Zammuto and de Jong met through a friend in New York City. Sharing similar interests but different backgrounds in acoustic music and found sound, Zammuto and de Jong took their sonic experiments to the studio. Eventually, with some urging by Tom Steinle of Tomlab Records, they created what would become their debut record, 'Thought for Food', in 2002. Within a year, the Books relocated to Hot Springs, NC, and recorded and released 'The Lemon of Pink'. With a lot of favorable word of mouth and critical buzz from the first two records, the Books relocated again in winter of 2004 and recorded in an old Victorian home in North Adams, MA. With the release of 'Lost and Safe' in April of 2005, the Books prepared to tour with their unique blend of samples and acoustic music. All three Books albums were released on Tomlab Records.
One of the most unique aspects of the band was the video compositions which play during their live performances. Video was synched with the music and provide visuals to coincide with the many found-sounds the band employs. According to the band, much of the video was pulled from home movies and ephemeral films bought from thrift stores. For example, on the track entitled 'A Cold Freezin' Night', the many audio samples were pulled from Tiger Electronics Talkboy tapes also acquired from thrift stores.
In the late 2000s, The Books announced the addition of a third member of the band, who plays violin, guitar, and electronics. In August 2010, their final album entitled 'The Way Out' was released on Temporary Residence. 2012 saw a compilation release 'A Dot in Time.'
In early 2012, Nick Zammuto announced the end of the duo and the beginning of his solo project Zammuto. Subsequently, Paul de Jong released two solo albums.
Tokyo
The Books Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It has been a great pleasure to have you aboard Japan Airlines
We hope you have enjoy the flight
And that we may have another opportunity to serve you in the very near future
Please make sure that you leave nothing behind when you leave plane
Thank you very much, and for now, sayonara
The Books's song Tokyo opens with an announcement of Japan Airlines thanking the passengers for flying with them and hoping they enjoyed their flight. This announcement sets the mood for the whole song as a nostalgic tribute to Tokyo, Japan. The song could be interpreted as a love letter to a city that has not only captured the hearts of many but also inspired the artist with its fast-paced environment and kaleidoscopic culture.
The slow tempo of the song with its scattered sounds is reminiscent of gazing out of an airplane window while leaving a beloved city behind. The Books's use of Japanese traditional music and recordings creates a serene backdrop to the lyrics, which could be seen as a stream of consciousness style poem by the artist. The lyrics express the fleeting moments that the singer spent in Tokyo, the dearly missed sights and sounds of the city, and the yearning to return.
Overall, Tokyo is a beautifully crafted piece that immerses the listener in the emotions of the artist and the magic of the city. The song is not just about Tokyo, but it is about the universal experience of falling in love with a place and preserving it in our memories.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey!
General greeting or call for attention
It has been a great pleasure to have you aboard Japan Airlines
The singer expresses their enjoyment of having the listener on their flight
We hope you have enjoy the flight
Expressing the company's desire for the listener to have enjoyed the flight
And that we may have another opportunity to serve you in the very near future
The company is hoping to serve the listener again soon and maintain their business relationship
Please make sure that you leave nothing behind when you leave plane
A request for the listener to double-check their belongings and ensure they do not forget anything on the flight
Thank you very much, and for now, sayonara
An expression of gratitude towards the listener and a farewell goodbye in Japanese
Contributed by Julian H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.