He started working as Dntel, pronounced Din-tell, in 1994. A collection of tracks created between 1995-1997 (Early Works For Me If It Works For You) was released on the Phthalo label in 1999, followed by the release of an EP recorded in 1994 (Something Always Goes Wrong) in 2000. After contributing a song to Plug Research's Voices In My Lunchbox compilation he was invited to do a full length for the label, preceded by a 12" EP (Anywhere Anyone).
Dntel released his full-length album Life Is Full Of Possibilities in 2001. The LP featured vocal contributions by many artists, including Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard on the breakout track (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan, which led to a single in 2002 and later, the formation of the band The Postal Service with Gibbard. With vocals buried in static, cut-up acoustic guitars and sampled symphonies struggling to find somewhere to settle, Life Is Full Of Possibilities reserved Dntel's spot as a pioneer of contemporary glitch, electro-pop, and indietronica.
Tamborello is currently working with The Postal Service and continuing his solo work, including remixes for various artists. As Dntel, he is releasing a compilation, Early Works For Me If It Works For You II, which will feature unfinished instrumental tracks from when he was working on Life Is Full Of Possibilities in 1998-2001, to be released on Phthalo. He released his newest full-length LP, titled "Dumb Luck" on April 24, 2007. "Dumb Luck" is his first LP on Sub Pop records.
I'd like to know
Dntel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you came a long way but your eyes won´t tell.
I started to talk cause i wanted to know is it grass that greening or is bird that´s here?
I´d like to know, I ´d really like to know
The starridge may strangle as planning make proud every seemed too much you kept her inside
you kept her inside
I´d like to know, I ´d really like to know
I´d like to know, I ´d really like to know
The lyrics of Dntel's song "I'd like to know" seem to be about trying to understand the truth behind someone's stories and experiences. The first line, "The truth is underneath the stories yet to tell," suggests that there is more to the person's narrative than what has been said so far. The next line, "You came a long way but your eyes won't tell," implies that the person has been through a lot, perhaps even trauma, but is not revealing it through their expressions. The singer of the song then asks a question, "Is it grass that greening or is bird that´s here?", which seems to be a metaphor for trying to determine the cause behind the person's growth or presence in their life.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "I'd like to know" multiple times, emphasizing the singer's desire to understand the person and their story. The next verse mentions "starridge," which is not a commonly known word and may be a play on "starage," referring to the act of storing or hoarding stars. This could be interpreted as the person holding onto their experiences and not sharing them. The line "Planning make proud every seemed too much you kept her inside" suggests that the person has been repressing their emotions due to societal pressure to appear strong and put together. The chorus repeats again, with the same longing for understanding.
Overall, the lyrics of "I'd like to know" seem to express a desire for deeper connection and understanding with another person, and an acknowledgment that sometimes there is much more underneath the surface.
Line by Line Meaning
The truth is underneath the stories yet to tell
There is hidden truth that lies beneath the stories that have not yet been shared.
You came a long way but your eyes won´t tell.
Although you have come a long way, your eyes do not reveal any information about your journey.
I started to talk cause i wanted to know is it grass that greening or is bird that´s here?
I began talking because I wanted to know whether it was the grass that was turning green or if there was a bird present.
I´d like to know, I ´d really like to know
The artist expresses a strong desire to gain the knowledge they seek.
The starridge may strangle as planning make proud every seemed too much you kept her inside
The artist suggests that too much planning and being too proud can harm a relationship, as evidenced by the fact that the partner has been kept inside.
You kept her inside
The singer emphasizes the fact that the partner has been kept inside.
I´d like to know, I ´d really like to know
The singer reiterates their desire for knowledge.
I´d like to know, I ´d really like to know
The artist reiterates their desire for knowledge.
Contributed by Oliver O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.