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
The Canals Of Our City
Beirut Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But not for me
Watch now, all will end
Now all that I'm, under a tide
Now I'm, under a tide
Tall hair under it all
Over seas
The lyrics of Beirut's song "The Canals of Our City" are somewhat cryptic and open to interpretation. One possible interpretation could be that the singer is feeling left behind while others are moving on with their lives. The line "walls gone over the sea, but not for me" suggests a sense of isolation and being trapped. The singer observes that "all will end," which could be a reference to the transience of life, and that they are now "under a tide," which might represent being overwhelmed by forces beyond one's control.
Further on, the lyrics suggest that the singer is mourning the loss of something: "much more than I once had." This could be interpreted in a number of ways, but perhaps they are lamenting the loss of youth, innocence, or some other intangible quality that has passed them by. The repetition of "over seas" might suggest a longing for something far away or different from their current circumstances.
Overall, the lyrics of "The Canals of Our City" are enigmatic, but they convey a sense of melancholy and longing for something out of reach. It is a meditation on the passage of time, the impermanence of life, and the search for meaning and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Walls gone over the sea
The physical barriers have been crossed and moved beyond the seas, but it doesn't signify anything to me personally.
But not for me
The shift in walls happened, but it didn't bring any positive changes to my life.
Watch now, all will end
Be mindful, everything has a finite conclusion.
Now all that I'm, under a tide
Currently, I'm submerged under a strong current of emotions or struggles.
Now I'm, under a tide
Presently, I'm experiencing overpowering emotional or challenging circumstances.
Tall hair under it all
Despite putting on a calm and composed front, there's a lot of intense thoughts and emotions buried inside.
Much more than I once had
There are a lot more emotional, mental or physical burdens than what I used to have.
Over seas
Metaphorically, beyond the sea represents the unknown or unexplored territory.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ZACH CONDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind