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.
Parting of the Sensory
Modest Mouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I would grab my shoes, and then away I'd walk
Through all the stubborn beauty, I start at the dawn
Until the sun had fully stopped
Never walking away from
Just a way to pull apart
Dehydrate back into minerals
A lifelong walk to the
Carbon's anniversary
The parting of the sensory
Old, old mystery
The parting of the sensory
Who the hell made you the boss?
We placed our chips in all the right spots
But still lost
Any shithead who had ever walked
Could take the ship and do a much finer job
These fit like clothes made out of wasps
Aw, fuck it, I guess I lost
The parting of the sensory
Carbon's anniversary
Just part it again if you please
Carbon's anniversary
Who the hell made you the boss?
If you say what to do, I know when not to stop
If you were the ship, who would ever get on?
The weather changed it for the worse
And came down on us like it had been rehearsed
Unlikely hope, but change will surely come
It'd be awful for most, but really good for some
A four year trip to the exact same spot
We pulled the trigger, but we forgot to cock
And every single shot
Aw, fuck it, I guess we lost
Someday you will die and somehow something's gonna steal your carbon
Someday you will die and somehow something's gonna steal your carbon, hey-hey-hey
Well, someday you will die somehow and something's gonna steal your carbon
(Someday you will die somehow and something's gonna steal your carbon)
Someday you will die and someone's or something will steal your carbon
(Someday you will die somehow and something's gonna steal your)
Someday something will die and somehow you'll figure out how often
You will die somehow and something's gonna steal your carbon
Something will die and you will prob'ly just steal its carbon
Someday you will die somehow and something's gonna steal your carbon, hey-hey-hey
Someday, somehow, or something will die and you will steal its carbon
Somehow you will die and you will figure out how often you will die somehow
And something's gonna steal your carbon
Someday you will die somehow and someone's gonna steal your carbon, hey
Someday you will die, and somehow you will figure out how often
Someday you will die somehow and something's gonna steal your carbon
You will die and somehow it's gonna steal your
Always have figure out and find out we were bathed in carbon
You will figure out that somehow you will
Well, someday you will die somehow and someone's gonna steal your carbon (steal your carbon)
"Parting of the Sensory" by Modest Mouse is a song about the inherent futility of human existence and our attempts to find purpose in life. The opening verse refers to the mundanity of daily life, walking through the beauty of the world until eventually reaching the same spot again. The repeated phrase "Carbon's anniversary" suggests the cyclical nature of life, and the fact that despite our best efforts, we are unable to retain any permanent state of being. The chorus reflects on the arrogance of human beings, who believe they can control their fate and the world around them despite the ultimate inevitability of death.
The song continues with a repeated refrain of "Someday you will die and somehow something's gonna steal your carbon," emphasizing the idea that life is temporary and that everything we do will ultimately be forgotten. The second verse deals with the idea that someone else could do things better than we can, and that our attempts to control our lives are ultimately futile. The bridge reflects on the idea that change will come regardless of our control over it, and while some may benefit from it, others will suffer as a result.
Overall, the song is a bleak reflection on the human condition and our inability to control the ultimate outcome of our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
There's no work in walking in to fuel the talk
Walking and talking are easy; they don't require much effort.
I would grab my shoes, and then away I'd walk
I quickly leave without hesitation.
Through all the stubborn beauty, I start at the dawn
Despite the many obstacles and difficulties, I begin each day anew.
Until the sun had fully stopped
I keep going until there is nothing left.
Never walking away from
I won't abandon something I've started.
Just a way to pull apart
It serves as a method of separation and distancing.
Dehydrate back into minerals
Returning to an elemental state, like the earth.
A lifelong walk to the
It is a journey that spans a lifetime.
Same exact spot
Ending back where you started.
Carbon's anniversary
The annual return of a life cycle or the circle of life.
The parting of the sensory
The loss of sensation or feeling, like the ending of a journey.
Old, old mystery
A problem or riddle that is ancient and has yet to be solved.
Who the hell made you the boss?
Who gave you the authority to dictate what to do?
We placed our chips in all the right spots
We thought we had done everything correctly.
But still lost
Despite everything, we failed.
Any shithead who had ever walked
Anyone could have done a better job than us.
Could take the ship and do a much finer job
Others can take over and accomplish what we couldn’t.
These fit like clothes made out of wasps
The situation is uncomfortable and difficult to cope with.
Aw, fuck it, I guess I lost
In the end, I gave up and accepted my defeat.
If you say what to do, I know when not to stop
I understand that it's essential to keep trying and not to give up.
If you were the ship, who would ever get on?
If there is no one to follow, then what's the point of leading?
The weather changed it for the worse
Despite our best efforts, external factors can ruin everything.
And came down on us like it had been rehearsed
It was as if everything was predetermined and meant to happen.
Unlikely hope, but change will surely come
Although it is improbable, it's possible that something will change for the better.
It'd be awful for most, but really good for some
Sometimes a positive outcome can only benefit a few and harm the majority.
A four year trip to the exact same spot
The journey is repeated, but the destination is the same.
We pulled the trigger, but we forgot to cock
We missed or overlooked a crucial step, and everything went wrong.
And every single shot
Every attempt was a failure.
Someday you will die and somehow something's gonna steal your carbon
Death is inevitable, and something will take back what was once ours.
Well, someday you will die somehow and something's gonna steal your carbon
Death will come one way or another, and something will claim what belongs to us.
Always have figure out and find out we were bathed in carbon
It is crucial to remember that we are a part of the earth, made from its basic elements.
Somehow you will die and you will figure out how often
We must remember that death is just a part of the same cycle of life and death.
And someone's gonna steal your carbon
Once we die, our carbon will be taken back by nature.
Somehow you will die and something's gonna steal your carbon
Death is inevitable, and something will take back what once belonged to us.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ERIC JUDY, ISAAC BROCK, JEREMIAH GREEN, JOE PLUMMER, JOHNNY MARR, TOM PELOSO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@klashr13
[Verse 1]
There's no work in walking in to fuel the talk
I would grab my shoes, and then away I'd walk
Through all the stubborn beauty, I'd start at the dawn
Until the sun had fully stopped
Never walking away from
Just a way to pull apart
Dehydrate back into minerals
A lifelong walk to the
Same exact spot
[Chorus]
Carbon's anniversary
The parting of the sensory
Old, old mystery
The parting of the sensory
[Verse 2]
Who the hell made you the boss?
We placed our chips in all the right spots
But still lost
Any shithead who had ever walked
Could take the ship and do a much finer job
These fit like clothes made out of wasps
Ah, fuck it, I guess I lost
[Chorus]
The parting of the sensory
Carbon's anniversary
Just part it again if you please
Carbon's anniversary
[Verse 3]
Who the hell made you the boss?
If you say what to do, I know when not to stop
If you were the ship, who would ever get on?
The weather changed it for the worse
And came down on us like it had been rehearsed
Unlikely hope, but change will surely come
It'd be awful for most, but really good for some
I took a trip to the exact same spot
We pulled the trigger, but we forgot to cock
And every single shot...
Ah, fuck it, I guess we lost
[Bridge]
Someday you will die and somehow
Something's gonna steal your carbon, hey
Someday you will die and somehow
Something's gonna steal your carbon, hey-hey-hey
Well, someday you will die somehow
And something's gonna steal your carbon
(Someday you will die somehow
And something's gonna steal your)
Someday you will die and someone's
Or something will steal your carbon
(Someday you will die somehow
And something's gonna steal your)
Someday something will die
And somehow you'll figure out how often
You will die somehow
And something's gonna steal your carbon
Something will die
And you will probably just steal its carbon
Someday you will die somehow
And something's gonna steal your carbon, hey-hey-hey
Someday, somehow, or something will die
And you will steal its carbon
Somehow you will die and you will figure out how often
You will die somehow
And something's gonna steal your carbon
Someday you will die somehow
And someone's gonna steal your carbon, hey
Someday you will die, and somehow
You will figure out how often
[Outro]
Someday you will die somehow
And something's gonna steal your carbon
You will die and somehow
It's gonna steal your
Always have to figure out and find out
We were bathed in carbon
You will figure out that somehow you will
Well, someday you will die somehow
And someone's gonna steal your carbon
Parting of the Sensory by Modest Mouse
Lyrics source: Genius
@jeremyyates6570
Dazy
Don't give that boy a camera
Don't give that boy your body
Mind
He'll make you a star
So delusional
He can't ever wait to get home to start dreaming
He's in lala land
Give him some weather
Give him some structure
Anything a prompt
He's a delusional freak
Lost between creativity and dream
@bethbyers9096
Modest Mouse feels like home. The worse I'm feeling, the louder I play it. And then I feel better.
@jayk6098
Just so you know, someday you will die somehow and somethings gonna steal your carbon.
@thorfinnskuII
That is our cure 🤫
@brainshaker8
Music the Drug- Modest the Pharmacy
@arwenwild7743
Favorite band on the planet! ♥️
@theluckwitch777
☎️
@foolycoolyface
Same
@hardrockblues
Same!
@geddistopholes6785
Another same from me, freaking love these guys!
@SeeLevelBus
Everyone around me keeps reminding me that Modest mouse is the only thing I listen to. I have a great tip if you truly are a fan you want to hear me out. To listen to only modest mouse on Spotify you must type this in "this is modest mouse" after you press the button on this is modest mouse then you'll be at my level. I play it 24/7 after a few hours it will try and play other bands just click on it again and jam. Peace out.