1996â2001
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 âa 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.â [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.â [12] A critical success, the album (retrospectively) received a rating of 9.1/10 from Pitchfork.[7]
2002â2007
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 "Bejarâs 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 Bejarâs writing can be overwhelming, Destroyerâs Rubies is, on a musical level, the most âaccessibleâ disc heâs released."[16]
2008â2013
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]
2014âpresent
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.
Tinseltown Swimming in Blood
Destroyer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tinsel ribbons dancing in the rain
Flowers on the skyline, hey how was the wine?
What comes round's going round again
Towers coming up for air
I couldn't see, I was blind
Off in the corner, doing poet's work
It was just a dream of your blue eyes
I couldn't see, I was blind
Off in the corner, doing poet's work
That's alright for now
It was just a dream of your blue eyes
Tinseltown dripping in blood
Tinsel women dancing in the wind
Dead flowers on the skyline
Hey how was the wine, baby?
What comes round is going round again
Now let me tell you about the dream
I had no feeling, I had no past
I was the arctic, I was the vast
Spaces without reprieve
I was a dreamer, watch me leave
I was a dreamer, watch me leave
I was a dreamer, watch me leave
I was a dreamer, watch me leave
I was a dreamer, watch me leave
I was a dreamer, watch me leave
The song Tinseltown Swimming in Blood by Destroyer is a grim and moody reflection on the state of the entertainment industry and its impact on society. The lyrics evoke images of a glamorous Hollywood filled with excess, corruption, and decay. The opening lines, "Tinseltown swimming in blood, Tinsel ribbons dancing in the rain" set the tone and create a striking visual contrast. The use of tinsel, traditionally associated with gleaming beauty and celebration, is subverted to reflect a darker reality.
The imagery in the chorus of "Flowers on the skyline, hey how was the wine?" suggests a life filled with glamour, wealth, and indulgence. However, the second part of the chorus, "What comes round's going round again, Towers coming up for air," alludes to the cyclical nature of fame and fortune, and the inevitable decline and fall that follows. The lyrics also touch on the isolation and loneliness of the creative process, represented by the lines "Off in the corner, doing poet's work, that's alright for now."
The song's final lines, "I had no feeling, I had no past, I was the arctic, I was the vast, Spaces without reprieve, I was a dreamer, watch me leave," suggest that the singer is leaving behind the empty glamour of Tinseltown and seeking something deeper and more meaningful. Overall, Tinseltown Swimming in Blood is a haunting and deeply poetic exploration of the dark side of celebrity culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Tinseltown swimming in blood
The glitz and glamour of Hollywood is now tainted with violence and tragedy
Tinsel ribbons dancing in the rain
The superficiality of Hollywood is still there despite the chaos
Flowers on the skyline, hey how was the wine?
The beauty of the city is still evident, but now mixed with the question of how this happened
What comes round's going round again
History repeats itself and the cycle of destruction continues
Towers coming up for air
Amidst the calamity, there is still hope and resilience
I couldn't see, I was blind
The singer was unaware of the danger and corruption around them
Off in the corner, doing poet's work
The singer was preoccupied with their creative work and ignored the painful reality
That's alright for now
Being oblivious to the truth can be a temporary comfort
It was just a dream of your blue eyes
The artist remembers a love that is now lost or unattainable
Tinseltown dripping in blood
The violence in Hollywood is now even more evident
Tinsel women dancing in the wind
The facade of Hollywood is still there despite the gruesome reality
Dead flowers on the skyline
The beauty of the city is now replaced with death and decay
Hey how was the wine, baby?
Even in the midst of chaos, some people still cling to trivial pleasures
What comes round is going round again
The cycle of destruction and tragedy continues
Now let me tell you about the dream
The singer is about to share a vision or memory
I had no feeling, I had no past
The artist had lost touch with their emotions and history
I was the arctic, I was the vast
The artist felt empty and isolated
Spaces without reprieve
The singer was trapped in their own emptiness without escape
I was a dreamer, watch me leave
The singer is ready to move on from their empty existence and chase their dreams
I was a dreamer, watch me leave
The artist repeats their determination to leave their past behind and pursue their aspirations
I was a dreamer, watch me leave
The artist repeats their resolution, emphasizing their readiness to depart
I was a dreamer, watch me leave
The artist repeats their desire to break free and pursue their dreams, perhaps for emphasis or closure
I was a dreamer, watch me leave
The singer repeats their insistence on breaking free and chasing their aspirations, underscoring their determination
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Daniel Bejar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gas Bopper
Tinseltown swimming in blood
Tinsel ribbons dancing in the rain
Flowers on the skyline, hey how was the wine?
What comes round's going round again
Towers coming up for air
I couldn't see, I was blind
Off in the corner, doing poet's work
That's alright for now
It was just a dream of your blue eyes
Tinseltown dripping in blood
Tinsel women dancing in the wind
Dead flowers on the skyline
Hey how was the wine, baby?
What comes round is going round again
Now let me tell you about the dream:
I had no feeling, I had no past
I was the arctic, I was the vast
Spaces without reprieve
I was a dreamer
Watch me leave
Andrew Allen
This song feels new, but it also feels like I've known it my whole life
Percival
Similar to how we cross paths with certain people that we feel this deep connection with from first glance. We may not know it yet, but those people will often make for the best memories. Yet in the end, they will all be a distant dream that never quite escapes the depths of the subconscious. Aim to live as freely as you can with those you feel no need to put on a mask for. Remind the ones you now have in your life that you love them and always leave with a smile; you never know when it will be your last :) <3
M.S.G
@Bertrand Marotte feels like The Cure at the beginning
Antiquevintageclock
Older but getting lots of radio air time recently, it is that good.
Bertrand Marotte
It borrows heavily from New Order
Dibil Idiot
@Janita PT kangaroo by mortal coil
JT0716
âI was a dreamer,
Watch me leave...â
Love this song and the guitar work during the above refrain reminds me of the incredible guitar work by the Cocteau Twins. That amazing ethereal âtwangâ. Awesome. This is what GOOD music sounds like.
Jason Campbell
That trumpet cuts through every other noise on Earth, and puts me at ease, so unbelievably magical. I've heard it before in an ltj bukem track years ago. What is the original source?
ĐœĐžĐșŃĐ°
I feel like I've heard it too. It seems that I've heard it in some animation video but don't know where... It hurts so much to not find it
Riaan Smit
This song is the original source. They donât sample. You probably just heard something similar