Though not officially broken up, the band has not performed together in public since the early 1990s. In 2005, they were invited by Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse to perform at All Tomorrow's Parties but respectfully declined the invitation.
The band met while attending The Evergreen State College and began recording in 1983. The band's basic lineup was drums, guitar and vocals, though when they formed their only instruments were a pair of maracas and a Sears Silvertone guitar purchased at a thrift shop. Heather once joked in an interview that the history of the band could be told through a list of the various people they'd borrowed drums from. Heather and Calvin had been members of a previous band and approached Bret, who had no musical experience at the time, saying they ought to start a band and go to Japan. Indeed, it was on a trip to Tokyo that the band members recorded Three Tea Breakfast, an EP that established the band's reputation.
Calvin Johnson was one of the founders of seminal indie rock label K Records. The label achieved modest success and continues to hold its independent integrity, claiming to have been "exploding the teenage underground into passionate revolt against the corporate ogre since 1982."
Beat Happening (1985), their full length debut, was critically acclaimed, as was Jamboree (1988). By the release of Dreamy in 1991, Beat Happening was one of the most popular bands in the indie rock community, leading to their pivotal role in the International Pop Underground Festival, which brought anti-corporate rock its earliest mainstream acceptance. Their last full-length album was 1992's You Turn Me On, which represented the band breaking many of their established conventions from earlier albums, most notably on Godsend, which runs 9 minutes in length and features blatant use of multitrack recording. The album was described by allmusic.com as "A masterpiece." Though never announcing a break-up and claiming at one point to still practice once a month, the members of Beat Happening have moved on to various other projects. In 2000 they released the Angel Gone single, their first new release in eight years.
A Beat Happening box set, Crashing Through, which collects all of the band's officially released music except for two of their tracks from a live cassette split with The Vaselines, was released in 2002. The box set included a booklet containing a lengthy essay on the history and impact of the band by Lois Maffeo, as well as rare photos of members Calvin, Heather and Bret.
http://www.krecs.com
1 2 3
Beat Happening Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Going down to see you
One, two, three
I promised I'll be very soon
One, two, three
I've got these things to bring to you
One, two, three
You won't be there why should I care for you?
The time it takes for me to tell you
But I think it's too much time for you to wait around for me
You wanna hear me say the words
You wanna hear when I want to say those words you can't be found
You're never around
One, two, three
You've got this thing about acting tough
Not like me, I'm always one step back
But when I finally catch up you're telling me it's too late it's the end of the endings
One, two, three
I'm going down to see you
One, two, three
Promised I'll be very soon
One, two, three
I've got these things to bring to you
One, two, three
You won't be there why should I care for you?
One, two, three
I'm going down to see
One, two, three
Coming down to see you
One, two, three
I'm going down to see
One, two, three
It brings me down to see you
The lyrics of "1 2 3" by Beat Happening describe a turbulent relationship between two people. The singer in the song is counting down and preparing to see the other person, promising to bring them things. However, the other person never shows up, causing the singer to question their own motivations and feelings towards the other person. There is a sense of frustration and disappointment expressed in the lyrics, as the singer feels let down by the other person's lack of commitment and tough exterior.
The line "You wanna hear me say the words, you wanna hear when I want to say those words you can't be found" suggests that the other person is seeking reassurance from the singer, but is not always present or available when the singer tries to express their feelings. The chorus of the song repeats the countdown and the promise to see the other person, but it is left ambiguous whether the singer will ultimately go through with the visit.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three
Counting down like a timer, getting ready to take action.
Going down to see you
Traveling to meet someone in person.
I promised I'll be very soon
Making a commitment to be there soon.
I've got these things to bring to you
Bringing things along as a gift or gesture.
You won't be there why should I care for you?
Questioning a relationship when the other person doesn't show up or put in effort.
The time it takes for me to tell you
Acknowledging the amount of time it takes to express oneself.
But I think it's too much time for you to wait around for me
Concerned that the other person won't wait for the singer to be ready.
You wanna hear me say the words
Knowing that the other person wants to hear expressions of affection or commitment.
You wanna hear when I want to say those words you can't be found
Frustrated that the other person is not around to hear the words when the artist is ready to say them.
You're never around
Feeling neglected or forgotten by the other person.
You've got this thing about acting tough
Describing the other person as having a tough exterior or attitude.
Not like me, I'm always one step back
Comparing oneself unfavorably to the other person, feeling like they are lagging behind.
But when I finally catch up you're telling me it's too late it's the end of the endings
Feeling like the other person is always one step ahead, and when the singer finally catches up, it's too late and the situation is over.
Coming down to see you
Reinforcing the idea of traveling to see the other person.
It brings me down to see you
Feeling disappointed or sad when seeing the other person.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Bret Lunsford, Calvin Douglas Johnson, Heather Lewis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sergej Lovrekovic
they needed just this and they became my favorite band
1, 2, 3
epiphone casino
beat happening is awsome!
therealartistproper
one two three going down to see you
one two three promised ill be very soon