1996–2001
We'll Build Them a Golden Bridge, Destroyer's 1996 debut, is made up of sixteen lo-fi home-recordings. One reviewer suggested that the album combines Bejar's "gift for melodies" with “a concerted effort to make the recording downright inconsumable; the guitars are always out of tune, and the vocals of Fisher-Price quality. 'Static means punk / tuning is junk,' Bejar moans on one track.” [5] (Ideas for Songs, released on cassette in 1997, features songs akin to those on his first album. The cassette stemmed from a request to contribute songs for a compilation album.[6])
As Bejar gained popularity in Vancouver's music scene, he was joined by producer John Collins for 1998's City of Daughters, which was recorded at a proper studio. Pitchfork noted that the songs still sounded "homespun," also noting "[t]he wordiness that would become something of a trademark is in full effect," but that "unlike much of what came later, not every line is worthy of examination."[7]
Thief (2000) embodied "Bejar's first stab at matching his grandiose, idiosyncratic vision to a showier sound;" it was the first to feature a backing band on every track.[8] The record's "anthemic yet understated"[9] piano-driven ballads have characteristically enigmatic lyrics, though some reviewers interpreted them as critiques of the music industry.[10][11]
Streethawk: A Seduction (2001) realized the sonic refinement started with City of Daughters. Bejar put it this way: "I don't think it gives credence to any kind of conceptualization of the records, but I hope that City of Daughters, Thief, and Streethawk will pop into some kind of a progression that ends with Streethawk.“ [12] A critical success, the album (retrospectively) received a rating of 9.1/10 from Pitchfork.[7]
2002–2007
The 2002 rock album This Night was a dramatic change in style. The looser, less rehearsed style was criticized as "messy [and] haphazard without purpose,"[13] though other critics praised the "beautiful mess of sounds" as "challenging... [and] a powerful, cohesive whole."[11] In a 2006 interview (after the release of Your Blues and Destroyer's Rubies), Bejar said the album "came together pretty quickly - we probably could have used more than four or five days to mix the whole thing, but that's all hindsight. It's still my favorite Destroyer record."[12]
Your Blues (2004) saw Destroyer take another unexpected turn, using MIDI instrumentation for almost all the backing music. Bejar coined the term "European blues" to describe its unique, theatrical sound.[14] One reviewer pointed out that "Bejar’s unusual voice sounds more confident, and higher up" in the synth-rich arrangements.[15] In yet another twist, the EP Notorious Lightning & Other Works reworked six tracks from the record with a live band, the very thing the LP had forsaken (the band was Frog Eyes, who toured with Destroyer in support of Your Blues).
Bejar returned with a live band for 2006's Destroyer's Rubies, delivering arguably his most confident record up to that point. The backing band took new-found prominence and, according to Bejar, "[t]he production seems... warm and lush and pretty focused on just making the band sound good and having everything sit well together."[12] NOW Magazine observed, "[w]hile the sheer density of Bejar’s writing can be overwhelming, Destroyer’s Rubies is, on a musical level, the most ’accessible’ disc he’s released."[16]
2008–2013
For Trouble in Dreams (2008), "there was a scary lack of ideas coming into the record," Bejar admitted.[17] Destroyer's piano player Ted Bois took it upon himself, as an alternative to keyboard and piano accompaniment, to create all string and synth arrangements for the songs.[17] At the time, Bejar said it was the "hardest record" to make.[17]
After the 2009 EP Bay of Pigs came 2011's full-length album, Kaputt (featuring a slightly modified "Bay of Pigs" track). Bejar cited influences such as Miles Davis and Roxy Music for his new jazz-infused, lounge music-inspired, sophisti-pop direction. In multiple interviews, Bejar variously stressed that he "sang in a completely different manner, almost unconscious of even singing, more like speaking into a vacuum, and was really happy with the results."[18][19] The record entailed a number of firsts for Destroyer: first national television performance (on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon); first official music video; first female backing vocals; and the first time Bejar performed without an instrument on tour - his concentration placed solely on his singing. Kaputt was short listed for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize [20] and was Pitchfork's second best album of 2011.[21]
Although smaller in scale, Destroyer's fourth EP "Five Spanish Songs" continued to surprise listeners. Sung entirely in Spanish, Bejar covered songs by Sr. Chinarro (es). Bejar's own tongue-in-cheek press release announcing the new songs began: "It was 2013. The English language seemed spent, despicable, not easily singable."[22]
2014–present
Bejar released Poison Season on August 28, 2015. Bejar notes that the album's sound grew from "just really getting into what we were sounding like playing live [following Kaputt]."[4] Bejar added that he would not have been able to make such an ambitious album if Kaputt had not been successful.[23] Recorded with a live band and a pronounced string section, the album's "grand cinematic set of songs"[23] feature Bejar singing with a broader range than before: "This is the first record that I've ever done that comes close to my idea of myself as a singer," Bejar said.[24]
In 2017, Bejar released ken.
Blue Eyes
Destroyer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are pestle and mortar
Your first love's New Order
Mother Nature's Son
King of the Everglades
Population: one
I write poetry for myself
I write poetry for myself
(Oh, baby)
Ooh
Ooh
You're a permanent figure of jacked up sorrow
I want you to love me
You send me a coffin of roses
I guess that's the way that things go these days
Take pills, for instance
I heard they're no good for you
I won't and I never will
She said, "I won't and I never will"
"I won't and I never will"
"I won't and I never will"
"I won't and I never will"
Blue eyes
Ooh, blue eyes
Oh, baby, can't you see they had it in for me?
They had it in for me, they had it in for me
Oh, baby, can't you see ("I won't and I never will")
They had it in for me? They had it in for me
Blue eyes
Ooh, ooh baby, you got those blue eyes
I sent a message in a bottle to the press
It said, "don't be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves"
"Don't be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves"
"Don't be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves"
I thumb through the books on your shelves
I've thumbed through the books on your shelves
I've thumbed through the books on your shelves
I've thumbed through the books on your shelves
Blue eyes
The lyrics to Destroyer's "Blue Eyes" are cryptic and open to interpretation, but there are certainly themes of power, loneliness, self-expression, and possibly addiction running throughout. The opening lines of "You terrify the land / You are pestle and mortar" give the impression of a larger-than-life figure with a destructive influence. This is juxtaposed with the line "Your first love's New Order," which suggests a reverence for the music of the influential 80s band. The reference to "Mother Nature's Son" could be interpreted as either admiration or a warning against taking on a god-like role.
The line "King of the Everglades / Population: one" reinforces the idea of isolation and dominance. The repetition of "I write poetry for myself" could be seen as a coping mechanism or a stubborn assertion of individualism. The lines "You're a permanent figure of jacked up sorrow / I want you to love me" suggest a relationship with someone who is deeply unhappy or possibly addicted and the desire for their affection. The mention of "a coffin of roses" could be a metaphor for the cost of loving someone who is destructive or possibly a reference to the dangerous aspects of addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
You terrify the land
Your existence scares everyone around you
You are pestle and mortar
You grind and destroy everything in your path
Your first love's New Order
You were once devoted to a past movement or organization
Mother Nature's Son
You were born from the Earth and possess its wrath
King of the Everglades
You reign supreme over a lawless, wild territory
Population: one
You are alone, with no one to share your power or singularity
I write poetry for myself
Your artistic expression is for your own satisfaction, not for others' approval
I write poetry for myself
Your artistic expression is for your own satisfaction, not for others' approval
(Oh, baby)
Ooh
Ooh
An expression of emotion, possibly love or desire
You're a permanent figure of jacked up sorrow
You are a constant source of misery and distress
I want you to love me
You desire affection and attention from this person
You send me a coffin of roses
Your gestures of affection are also symbols of death and destruction
I guess that's the way that things go these days
This is the norm for the way people interact and express love
Take pills, for instance
As an example, people turn to drugs or medication to numb their emotions
I heard they're no good for you
Even though they may help momentarily, drugs have negative consequences
I won't and I never will
She said, "I won't and I never will"
"I won't and I never will"
"I won't and I never will"
You and this person will never turn to destructive patterns despite the temptation
Blue eyes
Ooh, blue eyes
An expression of admiration and adoration for the person's blue eyes
Oh, baby, can't you see they had it in for me?
They had it in for me, they had it in for me
Oh, baby, can't you see ("I won't and I never will")
They had it in for me? They had it in for me
The singer feels targeted or victimized, possibly by society or by the person they desire
Blue eyes
Ooh, ooh baby, you got those blue eyes
Reiteration of the admiration for the person's blue eyes
I sent a message in a bottle to the press
It said, "don't be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves"
"Don't be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves"
"Don't be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves"
I thumb through the books on your shelves
I've thumbed through the books on your shelves
I've thumbed through the books on your shelves
I've thumbed through the books on your shelves
You send a message to a wide audience to reconsider their attitudes towards your actions or your existence. You also explore the person's interests and personality by examining their books.
Blue eyes
Final expression of admiration for the person's blue eyes
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Daniel Bejar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rodfer
Você aterroriza a terra
Você é pilão e gral
Seu primeiro amor; new order:
Filho da Mãe Natureza
Rei dos Everglades: População 1
Eu escrevo poesia para mim!
Escrevo poesia para mim...
Baby
Você é uma figura permanente de tristeza elevada
Eu quero você para me amar.
Você me envia um caixão de rosas
Eu acho que é assim que as coisas são
Nos dias de hoje…
Tome pílulas, por exemplo, ouvi dizer que não te fazem bem
“Eu não vou e nunca irei”, disse ela…
“Eu não vou e nunca irei
Eu não vou e nunca irei
Eu não vou e nunca irei
Eu não vou e nunca irei…”
Olhos azuis…
Oh, Oh, baby, você não ve? eles armaram pra mim
eles armaram pra mim eles armaram pra mim
Oh, baby, você não ve? eles armaram pra mim
eles armaram pra mim...
Olhos azuis…
Enviei uma mensagem em uma garrafa para a imprensa
Nela diz "Não tenha vergonha ou desgoste de si mesmos
Não tenha vergonha ou desgoste de si mesmos
Não tenha vergonha ou desgoste de si mesmos
Eu folheei os livros em suas prateleiras
Eu folheei os livros em suas prateleiras
Eu folheei os livros em suas prateleiras
Eu folheei os livros em suas prateleiras…”
Olhos azuis…
Arthur Rigotti
You terrify the land
You are pestle and mortar
Your first love’s new order:
Mother Nature’s Son
King Of The Everglades: Population 1
I write poetry for myself! I write poetry for myself…
Oh, baby
You’re a permanent figure of jacked-up sorrow
I want you to love me. You send me a coffin of roses
I guess that’s the way that things go
These days…
Take pills, for instance, I heard they’re no good for you
“I won’t and I never will,” she said…
“I won’t and I never will
I won’t and I never will
I won’t and I never will
I won’t and I never will…”
Blue Eyes…
Oh, baby can’t you see they had it in for me
They had it in for me, they had it in for me
Oh, baby can’t you see they had it in for me
They had it in for me…
Blue Eyes…
I sent a message in a bottle to the press
It said, “Don’t be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves
Don’t be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves
Don’t be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves
I’ve thumbed through the books on your shelves
I’ve thumbed through the books on your shelves
I’ve thumbed through the books on your shelves
I’ve thumbed through the books on your shelves…”
Blue Eyes…
mineonlyhooves
This band should have blown up. This is one of my favorite albums
Ryan M
Dan Bejar
LucidDream
Love the female vocals on this track, along with everything else. Amazing album.
Rodfer
Você aterroriza a terra
Você é pilão e gral
Seu primeiro amor; new order:
Filho da Mãe Natureza
Rei dos Everglades: População 1
Eu escrevo poesia para mim!
Escrevo poesia para mim...
Baby
Você é uma figura permanente de tristeza elevada
Eu quero você para me amar.
Você me envia um caixão de rosas
Eu acho que é assim que as coisas são
Nos dias de hoje…
Tome pílulas, por exemplo, ouvi dizer que não te fazem bem
“Eu não vou e nunca irei”, disse ela…
“Eu não vou e nunca irei
Eu não vou e nunca irei
Eu não vou e nunca irei
Eu não vou e nunca irei…”
Olhos azuis…
Oh, Oh, baby, você não ve? eles armaram pra mim
eles armaram pra mim eles armaram pra mim
Oh, baby, você não ve? eles armaram pra mim
eles armaram pra mim...
Olhos azuis…
Enviei uma mensagem em uma garrafa para a imprensa
Nela diz "Não tenha vergonha ou desgoste de si mesmos
Não tenha vergonha ou desgoste de si mesmos
Não tenha vergonha ou desgoste de si mesmos
Eu folheei os livros em suas prateleiras
Eu folheei os livros em suas prateleiras
Eu folheei os livros em suas prateleiras
Eu folheei os livros em suas prateleiras…”
Olhos azuis…
Arthur Rigotti
You terrify the land
You are pestle and mortar
Your first love’s new order:
Mother Nature’s Son
King Of The Everglades: Population 1
I write poetry for myself! I write poetry for myself…
Oh, baby
You’re a permanent figure of jacked-up sorrow
I want you to love me. You send me a coffin of roses
I guess that’s the way that things go
These days…
Take pills, for instance, I heard they’re no good for you
“I won’t and I never will,” she said…
“I won’t and I never will
I won’t and I never will
I won’t and I never will
I won’t and I never will…”
Blue Eyes…
Oh, baby can’t you see they had it in for me
They had it in for me, they had it in for me
Oh, baby can’t you see they had it in for me
They had it in for me…
Blue Eyes…
I sent a message in a bottle to the press
It said, “Don’t be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves
Don’t be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves
Don’t be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves
I’ve thumbed through the books on your shelves
I’ve thumbed through the books on your shelves
I’ve thumbed through the books on your shelves
I’ve thumbed through the books on your shelves…”
Blue Eyes…
Robert Smith
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Robert Smith
Há quanto tempo não ouvia essa música 😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰
Joseph Davidson
Increíble 70s nostalgia sound! Gorgeous and satisfying with a deeply groovy trumpet.
Austin S.
This whole album rips so hard
Gabriel Esquivias
the chorus with the female voices in the background just sends me to the moon <3 <3 <3 What a brilliant album