Codeine released their first album Frigid Stars on the German label Glitterhouse in 1990. The album was released on Sub Pop the following year.
Their second release, the Barely Real EP was issued in 1992. Immerwahr rejected several of the songs after the recording session. Some of these songs were re-recorded for the final album. The song w. is a solo performance on piano by David Grubbs (of Bastro, Squirrel Bait and Gastr del Sol). A somewhat different full-band version of the song appears on Codeine's next album, but titled Wird.
Brokaw left the band after the release of Barely Real to play full-time with his other band Come. He was replaced by Douglas Scharin of the band Rex.
Codeine's next and final release was the full-length album The White Birch, released in 1994. David Grubbs also participated on the album. After this release the band broke up. Stephen Immerwahr has since then been playing with the band Raymond, while Douglas Scharin continued in June of 44 and later HiM.
The band reformed in May 2012 for a Mogwai-curated ATP I'll Be Your Mirror in London. They played their final reunion show in July 2012 in New York.
Old Things
Codeine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
And throw old things away
Things don't last too long
But when they do
They last too long
Walk, just walk away
And throw old things away
I, I thought I tried
But what, what does that mean?
Walk, just walk away
And throw old things away
Nothing sticks to you
Not even what you WANT to
The lyrics to the song "Old Things" by Codeine are open for interpretation but at its essence, the song seems to be about the end of a relationship or the process of letting go. The singer seems to be urging someone to walk away and throw old things away, meaning that they should let go of the past and move on. There is a sense of resignation and acceptance in the lyrics, as if the singer understands that some things don't last forever, but that doesn't mean they don't leave a lasting impact.
The line "Things don't last too long/But when they do/They last too long" seems to capture the bittersweet nature of attachment. When things are good, they can seem perfect and permanent, but when they end, the pain and memories can linger on far longer than expected. The line "Nothing sticks to you/Not even what you want to" suggests that the singer feels powerless in the face of the other person's detachment or indifference. They may want to hold onto the relationship or the memories associated with it, but they can't force the other person to feel the same way.
Contributed by Layla O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mara Zupsich
my soul still burns with this one 30 years later
MagnaCartaTwo
Memories of walking up to the North Downs Way in Guildford in the 1990s listening to Codeine on a tape machine reading Franz Kafka, getting lost in the trees, the woods, the fields, looking at the horses. Skies astral, and starry concourses and bouleverses. The feeling as autumnal nights drew in, a Nick Drake thinner skin.
Peter Sun
Probably one of the greatest unheard songs of 1990, hard to imagine this was 20 years ago!
07androctonus
26 years ago : (
13moonss
30 years ago now
Roberto Torres-Torres
loved this album since it came out. so powerful
xXEvangelXx
this song sounds like drinking alone in an armchair in the middle of a room during a warm summer
Dying will be a relief
lukerr87
So damn beautiful.
Nic
The last line is fucking beautiful.
rivers29
best song on the album imo