After a concert in 2005, the group was spotted by Jérôme Deschamps and Macha Makeïeff, who would later co-produced their first album with Naïve Records. At the same time, they won the Prix Paris Jeunes Talents.
The group was noticed during a concert at the Printemps de Bourges in 2006 and 2007. Jimmy, the first single from their first album Gee Whiz But This is A Lonesome Town (2007), was a success which allowed Moriarty to play at La Cigale. The album sold more than 50,000 copies in a few months and was certified gold a year after its release. The group went on a long tour that took them to Canada, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, and England.
In 2008, Moriarty performed at the Soliday festival, Eurockéennes de Belfort, Francofolies de La Rochelle, and Fête de l'Humanité.
The group takes its inspiration from traditional Celtic music, country, and blues.
The group plays around one microphone during their concerts.
En 2008, Moriarty was one of 10 artists nominated for the Constantin prize.
https://moriartyland.net/
oshkosh bend
Moriarty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I laid my cards plain to see
They told me I had nothing to blame
My backbone's broken and the river's swollen
The cars are purring The leaves are pouring
The sidewalk's empty and the street is slippery
The lights are dim
I gotta move, I wanna split
I'm pulling on a string
that's coming to an end
The last one broke on a bend
I lost a hat and sat with a duck
The last one broke on a bend
I ain't got nothing to pluck
I ain't got nothing to fuck
I ain't got nothing at all
It was cold and then it came
I had to duck to see the bus raging down on the cusp of my clustered lens
They told me I had nothing to blame
The seats were warm and the birds they swarmed
The place was bright and it felt just right
My backbone's swollen and the river's broken
The cars are purring the leaves are pouring
The sidewalk's empty The street is slippery
The lights are dim
just like the people at the party I was at
I gotta move I wanna split
I'm pulling on a string
that's coming to an end
The last one broke on a bend
I lost a hat and sat with a duck
The last one broke on a bend
I ain't got nothing to fuck
The lyrics of Moriarty's "Oshkosh Bend" seem to paint a picture of a person who feels lost and disconnected from the world around them. The opening line, "It was cold and then it came," suggests that something unexpected has happened, perhaps a realization or a turning point in the singer's life. They lay their "cards plain to see," revealing their vulnerability and honesty.
The following line, "They told me I had nothing to blame," could be interpreted as the singer seeking validation, trying to make sense of their current circumstances. The chorus reinforces this feeling of displacement, with references to a broken backbone, swollen river, and empty sidewalks. The overall mood is melancholic and introspective, as the singer reflects on their own life and the people they encounter.
As the song progresses, a theme of impermanence emerges, with references to a broken string, lost hat, and the fleeting nature of joy and brightness. The singer seems to be searching for something that they can hold onto, an anchor in a constantly shifting world. However, they come to the realization that they "ain't got nothing at all."
Overall, "Oshkosh Bend" is a reflective and contemplative song that explores themes of displacement, impermanence, and the search for meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
It was cold and then it came
The singer is describing a sudden change in their circumstances
I laid my cards plain to see
The singer revealed everything about themselves
They told me I had nothing to blame
Others did not hold the singer responsible for their situation
My backbone's broken and the river's swollen
The artist is physically and emotionally depleted
The cars are purring The leaves are pouring
The surroundings are alive with activity
The sidewalk's empty and the street is slippery
The singer is alone and struggling to find their footing
The lights are dim
The environment feels dull and uninviting
Just like the people at the party I was at
The people were uninteresting and uninspiring
I gotta move, I wanna split
The artist feels the need to leave and move on
I'm pulling on a string that's coming to an end
The artist is trying to hold onto something that is about to run out
The last one broke on a bend
The singer had a similar experience before that ended badly
I lost a hat and sat with a duck
The artist had a strange and unfortunate experience
I ain't got nothing to pluck
The singer doesn't have anything worthwhile to gain
I ain't got nothing to fuck
The singer doesn't have anything desirable
I ain't got nothing at all
The singer feels they have nothing to offer or gain
I had to duck to see the bus raging down on the cusp of my clustered lens
The artist had to take evasive action to avoid danger
The seats were warm and the birds they swarmed
The environment the artist found themselves in was comfortable and pleasant
The place was bright and it felt just right
The singer felt comfortable and at ease
My backbone's swollen and the river's broken
The singer feels overwhelmed and defeated
Contributed by Alex Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@strangedean
Nice song, great lyrics.
@dotiabaya8789
gr8 group dat can join a super session w pentangle, madredeus,muddy waters & mick jagger!