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) .
Safe Without
Interpol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
there's so much to feel, so much to gain
My higher reason will take pain
I'll be okay, I've got my shapes
We are not alone, we share our stake
And I think the winter will be wonderful
I am safe without it
I am safe without
Go alone, we'll spread the chase
To all the roller copter way
There's no allegiance left to take
These great big sheets disintegrate
You know water, you know water
I am safe without it
I am safe without it
I am safe without
I am safe without it
I am safe without it
I am safe without
I am safe without it
I am safe without it
I am safe without
I am safe without it
I am safe without it
I am safe without
I am safe without it
I am safe without it
But I feel all this way
Feel this way
As I heel I heal
I'll do it again
Over and over and over and over
Interpol's "Safe Without" is a complex song about perspective and empowerment. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics, with lead singer Paul Banks admitting that he is not the immediate hero who rushes to save the day. Instead, he recognizes the enormity of situations and the necessity of feeling fully before moving toward those feelings in any effective way. "There's so much to feel, so much to gain," he acknowledges, perhaps suggesting that pushing aside complicated emotions can be detrimental in the long run.
However, Banks ultimately comes down on the side of finding inner strength and feeling "safe without it." In fact, the chorus of the song repeats this refrain multiple times, emphasizing the idea that we don't always need external validation or strength to overcome life's obstacles. The lyrics speak to the importance of self-care and self-love, even in the face of adversity.
The final lines of the song ("But I feel all this way/Feel this way/As I heel I heal/I'll do it again/Over and over and over and over") are perhaps the most poignant. Here, Banks seems to recognize that healing is not a one-time event, but a process that must be returned to constantly. The circular repetition of "over and over and over" underscores the cyclical nature of growth and healing--it's never simple or straightforward, but taking the time to feel and reflect will ultimately lead to a stronger sense of self.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not the hero out the gate
I am not courageous from the beginning
there's so much to feel, so much to gain
There are many emotions and experiences to be had
My higher reason will take pain
I will use my intellect to cope with adversity
I'll be okay, I've got my shapes
I will be fine because I have my routines or coping mechanisms
We are not alone, we share our stake
We are not isolated, we are invested together
And I think the winter will be wonderful
Despite difficulties, I am optimistic about the future
I am safe without it
I do not need this thing to feel safe
Go alone, we'll spread the chase
I am willing to pursue my desires independently
To all the roller copter way
Along every twist and turn
There's no allegiance left to take
There is no more loyalty or fealty to be pledged
These great big sheets disintegrate
The large facades or covers created will eventually fall apart
You know water, you know water
You are familiar with the nature and movement of water
But I feel all this way
I am experiencing all of these emotions
Feel this way
I am feeling a specific way
As I heel I heal
As I physically recover, I also emotionally recover
I'll do it again
I will go through this process again
Over and over and over and over
Repeatedly
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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