The band takes its name from Bishop Allen Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where the two lived together after college and has released three albums, "Charm School" (2003), "The Broken String" (2007) and "Grrr..." (2009).
Charm School (2003)
Charm School was Bishop Allen's first record. Recorded in fits and starts over two years, it grew song-by-song as Rice and Rudder wrote and played in their spare time. They recorded all the instruments on the album's 13 songs themselves, using drum loops to hide the fact that neither is a drummer, and almost everything on the record was recorded one track at a time in an ordinary bedroom. Backing vocals by Bonnie Schiff-Glenn and Kate Dollenmayer and supplementary drums by Coll Anderson, all added in the album's final stages, completed the songs.
The EP Project (2006)
In 2006, Bishop Allen recorded and released an EP every month of the year. Each record was titled for the month of its release (January, February, and so on), and, with the exception of August, which was a 14-song live disc, each contained four new studio songs.
The Broken String (2007)
In November 2006, Bishop Allen signed to Dead Oceans, a new sister label to Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar, for a modest advance. They began recording a new record that January, at Blackwatch Studios in Norman, Oklahoma, and delivered it two months later. This is Bishop Allen's first true studio recording and was released by Dead Oceans on July 24, 2007.
Grrr.... (2009)
Released in March 2009, this doesn't stray from Bishop Allen's specific brand of lovely indie pop.
Clementines
Bishop Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For your blood burns just like mine
And we neither felt too much going home
You know I never really had the mind
For an ordinary life
But I guess I’m going to give it a try
So here goes…
Drinking from this broken cup
That we neither feel too much more like sherry
But again, boys, to your feet
One last time on Benefit Street
Set aside these worried lives you’ve been bearing
Though the years have been unkind
Like a winter clementine
We can only come of age in the cold
Now, what small comfort we might take
That we’ve both been born to brave
Leaves us humbled, keeps us honest; we’re bold
And we laugh, and we sing, and we dance of the dance of the wise men
And alone in the dark, we don’t know what their secrets weave
And I promise, I know that the poison will surely pass through you
If you scrub, and you wash, then eventually you will come clean
Then they gather in the gloom
Shadows of a darkened room
Playing games of luck and fortune, they never win
Don’t use shiny tints of wallflowers, counting out your final hours
Go on, take a swing, again
And we laugh, and we sing, and we dance of the dance of the wise men
And alone in the dark, we don’t know what their secrets weave
And I promise, I know that the poison will surely pass through you
If you scrub, and you wash, then eventually you will come clean
The song "Clementines" by Bishop Allen is a contemplative ballad about two friends raising a glass of wine and reflecting on life. The lyrics convey a sense of shared experience and camaraderie between the two friends, who acknowledge that they have both lived lives that are anything but ordinary. The opening verse sets the stage for the song with the sentiment that despite their differences, the two friends are bound by a shared sense of passion and vitality: "For your blood burns just like mine / And we neither felt too much going home."
The next verse delves deeper into the singer's thoughts about life, as he admits that he has never felt suited for an ordinary existence. However, he also recognizes that he must try to live such a life: "But I guess I'm going to give it a try / So here goes..." The chorus follows, with the two friends acknowledging that they have faced difficulties in life but have emerged stronger and more resilient as a result.
The next two verses touch on themes of mortality and the passage of time, as the singer compares life to a winter clementine and emphasizes the importance of facing challenges with bravery and humility. The final verse takes a darker turn with the mention of shadows and games of luck and fortune. The singer urges the listener not to give in to despair and to continue fighting for what they believe in: "Don't use shiny tints of wallflowers, counting out your final hours / Go on, take a swing, again."
Overall, "Clementines" is a poignant and introspective song that reflects on the ups and downs of life and the importance of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Let us raise this glass of wine
Let's toast to our similarities and shared experiences
For your blood burns just like mine
We both have passion and drive
And we neither felt too much going home
We didn't dwell too heavily on the past
You know I never really had the mind
I was never content with a mundane existence
For an ordinary life
I didn't want to settle for a common lifestyle
But I guess I’m going to give it a try
But I'll attempt to try and live an ordinary life
And I know we both had enough
We've experienced our share of hardships
Drinking from this broken cup
We've suffered from the same struggles
That we neither feel too much more like sherry
We've become numb to the pain
But again, boys, to your feet
But let's keep moving and stay positive
One last time on Benefit Street
We'll enjoy what we can before we move on
Set aside these worried lives you’ve been bearing
Let's not worry about our problems currently
Though the years have been unkind
We've faced challenges throughout our lives
Like a winter clementine
But we still have potential to become something great
We can only come of age in the cold
We need to face hardships to fully mature
Now, what small comfort we might take
The only relief we can find is
That we’ve both been born to brave
Our personalities are both geared towards being courageous
Leaves us humbled, keeps us honest; we’re bold
We remember our roots and remain truthful to ourselves
Then they gather in the gloom
People tend to come together in unfortunate situations
Shadows of a darkened room
And comfort themselves with distractions
Playing games of luck and fortune, they never win
But those distractions only distract them momentarily
Don’t use shiny tints of wallflowers, counting out your final hours
Don't waste your time on superficial things
Go on, take a swing, again
Keep trying and don't give up
And we laugh, and we sing, and we dance of the dance of the wise men
We celebrate life and its experiences, acknowledge our growth
And alone in the dark, we don’t know what their secrets weave
But we're clueless when it comes to others' motivations or secrets
And I promise, I know that the poison will surely pass through you
And I know that you'll recover from any hardships
If you scrub, and you wash, then eventually you will come clean
If you endure and stay strong, you'll make it through
Contributed by Lincoln D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.