gonna say?
She can say, she can say, she can say
She can say, she can say, she can say
Who knows what she's gonna say?
She can say, she can say, she can say
She can say, she can say, she can say
Who knows what she's gonna say?
She can say, she can say, she can say
She can say, she can say, she can say
Who knows what she's gonna say?
She can say
Saving up for the day when she goes
The day when she stands up
For everything that she chose
Takin' the kids, drivin' away
Turn around the life she let him siphon away
And I've been with you for all of these years
Tell you what I've got to show for all of my tears
The times you hurt me and treated me wrong
Something had to give to stop this thing from going on
She can say, she can say, she can say
She can say, she can say, she can say
Who knows what she's gonna say?
She can say, she can say, she can say
She can say, she can say, she can say
Who knows what she's gonna say?
She can say
She can say, she can say, she can say
She can say, she can say
Who knows what she's gonna say?
She can say, she can say, she can say
She can say, she can say, she can say
Who knows what she's gonna say?
She can say, she can say, she can say
She can say, she can say, she can say
Who knows what she's gonna say?
She can say, she can say, she can say
She can say, she can say, she can say
Who knows what she's gonna say?
She can say
She's tired of crying, and sick of his lies
She's suffered him for far too many years of her life
And feeling low, and scared that he'll say
Does he know how over time he drove her away?
Caribou's "Odessa" is a song about a woman who has had enough of her partner's lies and mistreatment. She is now at a point where she is saving up and preparing to leave, but she is also scared of what might happen when she does. The song highlights her thoughts, doubts, and aspirations as she looks forward to the day when she can stand up for herself and leave behind a life that has been draining her. She feels tired, drained, and low, and she worries that her partner will try to stop her from leaving, but she is ready to take the kids and turn her life around.
The repeated phrase "she can say" emphasizes the woman's agency and power. She now has the power to speak up and make decisions that will change her life, and nobody can stop her. The song suggests that the woman has taken a long time to get to this point of realization and empowerment, but she is now ready to move forward and take control of her life. The song also touches on the regrets and hardships that the singer has faced in his own life, suggesting that he empathizes with the woman and her struggles.
Overall, "Odessa" is an empowering song about taking control of one's life and leaving behind toxic relationships. It speaks to anyone who has felt trapped or powerless and encourages them to find their own voice and take charge of their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Taking it slow, saving up she
She's taking her time and putting money away before she leaves him.
Before she knows it, all I ask before she goes home
Before she goes home, what I want from her is to stand up for herself.
She's tired of cryin' and sick of his lies
She's exhausted from crying and can't stand his dishonesty anymore.
She's suffered him for far too many years of her life
She's been with him for way too long and it's taken a toll on her.
Feeling low, and scared that he'll say
She's feeling down and afraid of his reaction when she leaves.
Does he know how over time you drove her away?
Does he realize that he's been the cause of her leaving over time?
Saving up for the day when she goes
She's saving up for the day she finally leaves him.
The day when she stands up
The day she musters up the courage to stand up for herself.
For everything that she chose
For all the choices she's made in her life.
Takin' the kids, drivin' away
She's taking the kids and driving away from him.
Turn around the life she let him siphon away
Starting a new life and not letting him drain her anymore.
And I've been with you for all of these years
I've been with you for all these years, through the good and bad.
Tell you what I've got to show for all of my tears
I'm telling you what I have to show for all the tears I've cried.
The times you hurt me and treated me wrong
The times you hurt and mistreated me.
Something had to give to stop this thing from going on
We had to make a change to stop this toxic cycle.
She can say
She has a voice and can speak up.
Who knows what she's gonna say?
We don't know what she's going to say, but we hope it's powerful and liberating.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Daniel Snaith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind