The next two years were spent writing and releasing 2 albums (We Are the People and Little Spaces), and crisscrossing the country. The pressures of life on the road mounted, and after a whiskey-fueled punch up in a Tennessee forest, Beachboard left the band (amicably, it should be noted). Continuing in the tradition of bass players with great last names, Ryan Universe agreed to go on a few tours as a stand-in, ultimately stepping aside for Luke Hunsicker.
The beginning of 2005 marked a pivotal moment for the Princes. Glenn Dicker, head of Yep Roc, heard a copy of Little Spaces in an associate's car stereo and got in touch with the band, ultimately offering them a deal. The album was re-released on Dicker's label, followed by 2006's Less and Less, produced by Al Weatherhead (Lucero, Sparklehorse, Hotel Lights) at Sound of Music in Richmond, VA.
Less and Less garnered the Princes rave reviews, making multiple year end lists, including Magnet, The Onion, and Blogcritics. Over the course of the year, the band's live profile grew, seeing them share the stage with groups including the Roots, the Flaming Lips, Big Star, Lucero, De La Soul, Son Volt, Soul Asylum, Mudhoney, the Hold Steady, and Spoon.
By the end of 2006, Collins had relocated to Brooklyn, reversing the route the band had taken four years earlier. Additionally, Little Rock native Will Boyd joined American Princes as a third guitarist and vocalist. With Collins commuting from the Northeast for month-long songwriting marathons, the five musicians began writing what would become Other People, their latest release.
One night during this period, the band got an e-mail from a hip hop and R&B producer in New York named Chuck Brody (Wu Tang Clan, Beastie Boys, The Northern State). He was interested in recording with a rock group and, like Glenn Dicker years before, had happened upon American Princes' music and felt compelled. Brody offered to record a song for the band gratis to see how the two parties worked together.
Luckily, it was a perfect fit. By summer of 2007, the Princes were holed up at the Fireplace, Brody's Manhattan studio. Over the course of several weeks, the collaboration yielded an incredible collection of songs encompassing a vast spectrum of emotions and sounds. Everyone worked nonstop, sometimes going for days without sleep, pushing themselves to their physical as well as artistic limits. By the final stages, both the band and the producer knew that they had created an album that was leagues beyond anything the Princes had done previously. The end result, Other People, is the band's crowning achievement thus far.
Annie
American Princes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Annie have you started again?
I need a lesson and you give 'em of free
Annie have you started again?
Annie have you started again?
May not have been what I wanted to be
Annie have you started again?
Annie have you started again?
Annie have you started again?
Let's take the city and we'll split it in two
Let's be broken hearted again.
Don't take my number off your phone when we're through
Annie you can call me your friend.
Annie you can call me your friend.
So please believe me when I tell you it's true
Annie I'm so sorry again.
Just don't resent me cause I'm leaving you.
Annie you can start again.
Annie you can start again.
The song "Annie" by American Princes is a catchy indie rock tune that seems to address a rocky relationship between two people named Annie and the singer. The song seems to suggest that Annie has a tendency to hold grudges and be easily offended, as evidenced by the line "Someone's been calling hanging up on me/Annie have you started again?" The singer also admits to forgetting their anniversary, which may have caused a rift in the relationship. However, in spite of this, the singer seems to still care for Annie and wants to be friends with her, even if they decide to split up. The song ends on an optimistic note, encouraging Annie to "start again" and move forward.
Overall, the lyrics of "Annie" seem to reflect the ups and downs of relationships and the sometimes complex emotions that can arise when two people are together. The singer's plea for forgiveness and understanding from Annie is relatable, and the song's catchy melody and upbeat tempo make it an enjoyable listen.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone's been calling hanging up on me
Someone has been calling me and hanging up without speaking.
Annie have you started again?
Annie, are you the one who is calling and hanging up?
I need a lesson and you give 'em of free
I need to learn something, and you are willing to teach me without charge.
May not have been what I wanted to be
I may not have become what I originally desired to be.
Annie have you started again?
Annie, are you the one who is calling and hanging up?
Once I forgot our anniversery
I once forgot our anniversary.
Annie have you started again?
Annie, are you the one who is calling and hanging up?
Let's take the city and we'll split it in two
Let's go out and explore the city, and divide it into two sections.
Let's be broken hearted again.
Let's experience heartbreak once more.
Don't take my number off your phone when we're through
Please don't delete my phone number when we part ways.
Annie you can call me your friend.
Annie, you can consider me your friend.
Annie you can call me your friend.
Annie, you can consider me your friend.
So please believe me when I tell you it's true
Please trust that what I am saying is honest.
Annie I'm so sorry again.
Annie, I am apologizing once again.
Just don't resent me cause I'm leaving you.
Please don't hold a grudge against me because I am leaving you.
Annie you can start again.
Annie, you can begin anew.
Annie you can start again.
Annie, you can begin anew.
Writer(s): Hunsicker Lucas Clayton, Kilgore Raymond Collins, Quin Matthew Stephen, Slade David Finlayson
Contributed by Aubrey A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.