Their songs are notable for their male/female vocal harmony, shifting rhythms, and quirky song structure- most tracks are composed of multiple distinct, almost disjointed movements. Both members sing with great intensity, often in the upper ranges of their voices, and often sing different (yet complementary) melodies simultaneously. Tempos are nearly always fast, with beats often resembling those found in electronic club or dance music.
The main instruments used by the band are drums and electric organ. Although both members started out playing the guitar, they found they ended up fooling around with the organ and drums in their practice space more often than with more traditional instruments.
The band recorded one album on Omnibus Records before moving to Polyvinyl Record Company for their second and third full-lengths. They have also released five 7-inch singles and two EPs. In December 2005, the band signed with Barsuk and since have released an album entitled Bring It Back. In May 2008, they released the album Re-Arrange Us.
My Only Offer
Mates of State Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
2 kids, 2 car delight
Posed pictures on the walls
Small talk in the bedroom halls
Can't make it home tonight
Go sleep but leave the light
I pretend to make a call
Loose talk in bedroom stalls
Oh, oh, oh is my only offer
Stifle copies of myself
Oh, oh, oh or someone else
My friends they all agree
Give in to our defeat
In secret we believe
We're nothing, nothing, nothing that we need
Oh, oh, oh is my only offer
Stifle copies of myself
Oh, oh, oh or someone else
I always wanted to be the face in front of me
Debating a life sucked out the energy
build up a wall made out of finer things
Piled it high so we could barely see it
Oh, oh, oh is my only offer
Stifle copies of myself
Oh, oh, oh is all I have to offer
The lyrics of Mates of State's "My Only Offer" convey the disillusionment and resignation that can result from conforming to societal norms and expectations. The song begins with the lines "Bought a home we bartered right / 2 kids, 2 car delight / Posed pictures on the walls / Small talk in the bedroom halls", painting a picture of a comfortable, middle-class lifestyle that the singer has acquired through conformity. However, this lifestyle has not brought fulfillment, as evidenced by the line "In secret we believe / We're nothing, nothing, nothing that we need". The singer is grappling with a sense of emptiness and the realization that this cookie-cutter existence may not be what they truly want.
The chorus of the song, which repeats the lines "Oh, oh, oh is my only offer / Stifle copies of myself / Oh, oh, oh or someone else", seems to suggest that the singer feels stuck in this life and doesn't know how to break free. They feel as though they are only able to offer a version of themselves that has been stifled and molded by societal expectations. The line "I always wanted to be the face in front of me / Debating a life sucked out the energy" highlights the singer's desire for something more meaningful and authentic, but they feel trapped and unable to achieve it.
Overall, "My Only Offer" is a poignant exploration of the ennui and emptiness that can result from pursuing conventional notions of success and happiness. The singer is grappling with the realization that the life they've built isn't satisfying, but they don't know how to escape it. The song is a reminder of the importance of staying true to oneself and not getting caught up in societal pressures and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Bought a home we bartered right
We acquired a residence through a negotiated deal
2 kids, 2 car delight
We have two children and two cars, which makes us feel content
Posed pictures on the walls
We have hung pictures on the walls to make the space more homey
Small talk in the bedroom halls
We make light conversation with each other in the halls of our home
Can't make it home tonight
I won't be able to make it home tonight
Go sleep but leave the light
You should go to sleep, but leave a light on for me
I pretend to make a call
I'm pretending to make a phone call as an excuse for not coming home
Loose talk in bedroom stalls
We engage in casual conversation in the privacy of our bedroom
Oh, oh, oh is my only offer
My love and devotion is all I have to give
Stifle copies of myself
I'm repressing parts of my personality to fit into societal norms
Or someone else
I wonder if there's someone else out there who I could be with
My friends they all agree
My friends share my perspective on this issue
Give in to our defeat
We've surrendered to the fact that our relationship isn't perfect
In secret we believe
Deep down, we both know that we're not right for each other
We're nothing, nothing, nothing that we need
We can't provide each other with what we truly desire
I always wanted to be the face in front of me
I used to dream of finding my ideal partner
Debating a life sucked out the energy
Disagreeing about our life together has drained us both
build up a wall made out of finer things
We've tried to compensate for our issues by indulging in material possessions
Piled it high so we could barely see it
We've piled the distractions so high that we've lost sight of what's really important
Oh, oh, oh is my only offer
Despite our problems, my love is all I have to give
Stifle copies of myself
I'm still suppressing my true self to maintain a facade
Oh, oh, oh is all I have to offer
I don't have anything else to offer other than my love
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jason Edward Hammel, Kori Gardner Hammel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
gthrift27
I've been listening to this band literally all my life. I have dozens of memories of my mother putting their first couple albums on in the car when I was little. This makes it to the soundtrack of my life.
BR
This was a really, really great album.
John Daniel
Yes it was...it's actually the only album of theirs I can stand, I find all their other stuff too weird, but I love this album
Charlotte Borland
this is possibly my favourite song ever, it was the first of theirs i'd heard and made me love them ;) the bridge is amazing.
Stephen Samson
This is like my FAVORITE song ever. I've been listining to it on repeet for like 3 days now. SOOO good.
Caliper Jones
Beautifully painful song of how “life” takes it’s toll on a relationship. I’ve lived it and I’m thankful we made it out on the other side. You become so good at living that you forget what you are living for.
Hayley Moritz
I saw them live last night, and I realized how amazing they really are. man, I love them
GORILA910 __
I was front row when you guys opened for Death Cab in Oregon, 2006 when I was 15. Could never remember your name, but I finally found you again and its just as I remember. One of the best shows I have ever been to.
torchiest
Such a beautiful song. I've been listening to MoS for more than a decade, so glad to see them continuing to do well for themselves. They just come across as wonderful people you'd want to hang out with.
mitch
“If you could do anything to remedy this situation, what would it be?”
“To go somewhere where no one could find me.”