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 Peacock
Beirut Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Back in the sand just like those soldier men
And even once I fell down in the narrow lanes
On the ground I lay
And I would say
Infernal heat can't take the sound in here
Shake the trees see what falls out of them
In a city where nobody hears
Calls and sings Berlin, Berlin
Among the camp we're done with him
We'd shoot him down
But then but then
Where should I begin, begin
He's the only one who knows the words
He's the only one who knows the words
He's the only one who knows the words
He's the only one who knows the words
He's the only one who knows the words
He's the only one who knows the words
He's the only one who knows the words
He's the only one who knows the words
The lyrics of Beirut’s “The Peacock” exude a sense of confusion and displacement, with the singer feeling lost in a foreign place where nobody can understand him. The imagery of soldiers and war alludes to the idea of being in a hostile environment where survival is a constant struggle. The line “Infernal heat can’t take the sound in here” suggests that even amidst the chaos, the singer is trying to find a way to be heard and understood. He seeks to “Shake the trees see what falls out of them”, hoping for some kind of sign or guidance in this unfamiliar city.
The chorus of the song repeatedly states, “He’s the only one who knows the words”. While the meaning behind this line is somewhat ambiguous, it can be interpreted as the singer feeling like he alone understands his own experiences and emotions. He is the only one who can truly communicate what he’s going through, yet nobody can comprehend or empathize with him. This sense of isolation is further emphasized by the haunting refrain of “Berlin, Berlin”, which sounds like a mournful wail.
Overall, “The Peacock” speaks to the feeling of being lost and alone in an unfamiliar place, with nobody to turn to for comfort or understanding. The imagery of soldiers and war adds a layer of danger and tension to the narrative, as well as a sense of urgency to find a way out of this chaotic environment.
Line by Line Meaning
There's an answer for I'm cold again
There's a solution for feeling emotionally dead inside
Back in the sand just like those soldier men
Feeling trapped in a cycle of war and violence
And even once I fell down in the narrow lanes
I experienced a moment of vulnerability and weakness
On the ground I lay
I was completely helpless and defeated
And I would say
I would express my thoughts and feelings, even in the face of danger
Infernal heat can't take the sound in here
The intense heat cannot overpower the sounds of life in this city
Shake the trees see what falls out of them
Look closely at your surroundings to uncover hidden truths and secrets
In a city where nobody hears
Living in a place where people are indifferent to your struggles and pain
A birds call fine fine winter's here again
Signaling the arrival of a harsh and cold season
Calls and sings Berlin, Berlin
Yearning for the comfort and escape of a faraway place
Among the camp we're done with him
We have grown tired and disillusioned with the struggle
We'd shoot him down
We would do anything to get rid of the obstacle in our way
But then but then
However, the situation is more complicated than we originally thought
Where should I begin, begin
Overwhelmed by the complexity of the situation and unsure of how to proceed
He's the only one who knows the words
The only one who truly understands the situation and how to navigate it
He's the only one who knows the words
The only one who truly understands the situation and how to navigate it
He's the only one who knows the words
The only one who truly understands the situation and how to navigate it
He's the only one who knows the words
The only one who truly understands the situation and how to navigate it
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ZACH CONDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind