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
Undone
DeVotchKa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know where I have been
And you know what I have done
They say that you see everything
So you know I never hurt no one
What I have stolen won't be missed
By those who had so much, so long
We'll soon be laughing about this
And I could bend the universe
If I can only get there first
There are some foolish fresh laid plans
My fate is firmly in your hands
Take if you must take me
But I can not go peacefully
I left someone waiting for me
I left things so terribly... Undone
They say man is just your seed
Spilled out on the thirsty earth
A simple servant of your needs
From the moment of our birth
Tell me am I not your seed
Tell me am I not your son
Tell me have you just forgotten
All those years of devotion
Take if you must, take me
I can not go peacefully
I left someone waiting for me
I left things so terribly... Undone
Undone
Father,
You know where I have been
And you know what I have done
They say that you see everything
So you know I never hurt no one
What I have stolen won't be missed
By those who had so much, so long
We'll soon be laughing about this
They'll never notice we are gone
Take if you must, take me
I can not go peacefully
I left someone waiting for me
I left things so terribly... Undone
Undone
The song “Undone” by DeVotchKa is a reflection of one's conscience and conscience is believed to be their father, reflecting their wrongdoings and miseries. The singer is trying to mitigate his acts of theft and wrongdoing by seeking the forgiveness of his father (conscience). He confesses to his father that he stole something that nobody will miss, and he believes that he never hurt anyone. He attempts to justify his actions by saying that the person he stole from was wealthy and that what he took is inconsequential. Deep down, he recognizes that what he did was wrong and seeks his conscience's forgiveness.
The lyrics "Take if you must, take me but I cannot go peacefully, I left someone waiting for me, I left things so terribly... Undone" suggest that he is struggling with the consequences of his actions and is not ready to face them. He has left something unfinished, and he pleads with his father to let him stay and make amends. He insists that he cannot go peaceably without finding closure. Instead, he admits that he has left someone waiting for him and things undealt with. These lines could illustrate a life full of regrets and unfinished business.
Line by Line Meaning
Father, You know where I have been
Addressing God, acknowledging that He knows where the singer has been in their life.
And you know what I have done
Continuing to address God and acknowledging that He knows what the singer has done in their life.
They say that you see everything
Referencing the idea that God sees and knows all things.
So you know I never hurt no one
Asserting that the artist has never intentionally caused harm or hurt to anyone.
What I have stolen won't be missed
Admitting to the act of theft, but minimizing its impact by suggesting that the stolen goods won't be missed by those who had them.
By those who had so much, so long
Further explaining that the stolen goods were taken from those who have had them for a long time and thus won't miss them.
We'll soon be laughing about this
Suggesting that the act of theft will be seen as something that can be joked or laughed about in the future.
They'll never notice it is gone
Asserting that the theft won't be noticed by anyone.
And I could bend the universe
Expressing a desire or belief that the artist has the power to control the universe in some way.
If I can only get there first
Clarifying that the artist's desired power over the universe is dependent on being the first to achieve something.
There are some foolish fresh laid plans
Admitting that the singer has some plans that may be seen as foolish or naive.
My fate is firmly in your hands
Returning to the idea of addressing God and acknowledging that the artist's fate is ultimately controlled by Him.
Take if you must take me
Using the phrase 'take if you must' to express an acceptance of possible negative outcomes or consequences.
But I can not go peacefully
Explaining that the possible negative outcome or consequence will be difficult or painful for the singer.
I left someone waiting for me
Revealing that the singer has someone important waiting for them, possibly implying that the negative outcome or consequence will have a negative impact on this relationship.
I left things so terribly… Undone
Further emphasizing the negative consequences of the artist's actions by describing them as 'terribly undone.'
They say man is just your seed
Referencing the idea that humans are created by God and therefore are a part of Him.
Spilled out on the thirsty earth
Describing human creation as being spilled out onto the earth in a way that suggests a lack of intentional placement or direction.
A simple servant of your needs
Characterizing humans as simple servants of God's needs or desires.
From the moment of our birth
Indicating that this characterization of humans as servants of God's needs is present throughout their entire lives.
Tell me am I not your seed
Posing a question to God about the artist's own identity as a human and creation of God.
Tell me am I not your son
Continuing to question the artist's relationship to God and place in His creation.
Tell me have you just forgotten
Questioning God's involvement or care for the singer's life.
All those years of devotion
Referencing a past period of devotion to God and suggesting that there has been a lack of recent devotion or involvement from God in the artist's life.
Take if you must, take me
Repeating the phrase 'take if you must' in reference to anticipating possible negative outcomes or consequences.
I can not go peacefully
Repeating the idea that the possible negative outcome or consequence will be difficult or painful for the singer.
I left someone waiting for me
Repeating the idea that the singer has someone important waiting for them, adding continued emphasis to this relationship and its importance.
I left things so terribly… Undone
Repeating and reinforcing the idea that the artist's actions have had negative consequences that are described as being 'terribly undone.'
Undone
The repetition of this single word as a refrain throughout the song serves to emphasize the impact of the artist's negative actions and their consequences.
Contributed by Connor D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.