The band self-released their first album, Stars Too Small to Use, which led them to the South by Southwest music festival. After recording their first album in a garage, they signed with Jagjaguwar. Okkervil River continued by releasing four more albums, including critically lauded concept album Black Sheep Boy.
After a period of touring for Black Sheep Boy, Okkervil River followed up with The Stage Names. The album sold 10,000 in its opening week in the United States. The group released a free covers album, Golden Opportunities Mixtape from their live performances.
The band has garnered positive critical reception. Especially noted are each song's lyrics, intricate instrumentation, and thematic albums. In addition, they were featured on the talk show Late Night with Conan O'Brien and have performed with high profile bands such as The Decemberists, The New Pornographers, The National, and Lou Reed.
Okkervil River released their most recent album The Silver Gymnasium on September 3, 2013.
Discography:
* 1998 Bedroom EP – Jound
* 1999 Stars Too Small to Use - Jound
* 2002 Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See - Jagjaguwar
* 2003 Down the River of Golden Dreams - Jagjaguwar
* 2003 Julie Doiron/Okkervil River (A split CD with Julie Dorion) - Acuarela
* 2004 Sleep and Wake-Up Songs (EP) - Jagjaguwar
* 2004 Sham Wedding/Hoax Funeral (A split CD with Shearwater) - Jagjaguwar
* 2005 Black Sheep Boy - Jagjaguwar
* 2005 Black Sheep Boy Appendix (EP) - Jagjaguwar
* 2006 Overboard and Down (EP) – Inertia, Australia-only tour EP
* 2007 The Stage Names - Jagjaguwar
* 2008 The Stand-Ins - Jagjaguwar
* 2011 I Am Very Far - Jagjaguwar
* 2013 The Silver Gymnasium - ATO Records
* 2016 Away - ATO Records
* 2018 In The Rainbow Rain - ATO Records
Current band members:
* Will Sheff - acoustic guitar, vocals, harmonica (keyboard occasionally)
* Travis Nelsen - drums, misc. percussion
* Scott Brackett - trumpet, coronet, keyboards, organ, tape player, misc. percussion
* Patrick Pestorius - bass, piano, woodblocks
* Justin Sherburn - keys, guitar
* Lauren Gurgiolo - electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin
Past band members:
* Seth Warren - guitar
* Zachary Thomas - vocals, bass
* Jonathan Meiburg - vocals, banjo, guitar, accordion, piano, organ
* Mark Pedini - drums
* Brian Cassidy - electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin, melodica (keyboard and accordion when on tour without Jonathan)
It Ends With a Fall
Okkervil River Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why it mattered to me.
It doesn't matter to me.
It doesn't matter to me
Anymore.
Now that you're
Feeling fine,
I'll admit that though
I know it's coming down,
And see it shattering me
It doesn't matter to me,
And I'm not sadder for
Seeing it come.
I'm not going to run.
I will just come
When I am called.
You want to cut me off
Because I took too much,
But don't leave me alone
Take off your scarves,
Your winter coat.
The night's too cold.
When we met I should have said
You're like a sister to me,
How all that kiss her just seem
Like puny suitors I can see through,
How none will do,
No not for you,
How it might as well just be us two.
And when I pulled you by the jacket
From the clattering street,
You started flattering me,
You started saying I was so strong.
String me along,
But I can't become
All that I'm called.
And I can't claim to know
What makes love die or grow,
But I can still take control
And so refuse to just go home,
Back down the hall.
And as I crawl,
As finally all
The false confetti blooms
Up in this attic room,
I'm going make my stand.
I want to see both of your hands
Put down the phone.
I won't let you go,
Although
The moment stole
My self-control
From us all
And now it can only end
End with a fall.
The song "It Ends With a Fall" by Okkervil River is a reflective and emotional narrative about a failed relationship. The opening lines set the tone of the song, where the singer wishes to remember why the relationship mattered to them. However, it eventually becomes clear that the relationship does not hold the same significance anymore, and the singer is not saddened by its impending end.
Despite the acceptance of the relationship's end, the singer pleads to not be cut off and left alone in the cold. The chorus emphasizes the singer's inability to escape the situation, and they will come "when I am called", indicating that the relationship's closure is inevitable.
In the second half of the song, the singer reminisces about the beginning of the relationship, where they should have recognized the other person as a platonic companion rather than a romantic interest. The lyrics convey a sense of self-awareness and regret that the relationship's romantic nature was a mistake. As the song progresses, the singer takes control of the situation and refuses to go home, instead opting to make a final stand in hopes of reconciling the relationship. The song ends on the poignant note that the relationship can only end with a fall.
Line by Line Meaning
Wish I could remember
I wish I could remember the reason why it mattered to me.
Why it mattered to me.
I can't recall why it was important to me.
It doesn't matter to me.
Now, it doesn't matter to me anymore.
It doesn't matter to me
I don't care about it anymore.
Anymore.
It has lost its significance to me.
Now that you're
Feeling fine,
Now that you're OK,
I'll admit that though
I know it's coming down,
I confess that even though I'm aware it's about to crumble,
And see it shattering me
The downfall would be devastating to me.
It doesn't matter to me,
But I won't be affected by it.
And I'm not sadder for
Seeing it come.
I won't feel more miserable about it, anticipating it.
I'm not going to run.
I won't escape from it.
I will just come
When I am called.
I'll face it when it comes and not any sooner.
You want to cut me off
Because I took too much,
You want to sever our bond because I went overboard.
But don't leave me alone
Take off your scarves,
Your winter coat.
The night's too cold.
But please don't abandon me in this chilly night without taking off your warm clothing.
When we met I should have said
You're like a sister to me,
When we first met, I should have told you that you're like my sister.
How all that kiss her just seem
Like puny suitors I can see through,
How none will do,
No not for you,
How insubstantial all the people who try to woo you seem to me, how none of them are suitable for you.
How it might as well just be us two.
It seems that the best option is just you and me.
And when I pulled you by the jacket
From the clattering street,
When I grabbed you by the jacket and rescued you from the noisy street,
You started flattering me,
You started saying I was so strong.
You began complimenting me, saying that I was tough.
String me along,
But I can't become
All that I'm called.
You are playing games with me, but I cannot be everything you want.
And I can't claim to know
What makes love die or grow,
I can't say for sure what makes love flourish or cease.
But I can still take control
And so refuse to just go home,
Back down the hall.
But I can take control of this situation and decline to leave and return to where I came.
And as I crawl,
As finally all
The false confetti blooms
Up in this attic room,
And as I crawl on the floor, with all the fake confetti floating in this attic room,
I'm going make my stand.
I'll take a position and hold my ground.
I want to see both of your hands
Put down the phone.
I want you to show me your hands and disregard the phone.
I won't let you go,
I won't allow you to leave.
Although
The moment stole
My self-control
From us all
Even though the situation has caused us to lose our composure and stability.
And now it can only end
End with a fall.
Now, the only possible outcome is a downfall.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@slackercore
I get the impression not many people listen to this song anymore (or even know of it in the first place), but it's one of my favorite songs of all time. More people should listen.
@TheLegoLinkYT
Just found it recently and loved it ever since
@twoblacksocks
this band is worth every wakeing second of my life
@ArkadianDream
Heard this song last night on the radio for the first time since I don't even know when and almost had an out of body experience. Sad, but wonderful
@paulsandor3522
Have no words to express how much I love this band (especially the early stuff.)
@irhsounds5715
I love this song so much ! Oh wow its been 14 years since it was posted...
@thegirlwonder13
This song IS amazing.. And this this band is underrated!
@thescarletflag
I would do anything to jam with this band just once...
@schnerzz
just when you thought this song couldn't possibly get better... check out the alternate version they performed live on a radio station, I have just uploaded it on my channel :)
@wolvesetc
I got into Okkervil River when I was in college in Minneapolis somewhere around 2002 maybe. A friend introduced me. But I remember going to shows of there's around Minneapolis. Small crowds. Super intense and emotional. Just amazing shit.