GoodBooks was an English indie rock band originating from Sevenoaks, Kent. … Read Full Bio ↴GoodBooks was an English indie rock band originating from Sevenoaks, Kent. They first received media attention upon releasing their self-published EP Valves and Robots in June 2005. The band signed to Transgressive Records in late-2005 for one single and released "Walk With Me" in April, before being snapped up by Columbia Records shortly after. GoodBooks disbanded after their last gig on 28 June 2009.

GoodBooks' evolution began when Max and Leo started doing Beatles covers in their attic when they were 8 and Max’s mum used to teach Chris at primary school. It took till 2001 for the band to take shape when at Sevenoaks School in Kent, Max and Leo came together with Chris and JP to form The Fingerprints. The Fingerprints set about their musical career by self-recording two albums; Cards on the Table, Clothes on the Floor and Miranda. Tracks such as "Tangerine" appeared on local radio stations such as BBC Radio Kent and KMFM. The band also started gigging locally in the South-East during this time, with regular gigs at the Tunbridge Wells Forum helping them to develop a modest regional fanbase, even performing in front of 8,000 people on one eventful Christmas.

The Fingerprints disbanded in late 2004 when their then-bassist left. The band decided to continue as a four piece and on the day of their first rehearsal "Walk With Me" was created. The band continued to write more songs but this time they had a maturer more electronic-influenced sounds. The sessions created tracks from the Valves and Robots EP such as "Passchendaele" and "Isabella" which not only became fan favourites but impressed influential members of the industry and in late 2005 the band signed a deal for a one-off single with indie label Transgressive Records.

The following months saw GoodBooks establishing their place within the UK alternative scene on a wider scale with gigs all over the country, notably supporting Art Brut and a gig with The Magic Numbers in Sweden. "Walk With Me" was rerecorded and was released as the band's debut single on Transgressive on 3 April 2006 on 7" vinyl and cassette only (one of only a very small number of cassette singles released that year). The video was shown on MTV2 and NME awarded it Runner-Up in its track of the week section, proclaiming GoodBooks "the best new band in Britain".

The band were approached by Columbia Records at the start of 2006 and signed a deal in May, releasing the singles "Turn it Back" and "Leni" in the second half of 2006 as well as making important and well-received performances at the Carling Reading and Leeds Festivals and the Truck Festival and their debut album, Control, was released on 30 July 2007 in the UK. The band maintained a Myspace page with updates on their progress. This page reported that their second album, working title "Cry Of The Hunters" was completed and would be released in Summer 2009. NME claimed that this would occur on the 4th of May, although the album has yet to be released.

GoodBooks disbanded after Glastonbury 2009, where they played their last set on the John Peel Stage on 28 June 2009.

Band Members:

Max Cooke - vocals, guitar
Chris Porter - vocals, bass
JP Duncan - keys
Leo von Bülow-Quirk - drums

Walk With Me
GoodBooks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I don't go down to the park
I don't go down after dark
I don't go down on my own
I can't bear to be alone

Tell the heathen I believe in everything they say
Wake the sleeping, time is keeping demons far away
I've been thinking about getting out of here

Everybody knows the way
Everybody wants to be the same
Everybody plays the game
You see the way they stand out in the rain
Looking for an antidote
Looking for a fix to numb the pain
But I can only turn away
In despair

You won't see me in a crowd
You won't catch me being loud
I can't breathe, no time to grieve
I need to get away
I've been thinking about getting out of here
I've been thinking about--

Everybody knows the way
Everybody wants to be the same
Everybody plays the game
You see the way they stand out in the rain
Looking for an antidote
Looking for a fix to numb the pain
But I can only turn away
In despair

Oh come on, walk with me
I want you to walk with me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to GoodBooks's song "Walk with Me" are about the singer's isolation and desire to escape from the suffocating conformity of society. The singer expresses their reluctance to go out alone, as they cannot bear to be left with their thoughts. However, they are also aware that their isolation has prevented them from experiencing the world around them fully. They urge the "heathen" to share their knowledge and awaken the "sleeping" to the demons that are keeping them from experiencing true freedom.

The singer acknowledges that society is filled with individuals who all want to fit in and conform. They describe the futility of searching for something to numb the pain and fix the problems they face. The singer highlights the absurdity of society's desire for a fix by saying, "Looking for an antidote, looking for a fix to numb the pain, but I can only turn away in despair." The lyrics urge individuals to break free and walk away from the crowd. The singer offers the invitation for the listener to walk with them, as they themselves seek to escape their isolation and find solace in the knowledge of others.

Overall, the lyrics to "Walk with Me" convey a sense of longing for freedom, a desire to break free from society's standards, and the need for human connection. The song expresses the struggle many face in finding their place in the world, and the importance of turning to others for guidance and companionship.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't go down to the park
I don't visit public places for recreation

I don't go down after dark
I don't go outside when it's nighttime

I don't go down on my own
I don't go anywhere alone

I can't bear to be alone
I don't like being by myself

Tell the heathen I believe in everything they say
Convey to the non-believers that I accept what they say

Wake the sleeping, time is keeping demons far away
Rouse those who are unaware, because time helps to prevent evil spirits

I've been thinking about getting out of here
I've considered leaving this place

Everybody knows the way
All people are familiar with the path

Everybody wants to be the same
Everyone desires uniformity

Everybody plays the game
Everyone participates in this competition

You see the way they stand out in the rain
You witness how they position themselves in inclement weather