Joan of Arc were known for their use of electronics, samples, and multi-track recordings in their songs - some songs on The Gap contained over 100 tracks - although recently they have been writing in more traditional terms.
Their lyrics and cover art are considered highly conceptual and often abstract to the point of listener confoundment. For example, the album Live in Chicago, 1999 is not a live album - it is a reference to the fact that that the band lived in Chicago in the year 1999 while the artwork throughout the booklet recreates founder of French New Wave cinema, Jean Luc Goddard's Weekend.
Members of Joan of Arc have been in many other bands including caP'n Jazz, Friend/Enemy, American Football, Owls, Ghosts and Vodka, Everyoned, and most recently Make Believe and Sharks and Seals.
Singer Tim Kinsella has been the only permanent member of the group; he has also recorded as a solo artist. Other members of the band include: Sam Zurick, Mike Kinsella, Nate Kinsella, Bobby Burg, Amy Cargill, Jeremy Boyle, Ben Vida, Cale Parks, Matt Clark, Todd Mattei, etc.
On September 23, 2020, the band announced their final studio album titled Tim Melina Theo Bobby, which was released on December 4, 2020.
Band's official website: http://www.joanfrc.com/
The Evidence
Joan of Arc Lyrics
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Trial tribulation.
Locks and keys and one way streets.
Schedules and game plans.
Mouth to mouth and hand to hand.
Asystematic disciplines of expressing understanding.
We're all that we're offered me
This is the evidence.
This song bears witness to the total science.
This song bears witness to the total science.
Heart to soft or soft to go
Heart to soft or soft to go
Heart to soft or soft to go
If you're outside the angle,
If you're outside the jargon,
You talk behind the system
And you're talking out of turn.
I've got my calculus.
I've got my algebra.
I've got my scopic monitors
And i've got my own.
I've gone figuring.
I've gone ciphering.
I've gone recording and reporting.
Here are my findings.
This is the evidence.
This song bears witness to the total science.
This song bears witness to total science.
Heart to soft or soft to go
Heart to soft or soft to go
Heart to soft or soft to go
Heart to soft or soft to go
The cover tracks event invisible regime.
Perhaps they tell me what to sing.
The cover tracks event invisible regime.
Perhaps they tell me what to sing.
The cover tracks event invisible regime.
Perhaps they tell me what to sing.
Perhaps they tell me how to sing.
Perhaps they tell me how to sing.
The song "The Evidence" by Joan of Arc is a commentary on the systematic and often oppressive nature of society. The lyrics suggest that people are judged and condemned based on their adherence to schedules, game plans, and one-way streets, all of which represent the rigid structure of society. The song acknowledges the difficulty in expressing oneself within these constraints, but suggests that there is a science to it, including calculus, algebra, and monitoring. The lyrics suggest that the singer has figured out how to navigate this system and is now reporting on it.
The chorus of the song, "Here are my findings, this is the evidence," implies that the singer has conducted some kind of investigation, and the evidence is their conclusion. The repeated phrase "Heart to soft or soft to go" suggests that the singer is trying to find some kind of emotional balance between the hardness of the system and the softness of their own heart. The final lines of the song suggest that even though the singer has found a way to express themselves within the system, there is still a sense of control being exerted over them, as though they are being told what to sing and how to sing it.
Overall, "The Evidence" is a commentary on the oppressive nature of society and the difficulty of expressing oneself within it. The song suggests that there is a science to this expression, but even when one has figured out the system, there is still a sense of control being exerted.
Line by Line Meaning
Judgement condemnation.
The harsh judgement and condemnation that Joan of Arc experienced.
Trial tribulation.
The difficulty and trouble of her trial and tribulation.
Locks and keys and one way streets.
The restrictions and limitations that were placed on her.
Schedules and game plans.
The strict schedules and plans that were made for her.
Mouth to mouth and hand to hand.
The ways in which people communicated with her and helped her.
Asystematic disciplines of expressing understanding.
The disciplined ways she expressed her understanding, even if they were not conventional.
We're all that we're offered me
We are only given what is offered to us.
Here are my findings.
Presenting the results of her calculations and recordings.
This is the evidence.
This is what she has discovered.
This song bears witness to the total science.
This song is a testimony to the knowledge she has acquired.
Heart to soft or soft to go
The contrast between her heart and her vulnerability, either capable of being soft or hardening.
If you're outside the angle,
If you are not familiar with the correct angle or perspective,
If you're outside the jargon,
If you are not familiar with the terminology,
You talk behind the system
Speakers who are not in line with the system.
And you're talking out of turn.
Speaking up in the wrong time or place.
I've got my calculus.
She utilized her knowledge of mathematics,
I've got my algebra.
She applied her knowledge of algebra.
I've got my scopic monitors
She has ways to monitor and observe others.
And i've got my own.
She has her own methods for keeping track.
I've gone figuring.
This is how she figures things out and makes her discoveries.
I've gone ciphering.
This is how she deciphers things and makes sense of them.
I've gone recording and reporting.
Finally, this is how her efforts are documented.
The cover tracks event invisible regime.
Unknown authorities have obscured the details and kept a regime unnoticeable.
Perhaps they tell me what to sing.
Maybe they dictate what she should sing.
Perhaps they tell me how to sing.
Maybe they instruct her how to sing.
Contributed by Bella T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.