The Weakerthans
The Weakerthans is a Canadian indie rock/folk band headed by former Propaga… Read Full Bio ↴The Weakerthans is a Canadian indie rock/folk band headed by former Propagandhi member John K. Samson and also comprising guitarist Stephen Carroll, bassist Greg Smith, and drummer Jason Tait. The band last released an album, Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre, in 2010. Since 2015, the band has been on hiatus.

The band's blend of punk-inflected folk rock with literate, witty, introspective lyrics have made them one of the most popular bands on the Canadian music scene.

Hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, The Weakerthans have produced four full albums with a variety of unusual subjects; a couple of songs are sung from the point of view of John's cat Virtute (Ver-tu-tay). The Weakerthans are popular in their home city of Winnipeg; their song "One Great City!" expresses their love/hate relationship with the problems and attitude of Winnipeg. No matter their methods, though, one thing is clear: The Weakerthans are not afraid to venture into lyrical styles uncharted by their contemporaries. On their third album, Reconstruction Site, Samson penned three songs, "(Manifest)", "(Hospital Vespers)", and "(Past Due)", in Shakespearean sonnet form.

One origin story for the band's name, as quoted in the liner notes of Fallow, is a line from the 1992 film The Lover: "Go ahead, I'm weaker than you can possibly imagine." The band's name may also refer to a Ralph Chaplin quote from "Solidarity Forever": "What force on Earth can be weaker than the feeble strength of one?" The band alludes to this line in the song "Pamphleteer" from the album Left and Leaving.

The band last released an album, Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre, in 2010.

Since 2015, the band has been on hiatus.
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The Weakerthans Lyrics


(Hospital Vespers) The doctors played your dosage like a card trick Scrabbled …
(Manifest) I want to call requests through heating vents And hear them…
(Past-Due) February always finds you folding Local papers open to the …
(Past‐Due) February always finds you folding Local papers open to the f…
A New Name for Everything When the bus shelter windows and napkin dispensers surprise …
Anchorless They called here to tell me That you're finally dying Throug…
Aside Measure me in metered lines And one decisive stare The time …
Benediction So you don't get to be a saint Martyrs never last…
Bigfoot I changed the oils and oiled the squeaks Patched the holes…
Civil Twilight My Confusion Corner commuters Are cursing the cold away As D…
Confessions Of A Futon Revolutionist Held like water in you shaking hands Are all the small…
Confessions of a Futon-Revolutionist Held like water in you shaking hands are all the…
Confessions of a Futon‐Revolutionist Held like water in you shaking hands Are all the small…



Diagnosis I have a headache, I have a sore back I have…
Elegy for Elsabet So the fields are stubble, the garden's done Where the scary…
Elegy for Gump Worsley He looked more like our fathers Not a goalie, player, athle…
Everthing Must Go! grass on saturday i need to pay my hearts outstanding bills…
Everything Must Go Garage sale, Saturday I need to pay My heart's outstanding …
Exiles Among You Her body is a difficult sister and she loves her And…
Fallow Wait 'til the day says it's closing And public is put…
Greatest Hits Collection Knock so I'll know you're there, half listening, interpretin…
History Of The Defeated There's blood in the sink and he's plunging his wrists…
Hospital Vespers Doctors play your dosage like a card trick Scrabbled down th…
Hymn of the Medical Oddity Oh, all the words I should not know Those doctors wrote…
Illustrated Bible Stories For Children Morning bright, rise Go over your lines Iron your carefully …
Last Call Let the waitress put the chairs up, Let the glasses that…
Leash Had one of those days when you wanna try heroin Drunk…
Left My city's still breathing, but barely, it's true Through bui…
Letter of Resignation Takes a dried up ball-point, lemon juice and water Keeps a…
Manifest I want to call a request through heating vents, And hear…
Maryland Bridge I woke you up at four this morning To whimper and…
my favorite chords They're tearing up streets again, they're building a new hot…
My Favourite Chords They're tearing up streets again. They're building a new hot…
My Favourite Power Chords They're tearing up streets again. They're building a new hot…
Night Windows In the stick count for the song of knowing you're…
None of the Above An all night restaurant, North Kildonan Luke warm coffee tas…
One Great City Late afternoon, another day is nearly done A darker grey is…
Our Retired Explorer Just one more drink and then I should be on…
Pamphleteer I'm standing on this corner, can't get their attention Facin…
Past Due February always finds you folding Local papers open to the f…
Plea From a Cat Named Virtue Why don't you ever want to play I'm tired of this…
Plea From a Cat Named Virtute Why don't you ever want to play? I'm tired of this…
Psalm For The Elks Lodge Last Let the waitress put the chairs up, Let the glasses that…
Psalm for the Elks Lodge Last Call Let the waitress put the chairs up Let the glasses that…
Reconstruction Site Well, I'm lost, I'm afraid Rope tying down a leaky boat To…
Relative Surplus Value Find the airport, 7am My heart pumping pure mini-bar Sit on …
Reunion Tour Rolling cables slick with beer To hang up on the broken…
Slips and Tangles Neon lights and slinking purple skies Squeeze out soft regre…
Sounds Familiar We emerged from youth all wide-eyed like the rest. …
Sun in an Empty Room Now that the furniture's returning to its goodwill home With…
The Last Last One You always stole all my last words Here's no exception then,…
The Prescience of Dawn The sirens woke me up again I know they're coming for…
The Reasons How I don't know how to sing I can barely play…
This Is a Fire Door Never Leave Open Headlights race towards the corner of the dining room And ha…
Time So you watch the sunrise sinking And she's talking in her…
Time's Arrow So you watch the sunrise sinking and she's talking in…
Tournament of Hearts Now the lounge is full of farmers for the 7:30…
Uncorrected Proofs The mirrors and the unacknowledged nods Dial tones and licen…
Utilities Got this feeling that today doesn't like me Oh the air…
Virtue The Cat Explains Her Departure It had something to do with the rain Leaching loamy dirt A…
Watermark I count to three and grin, you smile and let…
Wellington The night's a spill, a permanent stain; The city soaks in…
Wellington's Wednesday The night's a spill, a permanent stain The city soaks in…
Without Mythologies A soft breeze With the slippery concrete black and full of…


Gryffin


on Virtute the Cat Explains Her Departure

It had something to do with the rain
It was a rainy day when Virtute left

Leaching loamy dirt
The dirt becoming muddy and wet due to the rain.

And the way the back lane came alive
The rain bringing life to the back alley and making it more vibrant.

Half moon whispered go
Personification of the half-moon; Virtute believed it told her to leave

For a while I heard you
The cat heard its owner's footsteps for a brief period.

Missing steps in the street
The owner was upset and confused, stumbling while walking in the street, looking for her.

And your anger pleading
The owner's anger begging for something; perhaps Virtute's return

In an uncertain key
The owner's tone being unsure and lacking confidence.

Singing the sound that you found for me
Virtute's owner is calling out her name in an attempt to find her

When the winter took the tips of my ears
In winter, Virtute lost the tips of her ears to the cold

Found this noisy home
The cat found a new place to live.

Full of pigeons and places to hide
The new place was abundant in pigeons and had many good hiding spots.

And when the voices died
When everything became silent.

I emerged to watch abandoned machines
The cat came out of hiding to look at the machines that had been abandoned.

Waiting for their men
The machines were waiting for someone to come and use them.

To return, I remember the way
The cat remembers how the owner would look for her and she misses him.

I would wait for you
The cat used to wait for her owner to come back.

To arrive with kibble
The owner used to bring kibble for the cat to eat.

And a box full of beer
The owner used to have beer with him when he came back home.

How I'd scratch the empties
The cat remembers how she used to scratch the empty beer cans and bottles for hours to entertain herself.

Desperate to hear
The cat was desperate to hear the familiar sounds of her owner's presence.

You make the sound that you found for me
Virtute longed to hear her owner say her name, to be acknowledged by the person who left her alone for so long.

After scrapping with the ferals and the tabby
After fighting with other cats in the area.

Let you brush my matted fur
Allowed the owner to groom her matted fur.

How I'd knead into your chest while you were sleeping
The cat remembers how she used to knead into her owner's chest while he slept.

Shallow breathing made me purr
The cat would purr while feeling her owner's shallow breathing and being comforted by it.

But I can't remember the sound that you found for me
The cat can no longer remember the name her owner gave her, and it makes her sad and confused.

I can't remember the sound that you found for me
Reinforcing the fact that the cat can no longer remember her name.

I can't remember the sound
The cat can't seem to remember anything about the owner's voice and it vexes her.

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