The band's sound is generally a mix of staccato bass and rhythmic, harmonized guitar, with a snare heavy mix, drawing comparisons to post-punk bands such as Joy Division and The Chameleons.
The band formed in 1997 when Daniel Kessler met drummer Greg Drudy, previously a member of post-hardcore/screamo band Joshua Fit For Battle and Hot Cross, on the New York University campus. Kessler later added Carlos D. on the bass after meeting him in a history class. The line-up was complete after Kessler ran into Paul Banks, a friend whom he had met in Paris. In 2000, Sam Fogarino, whom the band knew through his job at a local record store, replaced Drudy. Carlos Dengler, who was responsible for bass and keyboards, left the band in 2010, and hasn't been replaced, but announced various names to help them perform live.
The band released Direction on the soundtrack of the television program 'Six Feet Under' on June 28, 2005. Shortly thereafter they left Matador for a major label.
Our Love to Admire was released on July 10, 2007 in the USA (July 9 in the UK) to generally favorable reviews. The Heinrich Maneuver was its first single.
Their self-titled LP was released on September 7th 2010 and the tracks Barricade , Summer Well , Lights , and Try It On have been issued as singles. After this album, the bassist Carlos Dengler has lefted the band.
El Pintor is the fifth Interpol's album and was released in September 8th 2014 with 5 singles, All the Rage Back Home, Ancient Ways. My Desire, Anywhere and Everything is Wrong. The album's name is an anagram for Interpol.
The last 2 Interpol's albums are Marauder (2018) and The Other Side of Make-Believe (2022) .
Hands Away
Interpol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will you be my man?
Serve it up, don't wait
Let's see about this ham
Oh, what happened?
Oh, what happened?
Home spun desperation's knowing
Inside your cover's always blown
The song "Hands Away" by Interpol is a twisted love song that follows the singer as he tries to get closer to his lover. The opening lines indicate his desire for physical contact with his partner: "Will you put my hands away?/Will you be my man?" He wants to know if his partner is committed to him and if they will take their relationship a step further.
The next few lines, "Serve it up, don't wait/Let's see about this ham," suggest that the singer is hungry for love and wants his partner to 'serve it up' or show him affection. The imagery of the ham is quite interesting as it can be interpreted as something he is trying to grab or hold on to - much like his desire for love.
The chorus, "Oh, what happened?/Oh, what happened?" seems to suggest that the singer is always questioning what went wrong in his relationship, perhaps indicating that there is some kind of rift between him and his partner. The final lines of the song, "Home spun desperation's knowing/Inside your cover's always blown" are a bit more abstract. The term "home spun" could be interpreted as something that is unrefined, while "desperation's knowing" suggests a longing for something that may not be possible. The final line suggests that his partner's 'cover' - possibly a metaphor for her true feelings - is always 'blown', revealing her true self.
Line by Line Meaning
Will you put my hands away?
Can you please relieve me of the burden of dealing with this problem?
Will you be my man?
Can you be the one who helps me out and takes charge?
Serve it up, don't wait
Do what needs to be done right now without any delay
Let's see about this ham
Let's take action and try to solve this particular issue
Oh, what happened?
What went wrong or caused the situation to escalate?
Oh, what happened?
What went wrong or caused the situation to escalate?
Home spun desperation's knowing
The desperate feeling comes from deep within and is not something that can be easily ignored
Inside your cover's always blown
You can't hide your true emotions or motivations no matter how hard you try
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Carlos Dengler, Daniel Kessler, Samuel Fogarino, Paul Banks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind