Condon recorded before Beirut was established: when he was fifteen and under the name of Realpeople, he made an electronic record, fashioned after his love for The Magnetic Fields. Condon was a straight-A student until he dropped out at the age of 17 to travel Europe with his cousin in a drunken haze, cavorting and partying with the locals wherever he ended up. It was during one of these evenings that he was first exposed to Balkan music (notably including the Boban Marković Orkestar and Goran Bregović), blasting from the upstairs apartment. Condon ended up with the Serbian artists all night, going through albums country by country, note for note.
The first album under the Beirut moniker, Gulag Orkestar (2006), was the direct result of what he learned that night. While it may sound like an entire Balkan orchestra playing modern songs as mournful ballads and upbeat marches, the album was performed and recorded almost entirely by Condon alone. He did so on Pro Tools while skipping school in Albuquerque and at Sea Side Studios in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Jeremy Barnes added percussion and some violin overlays.
After recording, Condon formed a full band which at times varies in the number of members, from six to ten. Live he is accompanied by Perrin Cloutier (cello/accordion), Jason Poranski (guitar/mandolin/ukulele), Nick Petree (drums), Kristin Ferebee (violin), Paul Collins (organ/keys/tambourine/ukulele), Jon Natchez (baritone sax/mandolin/glockenspiel), and Kelly Pratt (trumpet/euphonium).
In November 2006 Condon was "briefly hospitalized for extreme exhaustion", the band's website said, and as a consequence the band cancelled the rest of the tour. They resumed performing in March 2007 and released their second album, The Flying Club Cup the same year on October 9th. Parts of the album were performed and recorded by Condon in his bedroom again, but others were recorded with the live band, which resulted in a more organic, live sound. While writing, Condon said he was inspired by French music, like Jacques Brel (whose song Le Moribond he covered on his Elephant Gun EP), and he moved to Paris for a while. During the extensive tour in support of The Flying Club Cup, Condon and the band more or less fell apart from exhaustion once again and disappeared from the radar in April 2008.
Condon took a long break and returned in 2009 with a double EP, March of the Zapotec & Realpeople: Holland. The first was partly recorded in Mexico with the Mexican Band Jimenez and had a more South-American flavour to it than Condon's previous efforts. The second EP 'Holland' was credited to Condon's old name Realpeople and consisted of five electrotracks, once more in the vein of The Magnetic Fields.
The band's album "The Rip Tide" was released in 2011.
Albums
* Gulag Orkestar (May 9, 2006)
* The Flying Club Cup (October 9, 2007)
* The Rip Tide (August 2, 2011)
* No No No (September 11, 2015)
* Gallipoli (February 1, 2019)
* Artifacts (January 28, 2022)
EPs
* Lon Gisland EP (January 30, 2007)
* Pompeii (February 28, 2007)
* Elephant Gun (June 25, 2007)
* March of the Zapotec & Realpeople: Holland (February 17, 2009)
* East Harlem (June 7, 2011)
* The Berlin-Albuquerque Sessions (November 22, 2022)
Official website: www.beirutband.com
Carousels
Beirut Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I do not mind at all
We're tonight in a world full of thrills, can carry me up
Far above it all
It's a long way down from here to the sound
Oh, watch the faces go 'round
To the stars then the ground
Ferris wheels carried us away not so long ago
Times I've betrayed
Where would we be now if I had taken your hand?
the years have passed us by slow
It's a long way down from here to the sound
Oh, watch the faces go 'round
To the stars then the ground
The lyrics to "Carousels" by Beirut explore themes of nostalgia and the passing of time. The opening lines describe the excitement of a youth-filled world, represented by the twirling carousels. The singer is content and unaffected by this youthful energy, observing from a distance. The second line, "We're tonight in a world full of thrills, can carry me up," suggests a sense of escapism and a desire to transcend the mundane.
The chorus lyrics, "It's a long way down from here to the sound, Oh, watch the faces go 'round, To the stars then the ground," create vivid imagery of a carnival ride, such as a Ferris wheel. The line "To the stars then the ground" could be interpreted as a metaphor for the highs and lows of life. The singer is reflecting on how quickly time has passed and how far they have come since the days of riding on Ferris wheels.
The bridge section of the song, "Ferris wheels carried us away not so long ago, Times I've betrayed, Where would we be now if I had taken your hand? The years have passed us by slow," evokes memories of past experiences and relationships. The singer is questioning the decisions they have made and how their life might be different if they had made different choices. The lyrics express a longing to return to a simpler time and ponder on what could have been.
Overall, "Carousels" is a poetic and introspective song that invites listeners to reflect on their own lives and the passage of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Carousels twirl all around excited youth
The youth are having fun riding carousels.
I do not mind at all
The singer is enjoying the atmosphere.
We're tonight in a world full of thrills, can carry me up
The excitement of the environment is consuming the singer.
Far above it all
The artist is rising above their problems and stress.
It's a long way down from here to the sound
The artist is feeling a sense of danger or instability.
Oh, watch the faces go 'round
People are enjoying the ride on the carousel.
To the stars then the ground
The ride of life is like a rollercoaster with ups and downs.
Ferris wheels carried us away not so long ago
The artist remembers joyous times spent riding on ferris wheels.
Times I've betrayed
The artist has made mistakes in the past.
Where would we be now if I had taken your hand?
The artist wonders how their life would be different if they had made different choices.
the years have passed us by slow
Time has moved slowly, despite the feeling that the carousel ride is going fast.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ZACH CONDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ReallyRedPanda
What is special about Beirut is the feelings they birth, irrespective of the lyrics of any one song. It's the FEEL of the song you remember once you forget the tune, the memory of what Beirut stirred within you whenever you hear them again.
Wanessa Oliveira
Amoooooo❤️
john doe
i would love to hear an "extended version" of this song..like back in the 60's classic rock era how The Doors would solo for 5,6,7 minutes at a time and just jam... a version of that,in this, would by far be...perfection!
Anne R.
Beirut is humanity celebrating melancholy in the most beautiful manner.
gathersteel
Lon Gisland is a great composer for sure :)
Ramy Fares
This bring me back memories, this song reminds me of flying onboard MEA’s old Airbus A321s to Beirut at night every Christmas visit 🎄
Santiago Belaunzarán
best LP ever, I even bought it 4 times to listen it for the firts time 4 times
Howlh
minha favorita :D my favorite
dragonfly
this song makes me so happy
DG
so, so much