Murder by Death released its first studio album (Like the Exorcist, but More Breakdancing) in 2002, and has since released seven more studio albums. The band's current lineup consists of two founding members, Adam Turla and Sarah Balliet. Balliet plays cello for the band, an instrument that has been present consistently throughout the band's evolution. Murder by Death's 2012 album Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon reached #76 on the Billboard 200, making it the band's most successful release.
Murder by Death was formed in 2000 in Bloomington, Indiana, by guitarist Adam Turla, cellist Sarah Balliet, percussionist Alexander Schrodt, keyboardist Vincent Edwards, and bassist Matt Armstrong. One of the group's first shows was at the Channing-Murray Foundation's cafe The Red Herring in Urbana, Illinois, with former American Football drummer Steve Lamos' solo project DMS. After the show, the head of the TEAM AV record label with which Lamos was working offered to help Turla and his bandmates secure additional shows. Around the same time the band met Thursday vocalist, Geoff Rickly, when the two bands played on the same bill at a gig in their hometown of Bloomington. Rickly introduced the band, known at the time as Little Joe Gould, to his friend Alex Saavedra (owner of Eyeball Records), who also took an interest in the band. In 2001 the band self-released the eponymous Little Joe Gould EP and early the next year contributed the song "I'm Afraid of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" to the TEAM AV compilation Foreign Nationals. A short time later the group changed their name to Murder By Death, which they felt better represented their sound.
Murder by Death plays a range of music including instrumentals, rock and alt.country. The band uses cello (with an electric cello for live shows) to create a gothic sound with occasional Western references.
The band often arranges themes such as whiskey and the Devil into concept albums. For example, the band's second album, Who Will Survive, and What Will Be Left of Them?, describes a story in which the Devil wages war against a small village in Mexico.
Piece by Piece
Murder By Death Lyrics
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All the things that I've done
You just can't see
'Cause you're young
I paid my dues
And I had my fun
You'll have yours too, son
You'll have yours too, son
You wouldn't believe
How fast they can take it away
You're walking 'round free
Then in chains the next day
Time has a way of breakin' you down
Piece by piece, from your toes to your crown
Oh, enjoy it my son
Yeah, 'cause you're still young
You wouldn't believe
All the things that I've seen
The girls I have known
The places I've been
I've stood at Pompeii, prayed to stones in Delhi
But you don't see shit when you look at me
I've watched the smoke rise from a prince's pyre
It don't look much different from a beggar's fire
Yeah I know, know, you don't think much of me
But in time, you'll see
Oh, enjoy it my son
Yeah, 'cause you're still young
Don't do what I've done
Oh, when I was young
I've got some wisdom
From the time that I've done
Yeah, yeah, yeah
But you're still young
The song 'Piece by Piece' by Murder By Death is a reflection of an older person's life experience and the advice that he offers to a younger person. In this song, the older person acknowledges that the younger person might not be able to see the things he has experienced or the troubles he has endured because of his age. He advises the younger person to savor his youth and enjoy it while it lasts because time can pass quickly and it can take everything away. He notes that time has a way of breaking people down piece by piece until they're nothing but a shell of their former selves, even if they've seen remarkable things and accomplished great feats in their lives.
The older person speaks to the younger person with a mixture of affection and tough love, offering him advice and cautioning him against the mistakes he once made. He reflects on the girls he has known and the places he's been, including Pompeii and Delhi. He contrasts these experiences with the reality of his life as an older person, where he has watched the smoke rise from a prince's pyre and a beggar's fire with equal detachment. He acknowledges that the younger person might not think much of him now, but he hopes that in time, the wisdom he has gained will be appreciated.
Line by Line Meaning
You wouldn't believe
I have done things that are hard to fathom
All the things that I've done
I have experienced a lot in my life
You just can't see
You are not able to understand my experiences
'Cause you're young
You are not old enough to comprehend what I've been through
I paid my dues
I have suffered the consequences of my actions
And I had my fun
I enjoyed the pleasures of life too
You'll have yours too, son
You will also experience the good and the bad
How fast they can take it away
Life can change rapidly
You're walking 'round free
You're living your life without constraints
Then in chains the next day
But things can change dramatically in a moment
Time has a way of breakin' you down
The passage of time can be difficult and wearisome
Piece by piece, from your toes to your crown
It can affect every part of your being
Oh, enjoy it my son
Appreciate what you have while you have it
Yeah, 'cause you're still young
Because you have a lot of life ahead of you
All the things that I've seen
I have witnessed many things
The girls I have known
I have had romantic experiences
The places I've been
I have travelled and seen the world
I've stood at Pompeii, prayed to stones in Delhi
I have had profound experiences in different parts of the world
But you don't see shit when you look at me
But because of your youth, you overlook me and my experiences
I've watched the smoke rise from a prince's pyre
I've seen death and the cremation of royalty
It don't look much different from a beggar's fire
In the end, death is the great equalizer
Yeah I know, know, you don't think much of me
I understand that you don't see the value in my experiences
But in time, you'll see
But as you grow and experience life, you will understand
Don't do what I've done
Learn from my mistakes
Oh, when I was young
I made many mistakes in my youth
I've got some wisdom
I have gained insights from my experiences
From the time that I've done
From the things I've been through
But you're still young
But you have much to learn
Contributed by Parker Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
matt cerovich
Yall played Wasted Space in Oshawa Ontario years ago, and this ditty still hits the spot years later
Top notch, boys