Through a chance encounter at a Portuguese festival in Lisbon (Lisboa Soundz 2006), where both Amarante (Singer/Guitarist of Los Hermanos) and Moretti (drummer of The Strokes) had performed, the two chatted well through the night and into the morning by the side of the river, humoring the idea of working together on music that had no affiliation to their particular bands.
A year later, Amarante traveled to the United States to record with Devendra Banhart on his Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon album. On the off hours of an arduous recording process, Amarante would meet with Moretti to discuss anything but music.
Binki Shapiro, musician and native of Los Angeles, was introduced to the pair through mutual acquaintances and became a fast friend, encouraging the two to focus on the music they had spoken of long before. Through the process of late night “show-and-tell” the three developed and arranged songs Moretti had begun and soon after started writing original music for the group as a band.
A couple of months later they all moved into a house in Echo Park to demo songs and soon after, with the help of producer Noah Georgeson, who had recorded Banhart’s album, they finished their self-titled debut, Little Joy, named after the cocktail lounge just down the street from their home.
Little Joy was released worldwide by Rough Trade Records, a division of The Beggar’s Group, on Nov. 4th, 2008.
Shoulder To Shoulder
Little Joy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He, she, you, me, it's all just circumstance
Eager, hopeful, content to play the friend
Timid advances with mutual regret
She can't always be wrong, he can't always be right
Not a matter of choice, just a matter of time
Till they know where they stand once they've reached the end
Awkward choices with smiles from ear to ear
A faded union that won't survive the years
Timeless series of blameless accidents
Oh, the stubborn cycle of inherited mistakes
She can't always be wrong, he can't always be right
Not a matter of choice, just a matter of time
Till they know where they stand once they've reached the end
I'll be mine where I place my drafts
When the desert ends, I'll ask the dust
I'll be mine where I place my drafts
When the desert ends, I ask the dust
The lyrics to Little Joy's song "Shoulder to Shoulder" speak of a relationship between two people who are just going through the motions - they're together, but not necessarily moving forward. The first line, "shoulder to shoulder, amused but not advanced," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is observing this relationship and sees how it's filled with "timid advances with mutual regret." Essentially, the two people are interested in each other but too afraid to make a move.
As the song continues, there's a sense of inevitability that this relationship won't last. The singer sings, "timeless series of blameless accidents," which speaks to the idea that things just keep happening, and they can't be blamed for the mistakes that lead to the downfall of the relationship.
Despite the tension between the two people, there's still a sense of hope. The line "not a matter of choice, just a matter of time" implies that one day they'll figure out where they stand with each other. It may not happen right away, but eventually they'll come to a conclusion.
The final lines of the song, "I'll be mine where I place my drafts / When the desert ends, I'll ask the dust," speak to the idea of moving on. The singer is saying that when things go wrong, they'll find their own way - they won't wait for someone else to fix things. The line "when the desert ends, I'll ask the dust" is particularly poignant because it speaks to the idea that in a relationship, everything can feel barren and dusty, but eventually, growth can happen.
Overall, "Shoulder to Shoulder" speaks to the idea of two people who want to be together but are held back by their own hesitations. It's a common theme in relationships, and Little Joy does an excellent job of capturing the tension and uncertainty that often comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Shoulder to shoulder, amused but not advanced
They stand together but neither is making any progress in their relationship, just finding amusement in each other's company.
He, she, you, me, it's all just circumstance
Their relationship is determined by chance and circumstance rather than anything intentional or meaningful.
Eager, hopeful, content to play the friend
They are both eager and hopeful for something more, but they're settling for being just friends because they're too timid to take things further.
Timid advances with mutual regret
They both want more but are too scared to make any real moves, and regret not acting on their feelings.
She can't always be wrong, he can't always be right
Neither of them is always right or wrong - their situation is more complex than that.
Not a matter of choice, just a matter of time
Their situation is not something they can control, it's just a matter of waiting for things to fall into place.
Till they know where they stand once they've reached the end
They'll only know where they truly stand once they've let things play out to their conclusion.
Awkward choices with smiles from ear to ear
They're making awkward choices while pretending everything is fine with forced smiles on their faces.
A faded union that won't survive the years
Their relationship is already fading and won't last in the long term.
Timeless series of blameless accidents
Their relationship is a product of various accidental events and situations, with no one to blame for its direction or outcome.
Oh, the stubborn cycle of inherited mistakes
Their relationship is stuck in a cyclical pattern of repeating the same mistakes that have been made in the past.
I'll be mine where I place my drafts / When the desert ends, I'll ask the dust
The singer will only find true satisfaction when they are able to find their own path and make their own fate, rather than relying on chance or circumstance.
Contributed by Andrew P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mohdazliibnuazam2357
Shoulder to shoulder, amused but not advanced
He, she, you, me, it's all just circumstance
Eager, hopeful, content to play the friend
Timid advances with mutual regret
She can't always be wrong, he can't always be right
Not a matter of choice, just a matter of time
Till they know where they stand once they've reached the end
Awkward choices with smiles from ear to ear
A faded union that won't survive the years
Timeless series of blameless accidents
Oh, the stubborn cycle of inherited mistakes
She can't always be wrong, he can't always be right
Not a matter of choice, just a matter of time
Till they know where they stand once they've reached the end
I'll be mine where I place my drafts
When the desert ends, I'll ask the dust
I'll be mine where I place my drafts
When the desert ends, I ask the dust
@kadev4741
Listening for over 10 years now
@joaovitorsantos3276
nunca vou deixar de ouvir isso...PQP muito bom!
@damissonsantos5033
I love this song. Eu gosto dessa música. Saudações paraenses.
@timmytoms__
Now here I am at 2 am......16 Jan 2019.
@goodolmegal
Lembro de ter comprado um celular Nokia que vinha tematizado com a smusicas dessa banda
@mohdazliibnuazam2357
Shoulder to shoulder, amused but not advanced
He, she, you, me, it's all just circumstance
Eager, hopeful, content to play the friend
Timid advances with mutual regret
She can't always be wrong, he can't always be right
Not a matter of choice, just a matter of time
Till they know where they stand once they've reached the end
Awkward choices with smiles from ear to ear
A faded union that won't survive the years
Timeless series of blameless accidents
Oh, the stubborn cycle of inherited mistakes
She can't always be wrong, he can't always be right
Not a matter of choice, just a matter of time
Till they know where they stand once they've reached the end
I'll be mine where I place my drafts
When the desert ends, I'll ask the dust
I'll be mine where I place my drafts
When the desert ends, I ask the dust
@andersoncastro2688
Um murro no fundo do coração
@nalkety
love it
@vitoriasales6696
O música pra me trazer paz ~
@almareyes2192
❤❤❤