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 āThe Employment Pagesā and āCompany Calls Epilogueā 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 ālong-term worldwide dealā 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 āNext to the picture of Barsuk holding a 7", there will be the letter "A" on both the spine and back of our upcoming albums.ā This was a marked change from Gibbard's earlier views on major-label relations, which he said āare set up to fuck you and take all your money.ā. 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 āSoul Meets Bodyā and āCrooked Teethā, 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."
Christmas
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm watching it fall
Watching the people around
Baby please come home
The church bells in town
They're ringing a song
What a happy sound
They're singing deck the halls
But it's not like Christmas at all
I remember when you were here
All the fun we had last year
Pretty lights on the tree
I'm watching them shine
You should be here with me
Baby please come home
Baby please come home
They're singing deck the halls
But it's not like Christmas at all
I remember when you were here
All the fun we had last year
If there was a way
I'd hold back these tears
But it's Christmas day
Baby please come home
Baby please come home
Baby please come home
The lyrics to "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" by Death Cab for Cutie are a melancholic plea for a loved one to come back home during the holiday season. The song, originally written and performed by Darlene Love in 1963, has become a holiday classic and has been covered by numerous artists over the years. In this version, the singer is watching the snow outside and the festive activities happening around him, but none of it brings him any joy because his loved one is not there to share it with him. The church bells are ringing and people are singing traditional carols, but the singer can't help but feel the absence of his partner. Even the pretty lights on the tree can't make up for the emptiness he feels. In the end, he can only hope that his loved one will come back to him and make the holiday season complete.
The lyrics create a sense of longing and loneliness that is often felt during the holiday season, especially when one is separated from loved ones due to distance or other circumstances. The song touches on themes of togetherness, nostalgia, and the importance of human connection during a time of year that is often focused on material possessions and commercialization. The repetition of the phrase "Baby please come home" emphasizes the singer's desperation and the deep emotional impact of the separation.
Overall, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is a bittersweet reminder of the power of love and the importance of cherishing the people in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
The snow's coming down
It's snowing outside.
I'm watching it fall
I'm looking outside and watching the snowflakes fall from the sky.
Watching the people around
I'm observing the people outside in the falling snow.
Baby please come home
I miss someone I love and want them to come home for the holidays.
The church bells in town
I can hear the bells ringing from the nearby church.
They're ringing a song
The church bells are playing a melody.
What a happy sound
The sound of the church bells ringing is cheerful and uplifting.
They're singing deck the halls
People are singing the popular Christmas carol "Deck the Halls."
But it's not like Christmas at all
Despite the decorations, music, and cheer, the holiday doesn't feel the same without the person I miss.
I remember when you were here
I'm reminiscing about past holidays spent with the person I miss.
All the fun we had last year
I'm recalling the happy memories of the previous year's holiday season with the person I miss.
Pretty lights on the tree
There are decorative lights adorning a Christmas tree nearby.
I'm watching them shine
I'm looking at the lights glow and twinkle on the tree.
You should be here with me
I wish the person I miss could be here to enjoy the festive mood with me.
If there was a way
If it were possible,
I'd hold back these tears
I would prevent myself from crying.
But it's Christmas day
Today is Christmas, a day for celebrating with loved ones.
Baby please come home
I'm still hoping and longing for the person I miss to return for the holidays.
Baby please come home
My desire for the person I miss to come home for the holidays is repeated.
Baby please come home
Once again, I plead for the person I miss to come home for the holidays.
Lyrics Ā© BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Philip Spector
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Frank
on I Will Follow You Into The Dark
This song sucks