The band's current configuration is Isaac Brock (vocals, guitar), Tom Peloso (strings, horns, bass, keyboards), Jim Fairchild (guitar), and Eric Judy (bass)). Plummer has recently become the new drummer for The Shins.
Brock came up with the name "Modest Mouse" when he read the Virginia Woolf stream of consciousness essay The Mark On the Wall in which the author described the working middle class as "modest mouse-coloured people"
Brock frequently moved around with his mother when he was a child. Around this time, his mother left his father for his father's brother (Brock's uncle). Brock's mother's house flooded and forced them to move into his mother's new husband's trailer, but there was no room for Brock. Brock stayed behind, living in the second story of the flooded house, until he was eventually evicted by police. He then moved into a shed next to his mother's house and it is said this is where Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green and bassist Eric Judy first began playing music.
In 1994, the band recorded their debut EP, Blue Cadet-3, Do You Connect?, at Calvin Johnson's Dub Narcotic Studios, which was then released on Calvin's record label K Records. Then followed a single with Sub Pop that was recorded by producer Steve Wold at Moon Studios. Wold, who in the mid-2000's would begin to perform under the name Seasick Steve, would also perform on the band's albums, but was never an official member of the band. After moving to Up Records Modest Mouse put out several releases recorded at Moon Studios, including 1996's This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About. This double LP was produced and recorded by Steve Wold. The next offering on UP was Interstate 8; also produced by Steve Wold. 1997's The Lonesome Crowded West, (also recorded at Moon Studios, by Scott Swayze) turned out to be the band's breakthrough album. The Lonesome Crowded West gained the band a cult following and is now widely considered by many critics to be one of the defining albums of mid-90s indie rock.
In 2000, Modest Mouse released The Moon And Antarctica, their first album on a major label (Epic Records). The band enjoyed some success on alternative radio with the singles "3rd Planet" and "Gravity Rides Everything." Lead singer Isaac Brock has since put out an album with his side project Ugly Casanova on Sub Pop Records.
In 2003, drummer Jeremiah Green quit the band; the official word was that he was quitting to work with his side project, Vells. He was replaced with two members, drummer Benjamin Weikel (who also drummed for The Helio Sequence) and guitarist Dann Gallucci (Murder City Devils). Weikel being new to the band and Gallucci returning to the band for the first time since This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About. On April 6, 2004, Modest Mouse released the platinum-selling Good News For People Who Love Bad News, which scored two hits with "Float On" and "Ocean Breathes Salty". In 2004 Jeremiah Green returned to the band, and Benjamin Weikel now drums exclusively for The Helio Sequence. Dann Gallucci left the band in August, and they toured with Hutch Harris of The Thermals during the fall of 2004.
Modest Mouse was mentioned by name in the 2005 Supreme Court decision in the case of MGM v. Grokster. Justice Souter wrote that on the Grokster P2P network, "Users seeking Top 40 songs, for example, or the latest release by Modest Mouse, are certain to be far more numerous than those seeking a free Decameron, and Grokster and StreamCast translated that demand into dollars."
In 2005, multi-instrumentalist Tom Peloso, who already played various instruments on Good News For People Who Love Bad News, officially joined the band. In 2006, Johnny Marr, former guitarist for The Smiths, became an official member of the band.
On March 20, 2007, the band released their fifth album, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. Four singles were released from the album: "Dashboard", "Missed the Boat", "We've Got Everything" and "Little Motel". The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. James Mercer of The Shins provides backing vocals on three songs.
In 2009, they released No One's First And You're Next, an EP of unreleased songs from around the time Good News and We Were Dead were recorded, and two songs that had already been released, "I've Got It All (Most)" and "King Rat". The video for King Rat was directed by late actor Heath Ledger.
In 2009, Johnny Marr left the band and was replaced by Jim Fairchild, formerly of Grandaddy. The band performed at several festivals throughout 2009 and 2010, including the main stage of the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2010.
After an 8 year wait, the band's latest full-length is "Strangers To Ourselves", released March 17th, 2015- two weeks after the original release date, March 3rd, 2015. The album art is an aerial photo of an RV resort located in Mesa, Arizona. Five singles were released before the album, "Lampshades on Fire", "Coyotes", "The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box", "The Best Room", and "Of Course we Know".
Drummer Jeremiah Green passed away from cancer on December 31, 2022 at the age of 45.
Dance Hall
Modest Mouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
Well I'm giving myself another one, I have too much to say.
Dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
Well I'm gonna act up but not in your fuckin' play.
I'll let you win the argument if things still go my way.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day!
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
Well I haven't had enough and I said I had my fill.
The past does not exist and I'm told it never will.
I guess that I'm stuck here like a plant on a windowsill.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna tell you what you want to hear anyways.
I'm gonna give myself a shot, I could get myself a shot,
I'm gonna go and try to buy a little more time to kill.
I need a can opener, 'cause I got some beans to spill.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
Well somehow or another I fell for every scam.
But I was dancin' on the tin roof, cat be damned.
Committing crimes running down the alley.
I am the captain and you are in the galley!
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
I'm gonna Dance Hall dance all night long right now!
The lyrics in Modest Mouse's Dance Hall seem disjointed and nonsensical, but this might be the point. The singer talks about dancing in dance halls every day, which could be interpreted as a way to escape reality. By dancing and losing oneself in the music, the singer can forget about the meaningless routines of day-to-day life. The lyrics also touch on themes of rebellion, with lines such as, "I'm gonna act up but not in your fuckin' play, I'll let you win the argument if things still go my way." This could be interpreted as the singer's desire to be free and do what they want, without conforming to societal norms.
As the lyrics progress, the singer continues to reinforce their desire to dance and escape from reality. They mention wanting to have telepathy because they don't know the words to say, highlighting their struggle with communication and perhaps their desire to connect with others on a deeper level. The singer also mentions committing crimes and being the captain, further emphasizing their desire to rebel against authority and live life on their own terms.
Overall, Dance Hall could be interpreted as an anthem for those who feel trapped in the mundane routines of life and crave an escape. The lyrics are scattered and unstructured, perhaps mirroring the chaotic thoughts and emotions of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day.
The singer plans to literally dance in a dance hall every day.
I'm gonna angle for telepathy 'cause I don't know the words to say.
The singer wishes they could read minds because they struggle to express themselves.
Well I'm gonna act up but not in your fuckin' play.
The singer will behave differently than expected, but doesn't want to be part of someone else's drama.
I'll let you win the argument if things still go my way.
The artist doesn't care about winning arguments, as long as they get what they want in the end.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day!
The artist repeats their intention to dance daily.
The past does not exist and I'm told it never will.
The singer acknowledges that they cannot change the past, and it has no bearing on their future.
I'm gonna tell you what you want to hear anyways.
The singer will say what someone wants to hear, regardless of whether it's true or not.
I'm gonna give myself a shot, I could get myself a shot,
The artist is considering taking a risk in life.
I'm gonna go and try to buy a little more time to kill.
The artist wants to waste more time instead of facing the unknown future.
I need a can opener, 'cause I got some beans to spill.
The artist has something they need to confess and get off their chest.
Well somehow or another I fell for every scam.
The singer feels like they have been deceived multiple times.
But I was dancin' on the tin roof, cat be damned.
Despite being scammed, the artist still has a positive attitude and enjoys life.
Committing crimes running down the alley.
The singer is involved in some illicit activities.
I am the captain and you are in the galley!
The singer is asserting their authority over someone else.
I'm gonna Dance Hall dance all night long right now!
The singer is ready and excited to dance in a dance hall all night long.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DANN GALLUCCI, ERIC JUDY, ISAAC BROCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lucid Dreams
Well I'm giving myself another one, I have too much to say.
I'm gonna angle for telepathy cuz I don't know the words to say.
Well I'm gonna act up but not in your fuckin' play.
I'll let you win the argument if things still go my way.
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day!
I'm gonna give myself a shot, I could get myself a pill,
I'm gonna go and try to buy a little more time to kill.
I need a can opener, cuz I got some beans to spill.
Well somehow or another I fell for every scam.
But I was dancin' on the tin roof, cat be damned.
Committing crimes running down the alley.
I am the captain and you are in the galley!
I'm gonna dance all Dance Hall every day!
itstheMAC
The first few times I heard this song, I thought it was kind of a nothing/joke song. But now I see that it's actually a genuinely great song. I think it's one of the more powerful songs on the album.
Adam Martin
All these years later and this song is still amazing. It really is one of Modest Mouses' best songs.
Nate Szigeti
I like the part where he says "dance hall".
muckhorse96
EVERYDAY
Renata Holanda
Me too
Fernando Rodríguez
XD
Al Yount
I know. I really felt that
Claude Speed
Do better szigeti
Gilbert Norrell
THIS MAKES MY SOUL DANCE.
ajg
hall