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."
The New Year
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I don't feel any different
The clanking of crystal
Explosions off in the distance
In the distance
So this is the new year
And I have no resolutions
For problems with easy solutions
So everybody put your best suit or dress on
Let's make believe that we are wealthy for just this once
Lighting firecrackers off on the front lawn
As thirty dialogues bleed into one
I wish the world was flat like the old days
Then I could travel just by folding a map
No more airplanes, or speed trains, or freeways
There'd be no distance that could hold us back
There'd be no distance that could hold us back
There'd be no distance that could hold us back
So this is the new year
So this is the new year
So this is the new year
So this is the new year
"The New Year" by Death Cab for Cutie is a song that reflects on the passing of time and the start of a new year. The singer of the song realizes that, despite it being the start of a new year, he doesn't feel any different. He is surrounded by the clanking of crystal and explosions in the distance, which are presumably fireworks from the New Year's celebrations. He has no resolutions or self-assign penance for the problems that have easy solutions, signifying his acceptance of his current state and maybe his unwillingness to change.
The chorus of the song picks up pace as the singer urges everyone to put their best suits or dresses on, lighting firecrackers off on the front lawn, and making it seem like everyone present is wealthy, even if just for once. The song transports the listeners to a moment of wishful thinking and surreal possibilities, where all the dialogues, wishes, and dreams come together in a perfect utopian world.
The song's second verse presents a nostalgic longing for simpler times, where the world was flat, and traveling was only possible by folding a map. The singer misses the old world where there were no airplanes, speed trains, or freeways, resulting in no distance that could hold anyone back. It signifies an escape from the modern world's hectic pace and the desire to go back to the past's simpler life.
Line by Line Meaning
So this is the new year
The beginning of a another year has finally arrived
And I don't feel any different
The feeling of entering a new year doesn't really affect me
The clanking of crystal
The sound of new year celebrations are evident
Explosions off in the distance
Loud noises from fireworks can be heard far away
In the distance
The sounds seem to come from far away
And I have no resolutions
I haven't made any specific plans or goals for this new year
Or self assigned penance
I don't intend to punish myself for past mistakes
For problems with easy solutions
There's no need to worry about the issues that can be easily resolved
Let's make believe that we are wealthy for just this once
Everyone should pretend to be rich for a moment and enjoy the night
Lighting firecrackers off on the front lawn
The atmosphere consists of setting off fireworks outside
As thirty dialogues bleed into one
Multiple conversations merge to form a single dialogue
I wish the world was flat like the old days
I want things to return to a simpler time where travelling was easy
Then I could travel just by folding a map
It would be great if I could just use a map to navigate my way around
No more airplanes, or speed trains, or freeways
There wouldn't be a need for planes, fast trains, or highways
There'd be no distance that could hold us back
We wouldn't be restricted by distance anymore
So this is the new year
The start of another year has arrived
So this is the new year
The start of another year has arrived
So this is the new year
The start of another year has arrived
So this is the new year
The start of another year has arrived
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Benjamin Gibbard, Christopher Walla, Jason McGerr, Nicholas Harmer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stevendenny5667
So this is the new year
And I don't feel any different
The clanking of crystal
Explosions off in the distance (in the distance)
So this is the new year
And I have no resolutions
For self assigned penance
For problems with easy solutions
So everybody put your best suit or dress on
Let's make believe that we are wealthy for just this once
Lighting firecrackers off on the front lawn
As thirty dialogues bleed into one
I wish the world was flat like the old days
Then I could travel just by folding a map
No more airplanes, or speed trains, or freeways
There'd be no distance that can hold us back
There'd be no distance that could hold us back
There'd be no distance that could hold us back
There'd be no distance that could hold us back
So this is the new year
So this is the new year
So this is the new year
So this is the new year
@_saintcloud
It's 1/1/2024 here in New Zealand.
I come here every new years 🎉🎉
@ilikejameswalker
There hasn't been a single New Year's Eve since 2009 that I haven't listened to this song. What a phenomenal track.
@Marcury84
What about 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, and 2003?
@glompworthyash
James Walker same. Been watching this video since 2009
@alvaroborjas
Same here.
@iqbalquosophy4374
What about this year? Happy 2020 everyone!
@monketstyling
@@iqbalquosophy4374 The bike rider gets together with the unhappy rich girl at the end, a good new year after all for her.
@Griffdog21
Happy New Year's to everyone still listening in 2024
@soulassimilate3203
i've listened to this song around midnight on New Year's Eve for over 12yrs and will continue to. 😁🤘🏻
@SomeOfTheJuice
I've listened to this song right at midnight on NYE for the last few years, and I think this tradition is going to last quite a while. Especially considering the state of the world lately. Let's hope 2022 is at least slightly better than 2020 and 2021.