Barnett puts a lot of effort into sounding effortless. Her songs are wild and wooly and wordy, her lyrics plainspoken and delivered like she’s making them up on the spot.
Barnett was originally a part of several bands, including Immigrant Union and The Olivettes before focusing on her solo work. In 2012, Barnett started her own record label, Milk! Records, and recorded her debut EP I've Got A Friend Called Emily Ferris in a friend's lounge room and released it later that year. Late 2012 also saw the release of a new single, "History Eraser," which was backed with Jen Cloher's "Mount Beauty" for a split seven-inch release.
In 2013, Barnett released her second EP, How to Carve a Carrot Into a Rose. Along with "History Eraser," the EP spawned a second single, "Avant Gardener." Her second EP received international acclaim, taking her and the band, Dave Mudie (drums), Bones Sloane (bass) and Dan Luscombe (guitar) all around the world.
Barnett would later combine those two EP releases into one for The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, which was released internationally on 20 May 2013 via House Anxiety/Marathon Artists. It was named the album of the week by Stereogum.
Barnett's debut LP, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, was released in 2015 to widespread acclaim. At the 2015 ARIA Music Awards, she won four awards from eight nominations. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards and International Female Solo Artist at the 2016 Brit Awards.
In 2017, she released Lotta Sea Lice, a collaborative album with Kurt Vile.
Barnett's second album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, was released in 2018.
Depreston
Courtney Barnett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I guess it wouldn't hurt us
We don't have to be around all these coffee shops
Now we've got that percolator
Never made a latte greater
I'm saving 23 dollars a week
We see police arresting
A man with his hand in a bag
Hows that for first impressions
This place seems depressing
It's a Californian bungalow in a cul-de-sac
It's got a lovely garden
A garage for two cars to park in
Or a lot of room for storage if you've just got one
And it's going pretty cheap you say
Well it's a deceased estate
Aren't the pressed metal ceilings great?
Then I see the handrail in the shower
A collection of those canisters for coffee tea and flour
And a photo of a young man in a van in Vietnam
And I can't think of floorboards anymore
Whether the front room faces south or north
And I wonder what she bought it for
If you've got a
Spare half a million
You could knock it down
And start rebuilding
If you've got a
Spare half a million
You could knock it down
And start rebuilding
If you've got a
Spare half a million
You could knock it down
And start rebuilding
If you've got a
Spare half a million
You could knock it down
And start rebuilding
The song "Depreston" by Courtney Barnett tells a story of a couple who are house-hunting in the suburban neighborhood of Preston, Melbourne. They drive to a Californian bungalow that seems like a promising choice: it has a lovely garden, a garage for two cars, and it's much cheaper than other houses they've seen. However, the mood shifts as they notice the police arresting a man outside the house with his hand in a bag. The house seems incredibly depressing to the singer, with details like the handrail in the shower and a photo of a young man in a van in Vietnam.
The song touches on the themes of gentrification, mortality, and the meaning of home. The couple is shown considering buying a deceased estate, or a house that has been left behind by the death of its previous owner. This alludes to the impact of the housing crisis on the everyday lives of people and the emotional toll it takes on them. The lyrics, "If you've got a spare half a million, you could knock it down and start rebuilding" offer an eerie commentary on the state of modern-day housing and the idea of "flipping" homes for profit. Overall, "Depreston" is a poignant social commentary that captures the bleakness and mundanity of suburban life.
Line by Line Meaning
You said we should look out further
Your advice was we should expand our options.
I guess it wouldn't hurt us
I agree that it's worth trying.
We don't have to be around all these coffee shops
We don't have to limit ourselves to the usual places.
Now we've got that percolator
We have a new coffee maker now.
Never made a latte greater
We've never had better coffee.
I'm saving 23 dollars a week
We're saving $23 a week by making coffee at home.
We drive to a house in Preston
We drove to a house in Preston.
We see police arresting
We witnessed the police making an arrest.
A man with his hand in a bag
The man was holding a bag when he was arrested.
Hows that for first impressions
That's not a great first impression of the neighborhood.
This place seems depressing
This neighborhood seems sad or bleak.
It's a Californian bungalow in a cul-de-sac
The type of house is classic Californian, but it's in a dead-end street.
It's got a lovely garden
The house has a beautiful garden.
A garage for two cars to park in
The house includes a garage that can fit two cars.
Or a lot of room for storage if you've just got one
If you have only one car, the garage can still provide ample storage space.
And it's going pretty cheap you say
The house is priced inexpensively, according to the conversation partner.
Well it's a deceased estate
The house's previous owner has passed away.
Aren't the pressed metal ceilings great?
The metal ceilings in the house are impressive, according to the singer.
Then I see the handrail in the shower
The singer noticed the handrail in the bathroom.
A collection of those canisters for coffee tea and flour
The kitchen had a collection of canisters used for storing coffee, tea, and flour.
And a photo of a young man in a van in Vietnam
A picture of a young man in a Vietnam War-era van was on display.
And I can't think of floorboards anymore
The artist's mind has been distracted from thinking about the house's floors.
Whether the front room faces south or north
It's unclear which direction the front room faces.
And I wonder what she bought it for
The artist is curious about the reasons behind the house's purchase.
If you've got a Spare half a million
If you have an extra $500,000 to spend,
You could knock it down
You could demolish the house.
And start rebuilding
And start constructing a new house.
If you've got a Spare half a million
If you have an extra $500,000 to spend,
You could knock it down
You could demolish the house.
And start rebuilding
And start constructing a new house.
If you've got a Spare half a million
If you have an extra $500,000 to spend,
You could knock it down
You could demolish the house.
And start rebuilding
And start constructing a new house.
If you've got a Spare half a million
If you have an extra $500,000 to spend,
You could knock it down
You could demolish the house.
And start rebuilding
And start constructing a new house.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Courtney Barnett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Tomnedreb
You said we should look out further, I guess it wouldn't hurt us
We don't have to be around all these coffee shops
Now we've got that percolator, never made a latte greater
I'm saving twenty three dollars a week
We drive to a house in Preston, we see police arrestin'
A man with his hand in a bag
How's that for first impressions? This place seems depressing
It's a Californian bungalow in a cul-de-sac
It's got a lovely garden, a garage for two cars to park in
Or a lot of room for storage if you've just got one
And it's going pretty cheap you say, well it's a deceased estate
Aren't the pressed metal ceilings great?
Then I see the handrail in the shower, a collection of those canisters for coffee tea and flour
And a photo of a young man in a van in Vietnam
And I can't think of floorboards anymore, whether the front room faces south or north
And I wonder what she bought it for
If you've got a spare half a million
You could knock it down and start rebuildin'
[x6]
@ozlass7778
gav240z
What people like you also seem to not learn, nor understand, is that it wasn't as easy either, in decades gone by, for older generations to buy a house either.
Hell, the interest rates alone on houses for sale in Australia around 30 odd years ago were ridiculous.
It's one thing to be borrowing money at 2%-3% interest these days. Try borrowing money when interest rates were around 20% and higher.
Not to mention, wages weren't always great in the past too. Especially when there were regular strikes occuring. And factories closing left and right in the 70's and 80's because they were moving offshore.
Then there were times when unemployment numbers were higher than they are nowadays too. And people who did have jobs also stressed greatly about hanging onto their menial jobs, no matter how much the boss was a bastard.
People who bought houses in previous generations, did so knowing that they had to make sacrifices.
They didn't know what it was like to eat out even once a week, let alone 3 times a week or more.
And holidays in those days were to caravan parks etc, if they were lucky enough to save up.
There were no holidays to America, Europe, N.Z, Bali every year. Nor even every other year.
And that's how they managed to afford to buy a house. Those who could afford it, that is.
EVERY generation has had it's problems with home ownership.
And sure, it's a different world these days.
But constantly blaming only the older generation these days for the multitude of reasons why property prices are so high,wages being stagnant etc, is just ridiculous.
For starters, if banks weren't so quick to hand out loans to any fool who genuinely can't afford a mortgage in the first place, then there wouldn't be so many people in the market.
Have you seen the numbers on just how many people are struggling to even pay the mortgage on their oversized outersuburban mansions?
And don't even get me started on the situation where productivity and production is up, company/business profits are improving every year. And yet, the workers are not reaping any of the benefits of their contribution to the profits.
Start directing your anger where it's warranted. Instead of blaming older generations for the situation. After all, not many older folks are fortunate enough to afford more than the roof they have over their heads. So they're not all snapping up the houses for sale.
And there are quite a few young people out there who have invested in 2 or more properties as well.
@marculatorenful
Remember as a kid, you were sitting in the back of your parents' car, playing a cool song on your discman or whatever, looking out the window, and thinking: "Damn, this view would be the perfect video for this song." This is how this video is.
@hillstar89
yes I agree 100%
@alexesser9880
Perfect
@wednesdaywoe
+marculatorenful you might just be the best person on YouTube.
@a.statch4199
It looks like Milton Keynes
@Gyropilot42
I used to imagine a dude running on the electric cables, jumping obstacles and trying to keep up with the car
@BIGREDXXXL
Relaxing on a balcony and smoking a joint. With this song playing in the background while watching the sun coming down....Sounds like a perfect time for me.
@efrensauceda7840
Yes!😀
@CROOKLYN981
+BIGREDXXXL I could not agree more.
@codytylerr4983
+BIGREDXXXL me too, me too.