Pavement, a band started by Malkmus post-Ectoslavia, pre-New York, at this point began to gain attention. This attention resulted in a record deal and a constant inferiority plague placed upon the 'Joos with Berman totally at the forefront of the group. Misinformed music fans now saw the band as a side-project and, even worse, Berman as being not good enough to play with Pavement, many band members being shared between the two bands.
The connection to Malkmus and the now blossoming Pavement was not all negative, however. Drag City, then not the bastion of American folk music it is today, agreed to release the band's debut EPs which has led to a fruitful relationship (the label continues to release the band's records, right up to album number 7 in 2008, (Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea).
The Silver Jews in their later days primarily consisted of David and Cassie Berman who contributed most of the lyrics, and a changing cast of characters. They had numerous indie stars in a rotating line up, including Willie T. of Lambchop, and Brian Kotzer of Tim Chad and Sherry.
David Berman is also a poet and has been published in numerous poetry magazines and journals. He also has a book of poetry and rants entitled "Actual Air," which was released in 1999 and received favorable reviews from The New Yorker and GQ.
On the 22nd of January, 2009, David Berman announced on the Drag City messageboard that their show on the 31st of January in Tennessee would be their last. "Can't be like all the careerists doncha know. I'm forty two and I know what to do. I'm a writer, see? I always said we would stop before we got bad." After 10 years off, Berman reappeared in 2019 as Purple Mountains.
David Berman died from suicide on August 22, 2019 after a long battle with depression.
We Could Be Looking for the Same Thing
Silver Jews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And up through bright blue blocks of sky
Where the days turn to weeks in the months the year
And we're together, you and I.
We could be looking for the same thing,
If you're looking for someone.
We could belong to each other,
I hope I don't come across as a coyote in your eyes
But I've been around some and I've seen
Enough to know we could both spend happy lives
Inside the days of you and me.
We could be looking for the same thing,
If you're looking for someone.
We could belong to each other,
If you're not seeing anyone.
The lyrics of Silver Jews's song "We Could Be Looking for the Same Thing" speak to the idea that two individuals can find common ground and form a connection in their shared search for love. The song is set in a picturesque landscape, described as "way way out past where the sidewalks disappear," creating a sense of romantic escapism. The blue sky and elongated time frames described in the second verse further establish this imagery, suggesting a world with no immediate responsibilities or constraints.
The chorus sings "We could be looking for the same thing, if you're looking for someone. We could belong to each other, if you're not seeing anyone," implying that love and companionship are what bonds people together. Meanwhile, the singer acknowledges their past experiences and mature understanding of what they want, hoping to not come off as a "coyote" or someone with ill intentions. Rather, they believe that they can both find happiness together.
The song's message feels earnest yet playful, inviting the listener to join in on this romantic journey. The music itself features a lively country rhythm, further accentuating the carefree and joyous notion of finding love. Overall, "We Could Be Looking for the Same Thing" is a beautiful and optimistic love song that speaks to the magic of finding a mutual connection with another person.
Line by Line Meaning
Way way out past where the sidewalks disappear
In a distant and remote place beyond familiarity.
And up through bright blue blocks of sky
Ascending through the vibrant and expansive atmosphere.
Where the days turn to weeks in the months the year
Where time seems to become elongated and entrenched.
And we're together, you and I.
With us being joined and connected.
We could be looking for the same thing,
It's possible for us to desire a shared objective or goal.
If you're looking for someone.
When you search for a companion or partner.
We could belong to each other,
We may be well-suited for a relationship.
If you're not seeing anyone.
Assuming you're currently not romantically attached to anyone.
I hope I don't come across as a coyote in your eyes
I desire not to appear as deceitful or suspicious to you.
But I've been around some and I've seen
Still, I possess some life experience.
Enough to know we could both spend happy lives
Sufficient to recognize that we may have the potential to be content together.
Inside the days of you and me.
Amidst the time that we would spend together.
Contributed by Connor S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.