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."
Marching Band From Manhattan
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And span the length of the isle of Manhattan
I'd bring it to where you are
Making a lake of the East River and Hudson
If I could open my mouth
Wide enough for a marching band to march out
They would make your name sing
I wish we could open our eyes
To see in all directions at the same
Oh what a beautiful view
If you were never aware of what was around you
And it is true what you said
That I live like a hermit in my own head
But when the sun shines again
I'll pull the curtains and blinds to let the light in
Sorrow drips into your heart through a pin hole
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound
But while you debate half empty and half full
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown
Sorrow drips into your heart through a pin hole
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound
But while you debate half empty and half full
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown
Sorrow drips into your heart through a pin hole
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound
But while you debate half empty and half full
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown
Sorrow drips into your heart through a pin hole
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound
But while you debate half empty and half full
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown
Your love is gonna drown
Your love is gonna drown
Your love is gonna drown
Your love is gonna
The song "Marching Bands of Manhattan" by Death Cab for Cutie is a poignant portrayal of unrequited love and the longing to bridge the distance between one's self and the object of their affection. The opening verse describes a desire to physically connect with the loved one, to bring Manhattan closer to them and make a lake of the rivers that separate them. The second verse imagines a metaphorical connection through music, with the singer longing to shout their loved one's name through the city streets and have it echo off the buildings. The chorus speaks of the impossibility of seeing everything, and the beauty in being able to share the world with another person. The final verse acknowledges the singer's tendency to retreat into their own thoughts, and makes a promise to open up and let the light in once again.
The song then shifts into a repeated chorus that serves as a warning against ignoring the "pinhole" of sorrow that has built up in the singer's heart. Despite the comfort of the sound of the drip, the sadness and pain will continue to rise until it overflows and "drowns" the love that was once felt. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the inevitability of this outcome if action is not taken to address the underlying issues.
Overall, this is a song that explores the universal themes of love, distance, and the importance of communication in overcoming obstacles. It is an emotional and evocative journey that draws the listener in with its layered lyrics and strong imagery.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could open my arms
If I could encompass the entirety of Manhattan with my embrace
And span the length of the isle of Manhattan
Stretching my arms far enough to cover the length of Manhattan
I'd bring it to where you are
I'd bring Manhattan to wherever you are
Making a lake of the East River and Hudson
So that the East River and Hudson River would join to form a lake
If I could open my mouth
If only my mouth could open wide enough
Wide enough for a marching band to march out
Big enough to release a marching band
They would make your name sing
The band would start playing a song with your name in it
And bend through allies and bounce off all the buildings
Their music would maneuver through alleys, echoing off surrounding buildings
I wish we could open our eyes
I wish we could see everything in all directions
To see in all directions at the same
To see everything around us simultaneously
Oh what a beautiful view
The view would be breathtaking
If you were never aware of what was around you
If you had never been conscious of everything around you
And it is true what you said
Your words were accurate
That I live like a hermit in my own head
You're right that I tend to isolate myself in my thoughts
But when the sun shines again
However, when things are more positive again
I'll pull the curtains and blinds to let the light in
I'll remove the barriers and let positivity in
Sorrow drips into your heart through a pin hole
Pain can find its way into your heart in small ways
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound
Sometimes, even though it's causing harm, pain can provide comfort in a strange way
But while you debate half empty and half full
While debating whether a glass is half empty or half full
It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown
Pain builds up and can ultimately overwhelm one's love
Your love is gonna drown
Love may suffer when pain is allowed to accumulate
Your love is gonna drown
Love may suffer when pain is allowed to accumulate
Your love is gonna drown
Love may suffer when pain is allowed to accumulate
Your love is gonna drown
Love may suffer when pain is allowed to accumulate
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BENJAMIN GIBBARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pealock
I remember being about 13 years old, my friend casually slips me the Plans CD at lunch time and I put it on my Walkman. This song took me somewhere and I never returned. It began a lot of my journey into the exploration of music theory and the depth of lyrical composition. Thank you DCFC for everything you’ve done to the music industry.
@pealock
I can still remember exactly where I was sitting, the exact table. Amazing how musical experiences can imprint our memory in such a permanent way.
@tsumichama
"Sorrow drips into your heart like a pinhole
Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound"
I've not heard a line that describes that weird addiction you can develop to depression
@GeoffBuysCars
Brilliant isn’t it
@raqueledwards6061
♥️🆒️💟
@doomngloom96
So bittersweet, so melancholic
@ericfoster8411
He knows how to toss around some really beautifully strung together words. Man’s a legit poet
@chloeanastasiakingdom9769
"And there is comfort in the sound." A perfect description of what Death Cab's music does to my soul.
@21hazza
Couldn't agree more 👍
@solitudeguard5688
Ditto ❤️