Their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, recorded by Adam Lasus (Genius + Love = Yo La Tengo/the dirt of luck), was self-released in 2005, receiving attention from numerous MP3 blogs and a favorable review from Pitchfork Media, who gave the band a "Best New Music" commendation. The ensuing demand for the album was so great that the band were forced to re-press the CD, as the initial production run was too small. David Bowie and David Byrne were subsequently spotted at some of the band's shows, garnering them even more press. They also received praise from Rolling Stone as the 'Hot New Band' for 2005. On October 3, 2005, they were signed to Wichita Recordings in the UK.
The band released their second album, Some Loud Thunder on January 29, 2007, in the UK, and January 30, 2007, in the United States. On September 18, 2007, Live at Lollapalooza 2007: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was released on iTunes. It features the band's complete live set from Lollapalooza, professionally recorded on August 4, 2007.
May 2011 brought news the third album, reassuring fans that they had not broken up. The band released Hysterical, produced by John Congleton, on September 12 in the UK, Europe, Japan, and Australia, and on September 20 in the United States. It was announced via a post on the band's official website with a video of the band rehearsing a few new songs from the album in the studio. A vinyl reissue of a remastered edition of the first album, released on June 14, 2011, was also announced. A music video for "Maniac" was made by Belgian director Pieter Dirkx. It was released on September 14, 2011.
On August 1, 2013 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah digitally released their EP Little Moments on their Bandcamp page. It consisted of four songs, two of which were to be included in a different form on their forthcoming LP, Only Run. Little Moments featured a new sound for the band that included a heavier reliance on synths and drum machines and fewer guitars. The band recorded the EP in Alec Ounsworth's home studio, mixing and mastering the EP themselves. Additionally, 500 10 inch vinyl EPs were put on sale on the band's Bandcamp page.
On December 31, 2013 the band announced via email the completion of their forthcoming album called Only Run with a release date of June 3, 2014. Its first single, Coming Down, featured vocals from The National's Matt Berninger.
Heavy Metal
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Lyrics
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They tell us we should really stop
Now they implore us oh
They should adore us oh
It's been a year and now we find
We're lost behind enemy lines
They're gunning for us oh
Well what happened to our heavy metal?
Now what happened to our coat of arms?
We will find that we're stuck in the middle
Picking up the pieces of our hearts
And there will be no comfort
For all that we have lost
The actors seemed so happy
But somehow ended all washed up
Now what happened to our heavy metal?
Guess what happened to our coat of arms?
We will find that we're stuck in the middle
Picking up the pieces of our hearts
The lyrics to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's "Heavy Metal" seem to speak to the frustrations and disappointments of growing older and losing touch with the things that used to define us. The first stanza speaks to the wisdom that comes with age, warning us to stop before it's too late. However, the singer resists, implying that they still have something to offer the world. The second stanza delves deeper into this conflict, painting a picture of being isolated and under attack despite never having done anything wrong. The refrain, "What happened to our heavy metal?" seems to represent a larger sense of loss or betrayal, perhaps of a whole subculture or a way of life. It's as if they feel that something has been taken away from them without their consent, leaving them "stuck in the middle / picking up the pieces of our hearts."
Perhaps what's most interesting about these lyrics is their ambiguity. On one level, they could be read as a straightforward lament for a bygone era or a lost passion. However, there's a sense of irony or self-awareness that undercuts this interpretation. For example, the line "The actors seemed so happy / but somehow ended all washed up" suggests a cynicism towards the very idea of selling out or chasing fame. Meanwhile, the refrain's emphasis on "our" heavy metal and coat of arms implies a sense of ownership and entitlement that may or may not be deserved. Ultimately, the song leaves listeners to decide for themselves what the singer is really mourning or fighting for.
Line by Line Meaning
Now all the secrets of old age
The wisdom of old age is advising us
They tell us we should really stop
They advise us to stop our current path
Now they implore us oh
They plead with us
They should adore us oh
They should love and respect us for our work
It's been a year and now we find
After a year, we realize
We're lost behind enemy lines
We are in a difficult and dangerous situation
They're gunning for us oh
They are targeting and trying to harm us
But they never even met us oh
They do not know us, yet they are attacking us
Well what happened to our heavy metal?
What happened to our strong and powerful identity?
Now what happened to our coat of arms?
What happened to our emblem that represents us?
We will find that we're stuck in the middle
We realize that we are in a difficult and confusing position
Picking up the pieces of our hearts
Trying to mend our broken and shattered emotions
And there will be no comfort
There will be no solace or relief
For all that we have lost
For everything that we have sacrificed and left behind
The actors seemed so happy
The people who were successful seemed content
But somehow ended all washed up
But ended up failing and becoming forgotten
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alec Ounsworth, Lee Sargent, Robbie Guertin, Sean Greenhalgh, Tyler Sargent
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind