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
The Last Beat of My Heart
DeVotchKa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My memory stirred
When time wreathed a rose
A garland of shame
Its thorn my only delight
War torn, afraid to speak
We dare to breathe
A bridge of sighs
Solitude sails on a wave of forgiveness
On angels' wings
Reach out your hands
Don't turn your back
Don't walk away
How in the world can I wish for this?
Never to be torn apart
Close to you
Till the last beat of my heart
At the close of day
The sunset cloaks
These words in shadowplay
Here and now, long and loud
My heart cries out
And the naked bone of an echo says
Don't walk away
Reach out your hands
I'm just a step away
How in the world can I wish for this?
Never to be torn apart
Close to you
Till the last beat of my heart
How in the world can I wish for this?
Never to be torn apart
Close to you
Till the last beat of my heart
Close to you
Till the last beat of my heart
'Til the last fleeting beat
Of my heart
The song "The Last Beat of My Heart" by DeVotchKa is a melancholic love ballad that talks about the desire to hold onto a loved one until the very end. The opening lyrics suggest that the memory of past love can stir strong emotions that are difficult to shake off. The line "When time wreathed a rose, a garland of shame; its thorn my only delight" could indicate that the relationship had its ups and downs and there were moments of joy and pain. The following lyrics "War torn, afraid to speak, we dare to breathe" might suggest that the relationship was also impacted by external factors causing tension and uncertainty.
The chorus is a cry for connection and a plea for the loved one not to walk away. The singer seems to be in a state of desperation, asking for the loved one to reach out and not turn their back. The line "How in the world can I wish for this? Never to be torn apart, close to you till the last beat of my heart" reinforces the idea that the singer wants to hold onto this person for as long as possible, even if it means sacrificing everything else.
The second verse talks about the beauty of the moment, with the sunset cloaking these words in shadowplay. The line "My heart cries out and the naked bone of an echo says, don't walk away" again repeats the plea for the loved one to stay. The song ends with the singer stating that they want to be close to the loved one until the very last beat of their heart.
Overall, "The Last Beat of My Heart" is a song that captures the intensity of love and the fear of losing that love. It paints a picture of a passionate relationship that has been tested by time and external forces, yet remains steadfast in its desire to hold onto what is left.
Line by Line Meaning
In the sharp gust of love
My memories are stirred by the sudden intensity of love.
My memory stirred
My past experiences and emotions are awakened.
When time wreathed a rose
When time turned a simple flower into a symbol of love.
A garland of shame
A symbol of guilt and humiliation that accompanies love.
Its thorn my only delight
The pain that comes with love is the only happiness I feel.
War torn, afraid to speak
The chaos of the world makes me afraid to express my feelings.
We dare to breathe
We take a risk to show our love by breathing.
Majestic, imperial
A grand and all-encompassing love.
A bridge of sighs
A connection between two people that is filled with longing and sadness.
Solitude sails on a wave of forgiveness
Alone, we can forgive ourselves for our flaws and past mistakes.
On angels' wings
Love transports us to a heavenly place.
Reach out your hands
Don't hesitate to take a risk and show your love by reaching out to someone.
Don't turn your back
Don't abandon someone you love by turning away from them.
Don't walk away
Stay and accept the struggle and pain that comes with love.
How in the world can I wish for this?
How can I hope for a love that is so difficult and painful?
Never to be torn apart
To remain together despite the challenges of love.
Close to you
To be near someone you love and feel their presence.
Till the last beat of my heart
To remain loving and devoted until the very end of life.
At the close of day
At the end of life, when the sun sets on our existence.
The sunset cloaks
The beauty of the sunset conceals the fear of death.
These words in shadowplay
The words we say are fleeting, like shadows in the dusk.
Here and now, long and loud
To express our love boldly in the moment, despite its transience.
My heart cries out
My intense emotions of love cannot be controlled or subdued.
And the naked bone of an echo says
The echoes of my love will continue even after my death.
I'm just a step away
To be close to someone I love, I only need to take one step forward.
'Til the last fleeting beat
Until the final, brief moment of life.
Of my heart
Until my love is extinguished with my final breath.
Contributed by Max T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jordan
I do so love this cover
Jake The Dog
This was my favourite song in first year of highschool. Brings me back
kubilay gecikli
Simply great
TOXIC VOID 066
Underrated ❤
Jerry Ram
A beautiful song to leave
Geani M Zole
Adoro
Sabine Ivonne Yaringaño Davila
LOVE MY SONG¡
NotMe54323
I believe Win Butler introduced Devotchks to this song, saying they needed to cover it
Papa Poe
It is known
Sam Lott
Beautiful