Snaith grew up in Dundas, Ontario, Canada, which gave its name to a song from his debut album Start Breaking My Heart. He studied at the University of Toronto as an undergrad, but was based in the UK for several years until he completed his Ph.D. in mathematics at the Imperial College, London in 2005.
Snaith previously recorded under the stage name "Manitoba", but changed it under threat of a lawsuit by Handsome "Dick" Manitoba, frontman for The Dictators, a punk-rocker with an appetite for litigation. Uninterested in the legal stoush, Snaith is quoted saying that he chose the new moniker "Caribou" while on an LSD trip with friends in the Canadian wilderness. He then climbed a tree and didn't come down until he finished his first album under the new moniker, which was four months later.
He has recorded five full lengths: Start Breaking My Heart, a jazzy, "folktronica" IDM album, Up in Flames, the critically acclaimed shoegazer with analog synths and sometimes live, sometimes sampled drums, The Milk of Human Kindness, his krautrock-inspired album that bleeds 70's prog and 70's drugscapes, the psychedelic pop record, Andorra which landed him the prestigious 2008 Polaris Music Prize on September 29th, 2008 and Swim a disco / dance inspired album created from the idea of making dance music that sounds like being under water. A few years prior to the recording of the album, Snaith's wife gave him swimming lessons as a Christmas present, prompting him to take it up as a new hobby. This partially led to the eventual ideology behind Swim.
His eclectic live performances are renowned, in part for their use of simultaneous drummers and synchronised visuals. The live band currently consists of Dan Snaith (guitar, keyboards, vocals, drums, flutophone), Ryan Smith (guitar, keyboards), Brad Weber (drums) and John Schmersal (bass, vocals).
Niobe
Caribou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I fall so far
And every moment everything we used to share (I fall so far)
Will she be waiting when I call, will she be there? (I fall so far)
And every moment every thought that passes by
Only reminds me of the heart it must have tried
Niobe, Niobe, Niobe
I fall so far
I fall so far
I fall so far
I fall so far
Niobe, Niobe, Niobe
In Caribou's song Niobe, the lyrics are speaking about a deep feeling of falling far away from someone who was once close. The repetition of "I fall so far" emphasizes the intensity of the loss and the sense of distance. The next lines paint a picture of longing, wondering if the person will still be there when called upon. The memories of what was once shared only add to this emotional turmoil. The use of the name Niobe serves as a symbol of this type of loss; in Greek mythology, Niobe lost her children and was turned to stone with grief. The repetition of the name also adds a sense of desperation to the lyrics.
The lyrics continue to describe the intensity of loss, using powerful phrases like "every thought that passes by only reminds me of the heart it must have tried." The repetition of Niobe's name also adds to the emotional weight of the song. The repetition of "I fall so far" at the end of the lyrics shows that this feeling of distance and loss is overwhelming and relentless.
Line by Line Meaning
I fall so far
I am experiencing a great sense of distance and separation
And every moment everything we used to share (I fall so far)
Every time I recall the memories we had together, it intensifies my sense of being apart
Will she be waiting when I call, will she be there? (I fall so far)
I am unsure if my loved one will still be there for me, which accentuates my feelings of distance
And every moment every thought that passes by
Every single thought that enters my mind
Only reminds me of the heart it must have tried
Serves as a painful reminder of the efforts my heart has made to hold onto this relationship
Niobe, Niobe, Niobe
The repetition of my lover's name underscores the depth of my love and the sense of loss I am experiencing
I fall so far
My feelings of separation continue to intensify
I fall so far
My sense of distance persists
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Daniel Victor Snaith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kranmaster
I finally got around to spinning this whole album, and what a piece of work 👌It is superb! I'm a huge fan of all veins of 60's pop & rock, especially SoCal Psychedelia, & I'm floored at how masterfully crafted this record is. Far from being a rehash of yesteryear, it's a beautiful blending of 60's sensibilities and certain modern flourishes into something that is wholly original. That is damn tough to do. How are there no comments and so few plays of these songs?!! This warrants so much more attention!
kranmaster
@Suggested Listening Whaaaaaat, right on! Thanks for the reply. I tripped on this album by pure chance, and it's so dope. I'm always in search of new musical avenues to explore. I definitely have suggestions, but I guess it depends on what you're looking for. I'm so game for musical exchange. I'll throw down a couple suggestions, but you may already know of these guys - "Moon Duo" are a cool contemporary California psychedelic band, check out their record "Stars are the Light". An essential from the original early days is "Forever Changes" (1967) by the band Love. Much love my friend. I'm looking forward to what you have to suggest!
Suggested Listening
I’d love to recommend some similar stuff...A few possible answers to your question: This was only uploaded 5 months ago. I’d assume many fans already have copies of this album that’s been out for years so they likely don’t come here. I’m still unfortunately waiting to get a nice vinyl copy. I’ve had at least one cd copy if not two over the years but it’s easier to play it on YouTube so here I am. Also there are a few other audio versions, visualizers, and music videos for this song that have been around much longer than 5 months that have a lot more views. But all that aside, seriously exchange some music sometime!
Nishimura Takashi
The best track in Andorra. I love it.
–Alejandro G.
WHAT A RECORD!