The initial impulse behind McMahon’s new project Jack’s Mannequin was "Locked Doors", a song he recorded in December 2003, which he felt was too different from previous Something Corporate material to be one of their songs. He realized that, if he would ever decide to release it, it would be on a solo album rather than a Something Corporate record. The idea seemed to be off the table, until in late summer 2004 both McMahon and his band mates were exhausted from months of touring. They decided to take a temporary break. During his time off, McMahon started writing songs, knowing they would not see the light of day as Something Corporate songs. These songs were a more therapeutic approach McMahon took, and therefore a more personal and intimate testament of his songwriting.
Over the next couple of months, McMahon began recording the newly written songs with producer Jim Wirt, who would play guitar and bass over sampled drum tracks, while McMahon contributed vocals and piano. They later brought in additional musicians such as Bobby Anderson (formerly of River City High) and Tommy Lee to add to the mix. In March 2005, Jack’s Mannequin (now consisting of McMahon, Jon Sullivan on bass, Anderson and Jacques Brautbar on guitar and Jay McMillan on drums) played their first live show at Molly Malone’s Irish pub in Los Angeles, California.
Their debut album, Everything in Transit, was released on August 23, 2005 debuting at #37 of the Billboard 200 with over 22,000 copies scanned within its first week.
Everything in Transit received a positive response from fans and critics alike. A summer tour was scheduled to support the record release, but was canceled after McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and had a bone marrow transplant. The band began recording their second album in the summer of 2007. In August 2007, McMahon posted the lyrics to the song “Cellular Phone” on his blog,which the band played live at several shows in 2007 and 2008. Also, in February 2008, videos of live performances of two songs off the new record (“Caves” and “Suicide Blonde”) were uploaded onto YouTube for public viewing. McMahon appears on the cover of Alternative Press’s January 2008 issue, which contains an interview with him.
Their second album, The Glass Passenger, was released on September 30th, 2008, and is their first album with Sire Records. Despite numerous delays (the album was originally slated for release in April 2008) it has been well-received, and debuted #8 on the Billboard 200.
Previously, in August of 2008, The Ghost Overground EP was released exclusively on iTunes to promote the album, containing the songs "The Resolution", "Bloodshot", and two live performances of tracks from Everything in Transit. After the release of the EP, "The Resolution" topped the Billboard "Hot Singles Sales" charts.
Songfacts reports that "My Racing Thoughts," the first single from their third album People and Things, was released on August 2, 2011. People and Things was released October 4, 2011.
On the evening of the 24th August 2012, the official Jack's Mannequin website & official Twitter account were changed to www.andrewmcmahon.com & "amslingshots" respectively. A blog post on the official Andrew McMahon website confirmed that Jack's Mannequin were no longer & that Andrew would be working on solo material.
Into the Airwaves
Jack's Mannequin Lyrics
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As the cars pass by the liqour store
I deconstruct my thoughts at this piano
And it's all that I can do to stay with
All the things I didn't say to you
Before you moved across the country
And from the burning building where I lay
As I watch the stars become the day
They run the boardwalks and the beach
This fishbowl life is all they need
It's everything I needed, too
Until I heard the news
I'll send this message through the speakers
They told me that you moved
I'll cross this country on a frequency
I'm slipping through, I'm slipping through
I'm slipping into the airwaves
And this is nothing new, you are slipping through
My fingers and into the airwaves
The static's where you'll find me
From the corner by the studio
The gold-soaked afternoon comes slow
I deconstruct my thoughts and I am walking by
On Third Street, the freakshow thrives
Santa Monica's alive, but
Something's not so right inside
Living with the news
I'll send this message through the speakers
They told me that you moved
I'll cross this country on a frequency
I am slipping through, I am slipping through
I am slipping into the airwaves
(The static's where you'll find me)
And this is nothing new, you are slipping through
My fingers and into the airwaves
Into the airwaves
So hold on, it's gonna be hard day
So hang on, now. Don't panic
Don't panic, there simply is no need
It's gonna be a hard day
It's gonna be a hard day
Don't panic, don't panic
We are hanging here
We are hanging here
I am slipping through, I am slipping through
I am slipping into the airwaves
(The static's where you'll find me)
And this is nothing new, you are slipping through
My fingers and into the airwaves
Into the airwaves
It's gonna be a hard day
(It's gonna be a hard day)
So hang on, now
Don't panic, don't panic
There simply is no need
It's gonna be a hard day
(It's gonna be a hard day)
It's gonna be a hard day
Don't panic, don't panic
We are hanging here
(It's gonna be a hard day)
We are hanging here
(It's gonna be a hard day)
We are hanging here
We are hanging here
The lyrics of Jack's Mannequin's song "Into the Airwaves" tell a story of longing and separation. The singer is sitting in an empty room, playing the piano and reminiscing about someone who has moved across the country. The references to the cars passing by the liquor store and the burning building suggest a sense of detachment and loneliness. The lyrics also reference the L.A. girls, who seem to have a carefree and lively existence in contrast to the singer's experience.
The chorus repeats the line "I am slipping into the airwaves" and describes the singer's attempt to reach the person who has left through the power of music. The reference to "the static's where you'll find me" suggests that the connection between the two is difficult and fragile. The lyrics also contain a message of hope and resilience, with lines like "So hang on, now, don't panic, there simply is no need" and "We are hanging here."
Overall, the song conveys a sense of yearning and the power of music to bridge distances and emotional gaps.
Line by Line Meaning
From an empty room on the first floor
Starting from a lonely room on the ground floor
As the cars pass by the liqour store
While cars race past the store selling spirits
I deconstruct my thoughts at this piano
I analyze my mental state sitting at this piano
And it's all that I can do to stay with
It's the only option I have to hold it together
All the things I didn't say to you
All the unspoken feelings that I kept to myself
Before you moved across the country
Before you relocated to another side of the country
And from the burning building where I lay
And as I lay in the building engulfed by fire
As I watch the stars become the day
I witness the night sky transform into the morning
The L.A. girls were lacing up their sneakers
The girls of Los Angeles preparing for a run or workout
They run the boardwalks and the beach
They jog on the pavement and the sandy shore
This fishbowl life is all they need
The enclosed environment and lifestyle of this city suffices for them
It's everything I needed, too
I felt the same about it once
Until I heard the news
Until I received some unfortunate information
I'll send this message through the speakers
I'll communicate using the loudspeakers
They told me that you moved
They informed me of your relocation
I'll cross this country on a frequency
I'll traverse the nation using a radio wave signal
I'm slipping through, I'm slipping through
I'm passing through, I'm moving past
And this is nothing new, you are slipping through
This has happened before, you're slipping away
My fingers and into the airwaves
Escaping my grasp and disappearing into radio transmission
The static's where you'll find me
The fuzzy signal is where I belong
From the corner by the studio
From the street corner adjacent to the recording studio
The gold-soaked afternoon comes slow
The lavish evening progresses unhurriedly
I deconstruct my thoughts and I am walking by
I break down my emotions and ambulate simultaneously
On Third Street, the freakshow thrives
The bizarre exhibition flourishes on Third Street
Santa Monica's alive, but
Santa Monica has vitality, but
Something's not so right inside
Something's amiss internally
Living with the news
Coping with the news I've received
It's gonna be a hard day
It's going to be a challenging day
Don't panic, don't panic
Remain calm, don't worry
We are hanging here
We are staying put, enduring
Into the airwaves
Ventured into the world of radio transmission
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANDREW ROSS MCMAHON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind