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.
Certain Things You Ought to Know
Destroyer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two
Three
Four
It was cunning it was done with style
It was just a way to see you smile
The certain things you ought to know
The certain things you ought to know
Spring time on the barricades
Our spring time charades
Now don't mind me
It's just that vipers define me
And I never thought It'd be this way
Spring time on the barricades
Our spring time charades
Now don't mind me
It's just that vipers define me
And I never thought It'd be this way
Bridges made of sand
Are the ones in your hand
Let go
The certain things you ought to know
The certain things you ought to know
All a dagger can ever be
Is a ship against the sea
Turning to snow
Turning to snow
Turning to snow, oh
Turning to snow
Turning to snow
Turning to snow, oh
The lyrics of Destroyer's song, "Certain Things You Ought to Know," capture a concoction of emotions centered around a relationship. The opening lines, "One, two, three, four, it was cunning it was done with style. It was just a way to see you smile," speaks to the manipulation that goes on in the course of a relationship. The couple creates a certain persona that brings a smile to their partner's face. However, the verse that follows, "Shadows in the snow, the certain things you ought to know," reveals that there are underlying secrets that make the relationship dysfunctional.
The chorus of the song, "Springtime on the barricades, our springtime charades. Now don't mind me, it's just that vipers define me, and I never thought it'd be this way," speaks to the irony of relationships that we become involved in. People who we believe to be our soulmates end up hurting us and exposing our vulnerable parts for the whole world to see. Finally, the lyrics, "Bridges made of sand are the ones in your hand. Let go. The certain things you ought to know," speaks to the fact that the relationship is a fragile one that can be easily destroyed.
Overall, Destroyer's "Certain Things You Ought to Know," speaks to the complexity of relationships and how they can be manipulated and irrevocably altered.
Line by Line Meaning
One
The start of the song on an arbitrary number, possibly suggesting that there is no order or pattern to the events being described.
Two
Another arbitrary number, emphasizing the lack of structure or predictability in life.
Three
Yet another arbitrary number, further emphasizing the lack of organization or system in the world.
Four
The final arbitrary number, showing that there is no particular sequence or logic to the events of life.
It was cunning it was done with style
The artist did something cleverly or slyly, but also did it in a way that was pleasing or impressive to the listener.
It was just a way to see you smile
The singer's actions were done with the explicit intent of making the listener happy or pleased.
Shadows in the snow
Imagery of darkness (shadows) and coldness (snow), possibly alluding to the singer feeling lost, alone, or isolated.
The certain things you ought to know
The artist is about to reveal important information or advice that the listener should take heed of.
The certain things you ought to know
Repeating the line again for emphasis, underscoring the importance of the message being conveyed.
Spring time on the barricades
A metaphorical description of struggle, resistance, or opposition during a time of growth or renewal (spring).
Our spring time charades
The singer and others are putting on an act or facade to hide their true feelings or intentions, possibly to protect themselves or deceive others.
Now don't mind me
The artist is indicating that what they are about to say or do may seem odd or out of place, but they hope to be understood regardless.
It's just that vipers define me
The singer is saying that they are influenced or defined by deceitful or malicious people, possibly implying that this has caused them to act in uncharacteristic ways.
And I never thought It'd be this way
The singer is expressing surprise or disappointment that their life has turned out in a way that they did not expect or want.
Spring time on the barricades
Repeating the metaphorical image of resistance or struggle during a time of growth or renewal, underscoring its importance to the singer's experience.
Our spring time charades
Repeating the idea of hiding or concealing one's true feelings or intentions during the season of renewal, highlighting the deception or guise that the artist is participating in.
Now don't mind me
Repeating the same line as earlier, as the artist tries to justify their actions or words.
It's just that vipers define me
Repeating the same line as earlier, emphasizing the effect that deceitful or malicious people have had on the singer's life.
And I never thought It'd be this way
Repeating the same line as earlier, calling out the unexpected or unwanted turn that the singer's life has taken.
Bridges made of sand
Metaphorically describing something that is fragile or not well-constructed, implying that it cannot withstand the test of time or pressure.
Are the ones in your hand
The artist is warning the listener that the things that they hold or possess may not be as sturdy or reliable as they seem, and that they should be cautious.
Let go
The artist is advising the listener to release their grip on something (literal or figurative) that is not strong enough to hold them up, in order to avoid negative consequences or failure.
The certain things you ought to know
Repeating the same line as earlier, as a reminder to the listener that the upcoming advice or information is vital and should not be ignored.
The certain things you ought to know
Repeating the same line as earlier, providing a final warning to the listener to take the upcoming message seriously.
All a dagger can ever be
The singer is providing a philosophical statement, suggesting that an object (a dagger) can only serve a specific purpose, and cannot change its nature or essence.
Is a ship against the sea
The singer is providing an example or analogy to illustrate their philosophical point, saying that a dagger (an offensive weapon) is useless against the vastness and unpredictability of the sea (a natural force).
Turning to snow
Imagery of something solid (like a dagger) becoming impermanent or unstable (like melting snow), possibly suggesting that the singer's message is meant to change the listener's perspective or understanding.
Turning to snow
Repeating the image of impermanence, indicating that the artist's message is meant to be a wake-up call or a moment of realization for the listener.
Turning to snow, oh
Adding an emotional exclamation to the repetition of the previous line, indicating that the artist's message is important but also potentially painful or difficult to accept.
Turning to snow
Repeating the line once more, as a final image of something fading away or disappearing, possibly signifying the end of the song (and the message) as well.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Daniel Bejar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind