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."
Kids in '99
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Been thinking 'bout those kids back in '99
The gas leaking in the creek
A fire cracker then a spark
In a moment they were
Gone, gone
Gone, gone
House shaken by the blast
Black smoke billowing off the landscape
Sirens crying through the streets
Choppers hovering like vultures above a meal
Gone, gone
Gone, gone
Gone, gone
Gone, gone
In the waters where we used to swim
Where we thought we would be young forever
But beads that glisten on your sunburnt skin
Evaporated in the flames and embers
Been thinking 'bout those kids
Been thinking 'bout those kids back in '99
Wonder who they were then
Not a spark then a flash
In a moment they were
Gone, gone
Gone, gone
Gone, gone
Gone, gone
Gone, gone
Gone, gone
The song "Kids in '99" by Death Cab for Cutie is a powerful and emotional reflection on a tragedy that took place in Bellingham, Washington in 1999. The song is a haunting tribute to three children who were killed when a gas pipeline exploded and set fire to the creek they were playing in. The lyrics describe the moment of the explosion, the chaos that followed and the devastating loss of the young lives that were taken too soon.
The opening lines of the song, "Been thinking 'bout those kids, Been thinking 'bout those kids back in '99," immediately set the tone for a reflective and mournful song. The next lines recall the events of the tragedy, "The gas leaking in the creek, A fire cracker then a spark, In a moment they were, Gone, gone." The chorus simply repeats the word "gone," emphasizing the sudden and tragic nature of the event.
The second verse describes the aftermath of the explosion, "House shaken by the blast, Black smoke billowing off the landscape, Sirens crying through the streets, Choppers hovering like vultures above a meal." The final lines of the song return to the creek where the children lost their lives, "In the waters where we used to swim, Where we thought we would be young forever, But beads that glisten on your sunburnt skin, Evaporated in the flames and embers." The song ends with a final repetition of "gone, gone," underscoring the heartbreaking loss.
Overall, "Kids in '99" is a moving and poignant tribute to the three children who lost their lives in the Bellingham tragedy. The lyrics capture the shock and devastation of the event, as well as the enduring grief and sorrow felt by the community in its aftermath.
Line by Line Meaning
Been thinking 'bout those kids
The artist has been dwelling upon a tragic event involving a group of youngsters.
Been thinking 'bout those kids back in '99
The event in question took place in 1999.
The gas leaking in the creek
There was a hazardous substance polluting the nearby waterway.
A fire cracker then a spark
The ignition source for the tragic incident was a small explosion.
In a moment they were
The lives of the children were snuffed out in a brief instant.
Gone, gone
The repeated phrase emphasizes the sudden and irreversible nature of the tragedy.
House shaken by the blast
The explosion was so powerful that it caused property damage.
Black smoke billowing off the landscape
The disaster had a significant impact on the surrounding environment.
Sirens crying through the streets
The emergency services were called to attend the scene of the accident.
Choppers hovering like vultures above a meal
The image of helicopters circling overhead has a sinister connotation, implying a sense of death and decay.
In the waters where we used to swim
The place where the accident happened was once a popular spot for swimming and recreation.
Where we thought we would be young forever
The carefree nature of youth is contrasted with the harsh reality of death and loss.
But beads that glisten on your sunburnt skin
This line represents the fleeting beauty of life, and how it can suddenly be taken away.
Evaporated in the flames and embers
The use of fire imagery emphasizes a sense of destruction and finality.
Wonder who they were then
The artist wonders about the lives of the children who were affected by the tragedy.
Not a spark then a flash
The ignition source was not initially an extreme danger, but it quickly became one.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bejamin Gibbard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Justin Kase
Liam Wood was my cousin, one of the three boys who died. It was very surreal, we were the same age and he was my best friend. It shaped the rest of my life and this song sure is a tear jerker. I really miss him. Rip to the other boys and there families. And thanks to DCC for writting it.
Sounds Good
Wow thank you for sharing this. I’m so sorry for your loss. I have no ties to Washington at all but this song makes me cry too. I’m sadden that your friends life was cut short. It’s so unfair.
Mia Cooper
been a fan ever since I was 15. I'm 25, soon to be 26. you guys got me through my angsty teen years and still through young adulthood.
keep rocking!
chocolatewheelchair
I’m 35. Don’t wait to live your dreams bro.
WhiteRhino
Wow. Are you me?! I just recently had DCFC pop in my head and was pleased they're still around making that classic sound I fell in love with.
E R
When I first heard this song, I thought- no way, are they singing about the pipeline explosion that happened when I was a kid?-
And sure enough they were. Thank you death cab for keeping Bellingham roots and honoring those kids. That was a major event that shook the whole community at the time.
Sarah Bruce
We live in Bellingham too. This. Song gives me goosebumps
Justin Johnson
It happened during one of Death Cab's first rehearsals as a band
John Rehfeld
This shit is gut-wrenching, but absolutely beautiful. Well-done gents.
Kristin Guthrie
I’ll never forget this day, it shook our community, I think of them every time I go to the falls and sit by the creek.
Thank you for Double Major, it meant so much to us as a community. Welcome home, again.