Death Cab began as a solo project of Ben Gibbard, now the band's vocalist and guitarist. Gibbard took the band name from the satirical song Death Cab for Cutie, performed by The Bonzo Dog Band in The Beatles' 1967 experimental film Magical Mystery Tour. As Death Cab for Cutie, Gibbard released a cassette titled You Can Play These Songs with Chords; the release was surprisingly successful, and Gibbard decided to expand the band into a complete project. He recruited Chris Walla (who had also worked on the cassette) as an electric guitarist, Nick Harmer as bass guitarist, and Nathan Good to play drums.
The four released the LP Something About Airplanes on August 18th 1998. The album was favorably reviewed in the independent music scene, and in 2000 the band released We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes. Nathan Good left the band at some point during this album's production. His playing on “The Employment Pages” and “Company Calls Epilogue” were kept, but Gibbard played drums on all other songs.
Michael Schorr would first appear on The Forbidden Love E.P., released on October 24, 2000. In 2001, another LP was released, entitled The Photo Album. Limited editions of this album contained three bonus tracks, which were later released separately as The Stability EP.
In 2003, there was another change of drummer, with Jason McGerr of Eureka Farm replacing Schorr. McGerr would play drums on the next release, Transatlanticism.
Transatlanticism was released in October of 2003. It received critical praise and also became the band's top-selling album, with 225,000 copies sold during its first year out.
In spring of 2004, the band recorded a live E.P. titled The John Byrd E.P., named for their sound engineer. The E.P. was released on Barsuk Records in March 2004.
In November of 2004, Death Cab for Cutie signed a “long-term worldwide deal” with Atlantic Records, leaving their long-time label Barsuk Records. Gibbard stated on the official website www.deathcabforcutie.com that nothing would change except that “Next to the picture of Barsuk holding a 7", there will be the letter "A" on both the spine and back of our upcoming albums.” This was a marked change from Gibbard's earlier views on major-label relations, which he said “are set up to fuck you and take all your money.”. After signing to Atlantic, the band was still nervous about corporate economics, and encouraged fans to download its songs from the Internet.
The first and second singles off the band's Atlantic Record release Plans were “Soul Meets Body” and “Crooked Teeth”, respectively. The full album was released in August of 2005. Plans was somewhat well-acclaimed by critics and fans, and received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album of 2005. It achieved Gold Status in 2006 after charting on Billboard for 47 consecutive weeks.
The band released a touring DVD titled Drive Well, Sleep Carefully in 2005. Known for their contributions to animal rights, the band is supporting the activist group PETA in giving away copies of the DVD to promote animal rights.
In early 2006, the band announced the upcoming release of Directions, eleven short films inspired by songs from the Plans album, each directed by a different person. The videos were posted one at a time at the band's website and the DVD went on sale April 11, 2006.
On May 12, 2008 their album, Narrow Stairs, was released and was well received by both critics and fans. It was their first album to reach #1 on the Billboard 200. The album contains the singles "I Will Possess Your Heart", "Cath..." and "Grapevine Fires".
The band's latest released The Open Door EP, which was released on March 31, 2009. Their main styles consist of slow progressive rock with dark lyrics.
The band's seventh album, Codes and Keys, was released on May 31, 2011. The album's first single was "You Are A Tourist".
On October 11, 2013, the band reportedly began working on their eighth studio album. This was then confirmed by the group's official Instagram profile in which an image was uploaded with the caption "DCFC LP8 begins". The new album will be produced by Rich Costey and is expected to be released in early 2015. In an interview with Stereogum, Gibbard said of the new album, "I do think from start to finish it's a much better record than Codes And Keys. If that record turned anybody off, I feel pretty strongly that this one could win them back. There are threads in this one that connect back to our earliest stuff that people love." On October 29, 2013, the band released a remastered tenth-anniversary version of their 2003 album Transatlanticism. The new album included a vinyl LP and MP3 download, with demos for all the songs from the album.
As part of the 2014 Record Store Day, the band released its first live album, a vinyl-only double LP recorded during various 2012 tour dates with Magik*Magik Orchestra. Included within the packaging was a code for a digital download of the recording.
On August 13, 2014, after 17 years as a member of Death Cab for Cutie, guitarist and songwriter Chris Walla decided to part ways with the band, with his last performance occurring on September 13, 2014 at the Rifflandia Music Festival in Victoria, British Columbia. Walla states that he plans to "...continue making music, producing records, and erring on the side of benevolence and beauty whenever possible." When asked in an interview about Walla's involvement in the eighth album, McGerr confirmed that Walla "played on everything and has been involved all the way through, even in the mixing. Even though he's played his last show with us, he's still been involved in everything involving this record."
405
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And stated that it's never ever been better than this
I hung my favorite shirt on the floorboard
Wrinkled up from pulling, pushing, and tasting, tasting
You keep twisting the truth
That keeps me thrown askew
I missed the exit to you parents' house hours ago
Red wine and the cigarettes
Hide your bad habits underneath the patio, patio
You keep twisting the truth
That keeps me thrown askew
You keep twisting the truth
That keeps me thrown askew
In "405," Death Cab for Cutie gives a deep and melancholic insight into the depressive effects of alcoholism in relationships, using the 405 highway as a metaphor. The song begins with the singer stating that he drilled a stake down the center of the 405 highway and claims that it never gets better than this. He places his wrinkled shirt on the floorboard, having gone through so much with this situation. The song then describes an alcoholic summer and how the 405 highway led the singer to it, highlighting the negative effects of alcoholism. In missing the exit to the singer's parent's house, the song may indicate that even those who care about him as should-be priority may take a backseat to his relationship and alcoholism habits. Lastly, the song repeats the phrase "You keep twisting the truth/That keeps me thrown askew," emphasizing the dissonance and instability that occurs in relationships plagued by alcohol abuse.
The song's lyrics were inspired by lead singer Ben Gibbard's experience driving on the 405 freeway in Los Angeles when he noticed an ad for the second season of the television series The OC, with Marissa Cooper's character standing in the middle of the road. Although the song is about alcoholism, the reference to the tagline "Let the Drama Begin" from the TV show is used to epitomize the idea that getting involved in drama and negativity can lead down a dangerous path.
Line by Line Meaning
I took the 405 and drilled a stake down into your center
I drove down the 405 highway and metaphorically anchored myself to your center, indicating that the current moment is the best it could ever be.
And stated that it's never ever been better than this
I made a claim that at that time, things seemed to be as good as they could ever be.
I hung my favorite shirt on the floorboard
I placed my most favored shirt on the floor of the car.
Wrinkled up from pulling, pushing, and tasting, tasting
The shirt ended up creased because it was crumpled by pulling, pushing, and handling it even though it was my favorite.
You keep twisting the truth
You tend to manipulate the situation by distorting the truth.
That keeps me thrown askew
As a result of your misrepresentation of the truth, I am disoriented and thrown off balance.
Misguided by the 405 'cause it lead me to an alcoholic summer
The 405 highway led me astray and I ended up having an alcoholic summer.
I missed the exit to you parents' house hours ago
I missed the turn to your parent's house a while ago.
Red wine and the cigarettes
Red Wine and Cigarettes being two vices that indulge in.
Hide your bad habits underneath the patio, patio
You conceal your unfavorable routine underneath the patio.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BENJAMIN GIBBARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@LivingInTheKaliYogurt
Beautiful. Captures a mood from a certain time and place wonderfully.
@shelookstome8727
Fantastic song from a fantastic album - one of their best albums imo.
@TheThunderbird63
I took the 405, and got stuck in traffic for an hour. I stated "It's never been worse than this!"
@caramason56
Amazing and beautiful band 😊❤️🔥🌹🎶🎼Love this tune 🎶🎶🎶🎶
@haamishmcgarry
I always just imagine the guys all together in some empty farmhouse sitting around spending days in the garden and by the creek and recording this.
@mechta5582
😍
@hangingwithmatty9465
I took the 405 and drilled a stake down into your center
And stated that it's never ever been better than this
I hung my favorite shirt on the floorboard
Wrinkled up from pulling, pushing, and tasting, tasting
You keep twisting the truth
That keeps me thrown askew
Misguided by the 405 'cause it lead me to an alcoholic summer
I missed the exit to you parents' house hours ago
Red wine and the cigarettes
Hide your bad habits underneath the patio, patio
You keep twisting the truth
That keeps me thrown askew
You keep twisting the truth
That keeps me thrown askew