In 2004, the group graduated from college and moved into an apartment in Brooklyn with an aggressive, hirsute landlord named Baki. Shortly thereafter, Daniel joined the group Grizzly Bear and began playing guitar and singing with them (he went on to write a goodly portion of their sophomore album, Yellow House). Fred tried to escape his boring magazine job by going on tour opening up for the band Subtle, but the tour was cancelled when Subtle's bus crashed, tragically injuring keyboardist Dax Pierson. DOE was on something of a hiatus. Then in 2005, a British label re-released their debut album in Europe under a different title, and the group began working on new material. This time around, the music featured little-to-no electronic embellishments and was inspired by Randy Newman, Van Dyke Parks, Paul Williams, and Paul McCartney. On October 7, 2008 they released their follow-up, In Ear Park, on 4AD.
Daniel plays guitar, bass, piano, drums, cello, and sings. He majored in Linguistics. His grandfather, Robert Rossen, directed the critically acclaimed movies All the Kings Men and The Hustler. Fred plays drums and various random instruments. He majored in Art History. His father, Martin Nicolaus, wrote the definitive translation of Karl Marx's Gundrisse.
www.departmentofeagles.com
Department of Eagles went on to join Grizzly Bear with their recording of 2009 LP 'Veckatimist'
Herringbone
Department of Eagles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Those nights you wandered all night
You won't get to relive them
Or even to explain them
To your next of kin
They come one,
After the other, after the other
Oh, oh, oh oh, oh
Way out there where the tide meets the tide
Those nights you'd get so quiet
You won't get to enjoy them
Or even to explain them
To your next of kin
They come one,
After the other, after the other
Just like herringbone
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
And I know you like herringbone
Yeah, I know you like herringbone
Through the coat you held on with
The one you went to war with
The only word you can't explain
The lyrics of Department of Eagles's song "Herringbone" seem to be a reflection on the passing of time and the inability to relive or explain certain experiences. The first verse addresses a person who has gone away and the memories they left behind. The singer notes that the person won't be able to relive or explain their wandering nights to their next of kin, implying that some experiences are unique and unexplainable.
The chorus likens these experiences to a herringbone pattern, which consists of repeated V-shapes that interlock with each other. This could be a metaphor for the way memories and experiences stack up and overlap with each other, forming a pattern that is both cohesive and varied. The second verse continues this exploration of inexplicable experiences, invoking the image of the tide meeting the tide, which could symbolize the meeting of opposing forces or the cyclical nature of life. The singer emphasizes again that these moments cannot be explained to others, suggesting that some things are simply too personal or complex to put into words.
The final lines of the song bring the focus back to the person who has left. The singer notes that they "know" the person likes herringbone, implying that there is something about the pattern that resonates with them. The person is also associated with a coat that they held onto and went to war with, suggesting that they have undergone some kind of struggle or conflict. The line "the only word you can't explain" adds a note of mystery and intrigue to the song, implying that there is something significant about this person or their experiences that remains elusive.Overall, "Herringbone" seems to be a contemplation of the complexities and mysteries of life, particularly those experiences that resist easy explanation or sharing with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh boy, when you're gone, you are gone
When you're no longer present, you're permanently absent
Those nights you wandered all night
The nights where you aimlessly roamed through the night
You won't get to relive them
You won't experience them again
Or even to explain them
You won't have the opportunity to describe and clarify them
To your next of kin
To those closest to you
They come one,
After the other, after the other
Just like herringbone
Oh, oh, oh oh, oh
They occur sequentially, one after the other, similar to the pattern of herringbone
Way out there where the tide meets the tide
At a place far away where two bodies of water converge
Those nights you'd get so quiet
The nights where you became very tranquil
You won't get to enjoy them
You won't be able to relish in them
Or even to explain them
Or to elucidate them
To your next of kin
To those you are closest to
They come one,
After the other, after the other
Just like herringbone
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
They happen successively, one after the other, the same way herringbone is laid out
And I know you like herringbone
I am aware that you enjoy the herringbone pattern
Yeah, I know you like herringbone
Yes, I know for sure that you appreciate herringbone
Through the coat you held on with
The jacket that you clung onto
The one you went to war with
The one you faced tough battles with
The only word you can't explain
The sole term that you lack the ability to convey its meaning
Contributed by Nolan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.