The group initally formed to compete in the National Campus Band Competition in 1997. Temperley and Quartermain were already in a band at the time, Freud's Pillow, but had met with little success and asked Temperley's childhood friend MacLeod to form a new band, which became Eskimo Joe. The band ended up winning the competition prize: a slot at the 1997 Livid Festival and a session in a studio to record their first EP, Sweater. The title track became so successful on national broadcaster Triple J, it gained much airplay and featured in the Hottest 100 of 1998. A second EP Eskimo Joe followed up in 1999.
Later in 1999, Eskimo Joe was signed on to Modular and in 2001, their debut album Girl, which went gold. After splitting with Modular, they signed a new contract with Mushroom in 2002, releasing sophomore album A Song is a City in 2004. The album went double-platinum and earned the group Best Artist the following year.
Settling down for six weeks over Christmas in 2005, the noticeably darker album Black Fingernails Red Wine, was recorded and released the following June, debuting at number one on the ARIA charts and later going platinum. The band (jokingly) described the album as their "stadium rock" record and headed out on extensive touring around the country, including a stint at Live Earth in Sydney.
The band eventually went on to tour the globe, with trips around the US and Europe, before recording their fourth album, Inshalla, in Byron Bay. The album was released in May 2009 and topped the charts at number one in the ARIA album charts. It explores a very different sound for Eskimo Joe, with lead singer Temperley saying the band were a stage where they wanted to do something different musically and also in their personal lives.
A Song Is a City
Eskimo Joe Lyrics
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With a few things on his mind
He's been talking with the ones
With the ones that he loves
Tell me who is gonna pay
I'm so anxious I don't know
You can see it on their face
And he takes his time
Yeh he takes his time
No one ever, ever gonna mind
I don't care what the future holds
All I know is that I'm getting old
I think I've had an affair
At least that's what they call it these days
And it wasn't very fair
To the ones that I love
Well I just pushed her away
There was nothing I could say
Now I hang myself each night
With this noose that I built
And he takes his time yeah he takes his time
No one ever, ever gonna mind
I don't care what the future holds
All that I know is that I'm getting old
The lyrics to Eskimo Joe's song A Song Is a City describe a man who is going through a difficult time in his life. He is walking in the park with a lot on his mind and has been talking with the ones he loves, likely seeking comfort or reassurance in their presence. However, he is also plagued with anxiety and uncertainty, not knowing who will take responsibility for the issues at hand. This sense of uncertainty is evident on the faces of those around him as well, highlighting the toll that the situation is taking on everyone.
The second verse delves deeper into the man's problems, with him admitting to having had an affair and feeling guilty for hurting the people he loves. He explains that he pushed the other woman away, but the damage has already been done. The last line, "With this noose that I built," is a powerful metaphor for how he feels trapped and unable to escape the consequences of his actions.
Throughout the song, the repeated phrase "And he takes his time" suggests that the man is trying to process everything that is happening and make sense of his situation. He is not rushing into anything, but rather taking his time to consider his options and how to move forward. The song's final line, "All that I know is that I'm getting old," further emphasizes the man's feelings of mortality and the need to make important decisions before time runs out.
Line by Line Meaning
See him walking in the park
The singer sees a man in the park
With a few things on his mind
The man is preoccupied with some thoughts
He's been talking with the ones
He has been conversing with his loved ones
With the ones that he loves
He is discussing his thoughts with the people he cares about
Tell me who is gonna pay
The man wonders who will take responsibility for something
I'm so anxious I don't know
He feels nervous and worried
You can see it on their face
The anxiety is apparent in others' expressions
As it takes its toll
The emotional strain is becoming more difficult to bear
And he takes his time
The man moves at his own pace
Yeh he takes his time
He is in no rush
No one ever, ever gonna mind
No one will care how long he takes
I don't care what the future holds
The man is not concerned with the unknown future
All I know is that I'm getting old
He is aware of his aging
I think I've had an affair
He believes he has been unfaithful
At least that's what they call it these days
Infidelity is a conventional term now
And it wasn't very fair
He realizes that his behavior was wrong
To the ones that I love
His actions hurt the people he cares about
Well I just pushed her away
He has distanced himself from someone he had feelings for
There was nothing I could say
He feels helpless to explain or rationalize his behavior
Now I hang myself each night
He torments himself mentally and emotionally
With this noose that I built
It is a self-constructed burden weighing on him
And he takes his time yeah he takes his time
He continues to move at his own pace
No one ever, ever gonna mind
He will not face any repercussions for his slow approach
I don't care what the future holds
He is still unconcerned with the unpredictable future
All that I know is that I'm getting old
He is steadily aging whether he likes it or not
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: FINLAY TEMPERLEY BEATON, JOEL PETER QUARTERMAIN, STUART LESLIE MACLEOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind