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
No No No
Beirut Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
Don't know the first thing about who you are
My heart is waiting, taken in from the start
If we don't go now, we won't get very far
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
Don't know the first thing about who you are
My heart is waiting, taken in from the start
If we don't go now, we won't get very far
Don't know the first thing about who you are
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
The song "No No No" by Beirut appears to be a love song with a touch of uncertainty. The lyrics generally express the singer's feelings of being in love but not really knowing the other person well enough. The repeated "la-las" create a sense of rhythm and wistfulness that add to the overall mood of the song.
It seems as though the singer has just met someone and is questioning whether or not they should pursue a relationship. They don't know much about the other person, but their heart is already invested. The urgency to "go now" suggests that the singer feels a fleeting sense of opportunity to explore this relationship but is hesitant due to the uncertainty they feel.
The repetition of the same verse and chorus throughout the song reinforces this sense of uncertainty and longing. The simplicity of the lyrics allows for the listener to focus on the melody and vocals, which are both hauntingly beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
Tune which focuses on the emotions and the sensation
Don't know the first thing about who you are
No idea about your true identity
My heart is waiting, taken in from the start
Already attracted to you and can't wait to be in love
If we don't go now, we won't get very far
Need to take a leap of faith before it is too late
Don't know the first thing about who you are
Still clueless about the person's identity
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
Continuation of emotional melody
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
Continuation of emotional melody
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
Continuation of emotional melody
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
Continuation of emotional melody
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ZACH CONDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hogwarts Castle
[Chorus]
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
[Verse]
Don't know the first thing about who you are
My heart is waiting, taken in from the start
If we don't go now, we won't get very far
Don't know the first thing about who you are
[Chorus]
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
[Verse]
Don't know the first thing about who you are
My heart is waiting, taken in from the start
If we don't go now, we won't get very far
Don't know the first thing about who you are
[Chorus]
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
Dr. Michael Moran DC
This song has an amazing way of making you feel that no matter what is happening in your life, even if you feel like the sky is falling. That everything is gonna be okay and keep moving forward. As it always does.
JENIXX Quitted Youtube
no
Lana Cardoso
Gente, me chamem pra tocar com vocês pelo amor de tudo que existe. Vocês simplesmente mudaram minha vida com essa orquestra
Ellie Marie
An incredible group of musicians. I absolutely adore their music since day one
Mimi
Nossa 2 anos esse álbum e eu não sabia. Que ótimo, parece que voltaram com tudo. Nunca esqueço desta banda!
Daniel.morais morais
Não me canso de ouvir essa música.
Junior
Eu amo Beirut <3 hahaha to sempre ouvindo. Essa banda tem uma magia que nenhuma outra tem
Isa F.
Simplesmente amo essa música
Julia Hang
Eu amo vocês... Me sinto calma toda vez que ouço
Pablo Calderón
I heard this song the day it was uploaded and, since then, haven't spent a day without listening to it two-three times a day! Thank you Beirut!