The band began in the bedroom of Justin Kennedy who, in his early days, played with Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) in the Seattle band Pinwheel. Having relocated to Los Angeles after Pinwheel broke up, Kennedy began focusing on his new project and started assembling members for Army Navy. Multi-instrumentalist Louie Schultz joined swiftly after hearing Kennedy’s home demos. Without a permanent sticks man at the time of recording the first album, Army Navy’s album boasted drumming by the legendary Pete Thomas of Elvis Costello and The Attractions, who had been a longtime fan of the band. Army Navy soon found their permanent drummer Douglas Randall.
Army Navy released their first (Lasus produced) album on their own Fever Zone Label in 2008. CMJ called it “..some of the brightest pop released this year”. The quartet’s first single “My Thin Sides” was paired with a video featuring Paul Scheer of Human Giant. The second single “Saints” which Blender Magazine called “a lovely indie-rock swoon” was the Single Of the Week on iTunes Australia and was released on the UK’s Fierce Panda’s Club Fandango Label. Stateside, it gained radio rotation on tastemaker stations like KEXP and KNRK and satellite radio’s indie-leaning XMU station.
The band featured on Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. They also featured in the Shrek Forever After theatrical trailer, Beastly Film and Soundtrack, The Bachelor ABC TV commercial, and shows like: Weeds, The OC, Numbers, Greek, and many more.
On tour the band has supported such groups as: The Lemonheads, Arctic Monkeys, The Dodos, The Soft Pack, The Like, and Cut Copy; as well as explosive shows at SXSW and CMJ and the UK’s Truck festivals. The band was asked to be musical guests on the short-lived Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.
In 2010 the band self-financed the recording of their second album. They once again called upon producer and engineer Adam Lasus (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Yo La Tengo, Helium). The album is The Last Place.
Their third full-length album, The Wilderness Inside, was released on July 15, 2014.
The Long Goodbye
Army Navy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Faced, with decline
Where's world you dreamt tonight
The tapping of silhouettes
Move-with out desire
Then the jokes on them this time
Branded and new I rose
To find a brand new home
For gold and mine
What's the core of me inside?
Welcome to our little world
We are weak yet primed
Which I will improve in time
Counted on you I know
Counting the steps back home
And if you lose control
Its really all you know and that's the long
goodbye
She didn't like you staying, he didn't want
the fade to go
A little less I hide, a little more inclined to
fold
She didn't like you staying, he didn't want
the fade to go
A little more refined, a little left inside and
old
She didn't like you staying, he didn't want
the fade to go
A little life revived we fell upon the bathroom
floor
The lyrics of Army Navy's song The Long Goodbye seem to be about facing decline and trying to find a new place to call home. The singer is scanning the outer line, a metaphorical representation of the edge of their world or reality, and facing decline. They wonder where the world they dreamt of has gone as they are surrounded by silhouettes that move without desire. The singer seems to find some sort of satisfaction in this situation, as the jokes on them this time. They find themselves branded and new, perhaps indicating that they've undergone some sort of change or transformation. They have found a brand new home but still question themselves, asking what's the core of me inside.
As the song progresses, the singer speaks out for gold and mine, possibly indicating their desire for success or prosperity. They welcome others into their little world, acknowledging their weaknesses but stating their desire to improve over time. They count on someone else but also acknowledge that losing control is all they know, and that's the long goodbye. The rest of the song seems to be about relationships where one person doesn't like the other staying or the fade going, and the singer finding a little more life or refinement as they fall on the bathroom floor.
Overall, the lyrics seem to be about facing decline and change while trying to find a new place in the world. The singer acknowledges their weaknesses but also their desire for success and improvement.
Line by Line Meaning
So I scan the outer line
I am surveying the perimeter
Faced, with decline
Met with a negative circumstance
Where's world you dreamt tonight
Where is the dream you had for your life
The tapping of silhouettes
The sound of shadowy figures
Move-with out desire
They are moving without purpose
Then the jokes on them this time
Now the situation has flipped in our favor
Branded and new I rose
I am a new version of myself
To find a brand new home
To discover a new place of belonging
So I started speaking out
I began to share my voice
For gold and mine
For my own personal gain
What's the core of me inside?
What is my true essence?
Welcome to our little world
Enter into our small society
We are weak yet primed
Although we are vulnerable, we are ready for action
Which I will improve in time
I will work to enhance myself over time
Counted on you I know
I trusted you to come through
Counting the steps back home
Recounting the journey back to safety
And if you lose control
If you get overwhelmed
Its really all you know and that's the long goodbye
That's just the way it is, and it's a painful farewell
She didn't like you staying, he didn't want the fade to go
She wanted you to leave, he didn't want the mood to change
A little less I hide, a little more inclined to fold
I am becoming more open and willing to yield
She didn't like you staying, he didn't want the fade to go
She wanted you to leave, he didn't want the mood to change
A little more refined, a little left inside and old
I am more polished, but still have some old parts remaining
She didn't like you staying, he didn't want the fade to go
She wanted you to leave, he didn't want the mood to change
A little life revived we fell upon the bathroom floor
We experienced a moment of reinvigoration and fell to the ground
Contributed by Lincoln V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Indah Ajeng Ayu
So I scan the outer line
Faced, with decline
Where's world you dreamt tonight
The tapping of silhouettes
Move-with out desire
Then the jokes on them this time
Branded and new I rose
To find a brand new home
So I started speaking out
For gold and mine
What's the core of me inside?
Welcome to our little world
We are weak yet primed
Which I will improve in time
Counted on you I know
Counting the steps back home
And if you lose control
Its really all you know and that's the long
Goodbye
She didn't like you staying, he didn't want
The fade to go
A little less I hide, a…
Terjemahkan ke bahasa Indonesia
David Gomez
So Dinisaur Jr.'s Freak Scene, still a nice song
Louie Schultz
If you like this, please help Army Navy release their 3rd album!
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/army-navy-album-3
Anthony Castilleja
+Louie Schultz the album was phenomenal, guys! Please continue making music, you guys are the greatest.
Jeremy Enright
love clicking on random vids and getting to places like this
Dyan Snu
What are the tabs for this please
Liam Near
I like the part where the person morphs
Ariya Phitakchaiwong
love :D
Avery Shields
...
SweyLer
sam guiniviere