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.
Shanghaied
Bishop Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shanghaied
La la la la la la la la la
Shanghaied
It was a cutty conversation
Suddenly I'm rollin' in the dirt
I tried to stumble down the passageway
And my condolence to your boyfriend
Take advice that's pretty at a scare
Pretty soon he will be leavin'
To where I am
La la la la la la la la la
Shanghaied
La la la la la la la la la
Shanghaied
It was [incomprehensible]
Everythin' was said but nothin' done
I left a confidential victory
Countin' out the argument at one
And I contemplate the unexpected
Starin' at my hand upon the oar
I guess it was my inclination
To hope for more
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
La la la la la la la la la
Shanghaied
La la la la la la la la la
Shanghaied
La la la la la la la la la
Shanghaied
La la la la la la la la la
Shanghaied
The song "Shanghaied" by Bishop Allen is a lamentation of a person who has been deceived and taken away from their loved ones. The opening lines of the song, "La la la la la la la la la, Shanghaied," serve as the chorus and evoke a feeling of being lost and confused. The first verse begins with a "cutty conversation" that leads to the singer being "rollin' in the dirt." They try to escape but are unsuccessful as the hurt is "thundering." The singer expresses a sentence of condolence to the significant other, warning them with advice that may seem pretty at first but ultimately results in the person leaving.
The second verse describes a similar situation where "everythin' was said but nothin' done." The singer feels victorious in having the upper hand but is also sad and contemplative. They stare at their "hand upon the oar" and hope for more, indicating that they wish to be in control of their life and are not happy with being shanghaied. The song ends with the repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the sense of being lost and deceived.
Overall, the lyrics of "Shanghaied" provide a poignant commentary on the feeling of being taken away from one's life and forced into a situation that they did not ask for. The song may also speak of the idea that we must take control of our lives and not let others dictate our path.
Line by Line Meaning
La la la la la la la la la
The singer is using a repetitive chant to emphasize their feeling of being shanghaied.
Shanghaied
The singer is expressing that they have been taken against their will.
It was a cutty conversation
The conversation the singer had was suspicious and untrustworthy.
Suddenly I'm rollin' in the dirt
The outcome of the conversation was unpleasant and left the artist feeling defeated.
I tried to stumble down the passageway
The artist attempted to leave the situation but encountered difficulty.
I had thundering with hurts
The singer was emotionally distressed by what had transpired.
And my condolence to your boyfriend
The singer expresses their condolences to the boyfriend of the person who shanghaied them.
Take advice that's pretty at a scare
The artist warns the boyfriend to be cautious and protect themselves.
Pretty soon he will be leavin'
The person who shanghaied the artist will likely move on to target someone else.
To where I am
The artist is hinting that where they are is not a desirable place to be.
It was [incomprehensible]
The singer is having difficulty remembering or describing what took place.
Everythin' was said but nothin' done
Despite the conversation, nothing substantial was accomplished or resolved.
I left a confidential victory
The singer feels that they gained some form of secret knowledge or advantage from the conversation.
Countin' out the argument at one
The singer was the only one involved in the argument and found themselves on their own.
And I contemplate the unexpected
The singer is reflecting on the unforeseeable outcome of the situation.
Starin' at my hand upon the oar
The artist is possibly in a vulnerable position, steering a boat or ship using an oar.
I guess it was my inclination
The artist acknowledges their desire for something that ultimately led to the unfavorable situation.
To hope for more
The singer wished for a different, more positive outcome but was let down.
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
The singer is using a chant of disappointment and frustration.
Oh oh oh oh oh
The chant continues.
La la la la la la la la la
The chant returns.
Shanghaied
The artist concludes by reiterating their feeling of being taken against their will.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Christian Rudder, Justin Rice
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind