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."
Good Help
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you keep all your friends on the payroll
The non-disclosure pages signed
Your secret's safe between those lines
The scaffolding will cheer and console you
But remember what your mother told you
That good help is so hard to find
For people that are so refined
You're trying to turn into the skid
In this never-ending grid
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives it away
You said you wanna stake out your claim
High above the city from where you came
Don't you know the air's so thin?
It starves the brain of oxygen
I know it's such a dangerous place
For there are more ascensions than there is space
Angels causing accidents
The camera phones'll document
But if I start to levitate
Pull me down with all your weight
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives it away
You're trying to turn into the skid
In this never-ending grid
But you should know it's not ideal
All those hands upon the wheel
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool would give
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives this away
The song "Good Help" by Death Cab for Cutie speaks to the idea of success and the potential dangers that come along with it. The first verse opens with the idea that having money can make life easier - you'll never have to hear the word "no" if you keep your friends on the payroll. This idea is followed by the warning that secrets may not always stay secret, even with non-disclosure agreements in place. Despite the ease that success can bring, the chorus reminds the listener that giving away too much can make one seem foolish. The second verse further explores the dangers of success, specifically the idea of being disconnected from reality. The singer is warned that a high-altitude lifestyle may make it difficult to think and make decisions, and they should not forget that there are more people attempting to reach the top than there is space.
Overall, "Good Help" seems to be warning against throwing caution to the wind in the pursuit of success. The song touches on the dangers of relying too heavily on money and the idea that those who are not careful may find themselves alienated from the world and the people around them.
Line by Line Meaning
You'll never have to hear the word "no"
If you hire all of your friends, they'll never say "no" to you.
If you keep all your friends on the payroll
By paying your friends, you ensure they'll always do what you want.
The non-disclosure pages signed
Anyone who knows your secrets has signed legal agreements to keep them confidential.
Your secret's safe between those lines
Because of the legal agreements signed, your secrets are protected from being exposed.
The scaffolding will cheer and console you
The people around you will support you, but...
But remember what your mother told you
Your mother warned you that...
That good help is so hard to find
It is difficult to find truly loyal and helpful people.
For people that are so refined
Even though you may be sophisticated, it is still hard to find reliable friends.
You're trying to turn into the skid
You're attempting to face and overcome a difficult situation head-on.
In this never-ending grid
This situation feels endless and overwhelming.
There's a long, slow fade
There is a gradual and prolonged decline happening.
To a darkened stage
The situation is increasingly bleak and hopeless.
And I hear you say
You say...
"Only a fool gives it away"
You believe that those who are too giving are foolish.
Only a fool would give
You are cautioning against being overly generous.
Only a fool gives it away
You believe that being too giving is foolish and should be avoided.
You said you wanna stake out your claim
You want to claim something as your own.
High above the city from where you came
You want to be in a position of power and influence over the place where you grew up.
Don't you know the air's so thin?
You are unaware that the high altitude will affect your cognitive abilities.
It starves the brain of oxygen
Lack of oxygen at high altitudes can impair cognitive function.
I know it's such a dangerous place
You recognize the risks involved in pursuing this goal.
For there are more ascensions than there is space
There are more people trying to achieve success than there is room for them all.
Angels causing accidents
Success comes with its own unique risks and hazards.
The camera phones'll document
People will be watching and recording your every move.
But if I start to levitate
If you become successful and rise above everyone else...
Pull me down with all your weight
You want your friends to keep you grounded and help you resist the temptation to become arrogant.
But you should know it's not ideal
You should be aware that this situation is not the best one.
All those hands upon the wheel
There are too many factors influencing the direction of your life.
And I hear you say
You say...
"Only a fool gives it away"
You continue to caution against being too giving or generous.
There's a long, slow fade
Things are not going to improve quickly or easily.
To a darkened stage
The situation is getting steadily worse and more desperate.
And I hear you say
You say...
"Only a fool gives it away"
You continue to believe that being too generous is foolish and should be avoided.
Only a fool would give
You caution against being overly generous or giving.
Only a fool gives this away
You believe that giving too much of yourself away is a sign of foolishness and weakness.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Benjamin Gibbard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mónica Alas
lyrics:
You'll never have to hear the word "no"
If you keep all your friends on the payroll
The non-disclosure pages signed
Your secret's safe between those lines
The scaffolding will cheer and console you
But remember what your mother told you
That good help is so hard to find
For people that are so refined
You're trying to turn into the skid
In this never-ending grid
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives it away
You said you wanna stake out your claim
High above the city from where you came
Don't you know the air's so thin?
It starves the brain of oxygen
I know it's such a dangerous place
For there are more ascensions than there is space
Angels causing accidents
The camera phones'll document
But if I start to levitate
Pull me down with all your weight
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives it away
You're trying to turn into the skid
In this never-ending grid
But you should know it's not ideal
All those hands upon the wheel
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives this away
Marissa Hill
You'll never have to hear the word "no"
If you keep all your friends on the payroll
The non-disclosure pages signed
Your secret's safe between those lines
The scaffolding will cheer and console you
But remember what your mother told you
That good help is so hard to find
For people that are so refined
You're trying to turn into the skid
In this never-ending grid
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives it away
You said you wanna stake out your claim
High above the city from where you came
Don't you know the air's so thin?
It starves the brain of oxygen
I know it's such a dangerous place
For there are more ascensions than there is space
Angels causing accidents
The camera phones'll document
But if I start to levitate
Pull me down with all your weight
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives it away
You're trying to turn into the skid
In this never-ending grid
But you should know it's not ideal
All those hands upon the wheel
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool would give
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives this away
tha1ne
This is gonna be one of those bands that never stops making music <3
Dawn Henke
That is my most sincere hope. :)
amanda mace
*still is one of those bands that never stops making music
Extracupanails
yeah these guys have been going for a while!
Art.hropod
Well, they are still making music, but i don't think it'll ever be as amazing as their pre-2005 stuff
Mysusbigsoss
Like Depeche Mode, Coldplay, U2.
MrBurgundy76
This shit is so dope. I really wish it was more popular. Insanely jamming song
polycarp wanyonyi
The irony is not lost
blairis22
Don't worry mate, I'm going to thrown down about 100k views on this sucker on my own.
Mónica Alas
lyrics:
You'll never have to hear the word "no"
If you keep all your friends on the payroll
The non-disclosure pages signed
Your secret's safe between those lines
The scaffolding will cheer and console you
But remember what your mother told you
That good help is so hard to find
For people that are so refined
You're trying to turn into the skid
In this never-ending grid
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives it away
You said you wanna stake out your claim
High above the city from where you came
Don't you know the air's so thin?
It starves the brain of oxygen
I know it's such a dangerous place
For there are more ascensions than there is space
Angels causing accidents
The camera phones'll document
But if I start to levitate
Pull me down with all your weight
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives it away
You're trying to turn into the skid
In this never-ending grid
But you should know it's not ideal
All those hands upon the wheel
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
There's a long, slow fade
To a darkened stage
And I hear you say
"Only a fool gives it away"
Only a fool would give
Only a fool would give
Only a fool gives this away