The band's fifth album shows influences of the Arizona desert with producer Craig Schumacher (Calexico, Neko Case) to create a compendium of short stories inspired by the varied moments the band experienced since the release of A Mad & Faithful Telling (Anti-, 2007).
Like many bands, DeVotchKa spent much of their early years traveling the highways and byways searching for gigs and a musical direction. As time went on, the band began to foster important musical collaborations with the unequivocal Calexico and the seminal gypsy punks Gogol Bordello. International tours with Gogol and recordings with Calexico have helped spread the band’s sound around the globe.
Originally a backing band for burlesque shows, in their early years DeVotchKa also toured with fetish model Dita von Teese. Numerous nationwide tours in support of self-released records earned the band an underground following. Their song "How It Ends" introduced the band to a wider audience after being featured in the trailer for Everything Is Illuminated, in a Gears of War 2 trailer called "The Last Day", and in an episode of Everwood (Season 4).
Arcade Fire singer Win Butler suggested to DeVotchKa that they cover the Siouxsie and the Banshees song "The Last Beat of My Heart". The musicians found the idea interesting and they recorded that song for the now critically acclaimed Curse Your Little Heart EP. The band did a world tour in support of their previous album, A Mad & Faithful Telling (released March, 2008). The album reached No. 9 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and No. 29 on the Top Independent Albums chart.["New World" and "Head Honcho" were featured in a season 4 episode of the Showtime television show Weeds.
DeVotchKa's first big break happened when Nic Harcourt, former music director for KCRW, introduced his listeners to a then unknown rock band of worldly sounds on his daily radio show, "Morning Becomes Eclectic". Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton, who were listening that day, stumbled upon the sound for their movie, "Little Miss Sunshine". A critical and box office hit, the film was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar and, for DeVotchKa's soundtrack, a Grammy. The little gypsy wedding band from Denver was suddenly known all across the US, playing large venues and major music festivals, including Coachella, Bumbershoot, Lollapalooza, and Mile High Music Festival. After years of toiling in obscurity, the band was selling out shows at the Fillmore in San Francisco and First Avenue in Minneapolis, with breakout performances at Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits Music Festival. The love spread to Europe, which has become a yearly destination for the band.
"100 Lovers" is the album DeVotchKa had always wanted to make. "How it Ends" was recorded and mixed in only nine days, mainly due to lack of funds. On "A Mad and Faithful Telling,” the band had more time and conducted complex arrangements and experimental recording techniques. For "100 Lovers", DeVotchKa spent over a year defining their sound, taking multiple trips to the desert studio to craft twelve new recordings. The final product is the bands strongest album to date, filled with songs fans will love, songs to draw in new listeners, and exciting numbers that fit nicely into their rousing live sets. Guests on the album include members of Calexico and Mauro Refosco, David Byrne and Thom Yorke’s go-to percussionist. With a full tour lined up for the spring and dates booked all over the world, 2011 is gearing up to be the biggest year for DeVotchKa yet.
DeVotchKa is:
Nick Urata: Vocals, guitars, Theremin, trumpet, piano
Jeanie Schroder: acoustic bass, sousaphone
Shawn King: drums, percussion, trumpet
Tom Hagerman: violin, viola, accordion, piano
Blessing in Disguise
DeVotchKa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A blessing in disguise
Who comes and goes into our lives
Not for us to decide
You can bury it deep inside
But you can never hide
You waited for them long enough
And o my lordy, o my God
I finally see what's going on
I count the fingers that you made me
Am I squandering the life you gave me?
I never seem to find the words
The devil ties my tongue
Then I find the perfect words
The moment you have gone
Are we still lovers, we'll never be friends
Is this all there is? Is this where it ends?
But was it fate? Was it games of chance?
Are we victims of the circumstance
And o my lordy, o my God
I finally see what's going on
I count the fingers that you made me
Am I squandering the life you gave me?
Bend your words into a prayer
Send them on a trip somewhere
Let them ring and resonate
Kiss your lips and seal my fate
Maybe losing something that you love
Is a blessing in disguise
You've been their slave for far too long
It's time to say goodbye
And o my lordy, o my God
I finally see what's going on
I count the fingers that you made me
Am I squandering the life you gave me?
In "Blessing in Disguise," DeVotchKa meditates on the often-contradictory emotions that come with the loss of someone or something dear. The song suggests that the pain of loss can ultimately lead to positive transformation or growth, as a "blessing in disguise." The lyrics acknowledge the complexity of relationships and the unpredictable nature of life, recognizing that we cannot control who comes and goes in our lives. "You can bury it deep inside, but you can never hide," singer Nick Urata croons, implying that true feelings cannot be suppressed forever.
The chorus highlights a moment of clarity, where the singer finally grasps the bigger picture and questions their purpose in life. The rhetorical question, "Am I squandering the life you gave me?" encourages the listener to reflect on their own life choices and whether they are utilizing the time they have been given to the fullest. The final verse concludes with a sense of hope and resolution, suggesting that parting ways from a toxic relationship can ultimately be a positive thing.
Line by Line Meaning
Is losing something that you love
Reflecting on the possibility that losing something we love might not be all bad
A blessing in disguise
It may actually turn out to be beneficial for us in some unexpected way
Who comes and goes into our lives
The people who enter and leave our lives are not always within our control
Not for us to decide
We cannot always control the actions of others, especially when it comes to leaving
You can bury it deep inside
We may try to hide our pain and loss deep within ourselves
But you can never hide
Even if we try to hide our pain, it will always be a part of us
You waited for them long enough
Recognizing that we can only wait for someone for so long before we need to move on
It's time to say goodbye
Realizing that it's time to let go and say farewell
And o my lordy, o my God
Expressing surprise or shock at what has been revealed
I finally see what's going on
Acknowledging that the artist has come to a realization about their situation
I count the fingers that you made me
Reflecting on the things in life that we are grateful for and take for granted
Am I squandering the life you gave me?
Questioning whether or not the artist is living up to their full potential
I never seem to find the words
Expressing difficulty in expressing oneself effectively
The devil ties my tongue
Implying that the difficulty in expressing oneself may be due to external or internal forces beyond the singer's control
Then I find the perfect words
Suggesting that there may be moments of clarity and insight after periods of difficulty
The moment you have gone
Implying that the perfect words may come too late, after someone has already left
Are we still lovers, we'll never be friends
Reflecting on the complexity and difficulty of transitioning from a romantic relationship to a platonic one
Is this all there is? Is this where it ends?
Questioning whether or not the end of a relationship is the end of one's story entirely
But was it fate? Was it games of chance?
Contemplating the reasons why a relationship might end and the role of fate or randomness in that process
Are we victims of the circumstance
Wondering how much control we truly have over the events in our lives
Bend your words into a prayer
Suggesting that we can use our words as a way of finding solace or peace in difficult times
Send them on a trip somewhere
Imagining that our words might have an impact beyond ourselves and may travel and touch others
Let them ring and resonate
Hoping that our words might have a lasting impact and continue to echo over time
Kiss your lips and seal my fate
Implying that the artist is at the mercy of fate or circumstances beyond their control
Maybe losing something that you love
Acknowledging that there may be an upside to losing something that is important to us
Is a blessing in disguise
Reiterating the idea that what seems like a loss may actually turn out to be a gain in some way
You've been their slave for far too long
Recognizing that holding on to something or someone for too long can be unhealthy
It's time to say goodbye
Repeating the idea that it's time to let go and move on
Contributed by Levi T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.