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.
I Have Seen a Light
Destroyer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I have seen a light
Young lions at Night play too close to the wire
That's okay, it's just fire
I have seen a light
I have seen a light
Young lions at Night stray too close to the wire
That's okay, it's just fire
All the clay doves say they're hard done by me
But Crystal we need real things tonight
All the clay doves say they're hard done by me
But Crystal we need real things tonight
Yes, you've seen a light in that look
(After taking every drug she took)
I got found out
Someone bought the book, now it's no good
I have seen a light
The lyrics of Destroyer’s song “I Have Seen a Light” contain strong metaphors and symbolisms that have been the subject of many interpretations. The song starts with the repeated line “I have seen a light”, which could be interpreted both literally and figuratively. The first verse speaks about young lions who play and stray too close to the wire at night, which is okay because it’s just fire. This could be interpreted as lessons learned from taking risks and dealing with the consequences, represented by the fire. The second verse speaks about clay doves who claim to be hard done by, but the singer, Crystal, needs real things tonight. This could represent the need for authentic emotions and relationships rather than superficial ones.
The third and final verse talks about someone who saw the light in the singer’s eyes, after taking every drug she took. This could represent the highs and lows of life and the experiences that shape us. The line “Someone bought the book, now it’s no good” could be interpreted as exposing one’s true self to the world and feeling exposed and vulnerable as a result. Overall, the song’s message seems to be one of acknowledging the harsh realities of life and the importance of genuine connections.
Line by Line Meaning
I have seen a light
The singer has had a significant experience that has opened their eyes.
I have seen a light
The singer has had a significant experience that has opened their eyes.
Young lions at Night play too close to the wire
Reckless behavior is dangerous, but often thrilling.
That's okay, it's just fire
It's natural to take risks and sometimes get burned.
I have seen a light
The artist has had a significant experience that has opened their eyes.
I have seen a light
The singer has had a significant experience that has opened their eyes.
Young lions at Night stray too close to the wire
Reckless behavior is dangerous, but often thrilling.
That's okay, it's just fire
It's natural to take risks and sometimes get burned.
All the clay doves say they're hard done by me
People are blaming the artist for their problems.
But Crystal we need real things tonight
We need genuine experiences and connections, not fake or superficial ones.
All the clay doves say they're hard done by me
People are blaming the singer for their problems.
But Crystal we need real things tonight
We need genuine experiences and connections, not fake or superficial ones.
Yes, you've seen a light in that look
The singer has noticed a significant expression or gesture from someone.
(After taking every drug she took)
The person in question has taken a lot of drugs.
I got found out
The singer has been caught or exposed.
Someone bought the book, now it's no good
The secrets or information that the artist held has now been revealed, making it meaningless.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Daniel Bejar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dustin Day
One of the best song's ever made
bh617
this is almost post-rock-ish, sounds a bit like early Tortoise.. if not for the lyrics
yoink🧡
my thoughts exactly. its incredible