Mobius Band was an electronic rock trio, based in Brooklyn, NY and signed t… Read Full Bio ↴Mobius Band was an electronic rock trio, based in Brooklyn, NY and signed to Ghostly International. The band began when members Noam Schatz, Ben Sterling and Peter Sax met as students at Wesleyan University. After graduation, they moved to Shutesbury, Massachusetts to hone their sound. Following the self-released and mostly instrumental EPs One, Two, and Three, Mobius Band were signed to Ann Arbor, Michigan’s Ghostly International in 2004, becoming the electronic label’s first rock-based act.

Their first Ghostly release was the City Vs. Country EP in March 2005, which earned critical acclaim for its fusion of pop songs with electronic flourishes, paralleling the work of contemporaries like The Notwist and The Postal Service. The first Mobius Band full-length is August 2005’s The Loving Sounds of Static, which takes the ideas of City Vs Country further, adding a lyrical focus on coming of age and disillusionment with modern America.

Mobius Band's second full-length album, Heaven, was released on October 2, 2007 by Misra Records and Ghostly International.

Detach
Mobius Band Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I see it happening
Again and again
We're young and heartless in our way
But you just never say it
But dear, this crutch of old age
Is not enough

And I won’t lie

If it’s all
What you want
And nothing more
I won’t crush
Your lonely days

You sleep on a subway car
When the day is not long enough to wander
So let’s turn ignore into stone
And alchemize ourselves into something else
It’s all a game we play
But you just never say it

Taking sides
That’s not right
Telling lies
Telling lies

But I know that
I know that

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mobius Band's "Detach" explore the theme of detachment and the feeling of being disconnected from oneself and others. The opening lines "I see it happening, again and again" suggest that the singer has observed this detachment repeatedly. The second line "We're young and heartless in our way" suggests that this may be a common experience for the youth who struggle with balancing the desire to assert independence while also yearning for connection.

The third line "But you just never say it" could represent a partner who struggles to communicate their emotions, leading to misunderstandings and growing detachment. When the singer admits, "If it’s all what you want and nothing more, I won’t crush your lonely days", it suggests they may be aware of their partner's emotional limitations and are willing to meet them halfway, but not without a cost. The lyrics continue to describe the difficulties of communication and the games we play to avoid facing our emotions.

The lines "You sleep on a subway car when the day is not long enough to wander" illustrates how the singer's partner retreats in isolation, further emphasizing the theme of detachment. However, despite the challenges, the song offers a glimmer of hope. The final line, "But I know that, I know that" suggests that despite the difficulties, the singer has an inner knowing that they will overcome their detachment and find a way to connect.

Line by Line Meaning

I see it happening
I notice it happening

Again and again
Repeating itself

We're young and heartless in our way
We are young and lacking compassion

But you just never say it
Although you know it but never say it out loud

But dear, this crutch of old age Is not enough
Our current coping mechanism is not enough

And I won’t lie
I will be truthful

If it’s all What you want And nothing more
If this is all you want, and nothing else

I won’t crush Your lonely days
I won't destroy your lonely days

You sleep on a subway car
You sleep on the subway car

When the day is not long enough to wander
When the day isn't long enough for wandering

So let’s turn ignore into stone
Let's turn negligence into something substantial