The Caterer brothers were raised on rock 'n' roll and crooners like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. In 1980 Matt got a guitar, Josh a bass guitar and Eli a drum set and they began to play together. Soon after, their eyes were opened to the world of the Ramones and punk rock. Other early musical influences included Mel Tormé, Tom Waits, The Replacements, The Smiths, early AC/DC, The Cars, and Dinosaur Jr.
In 1990 Matt and Josh, calling themselves Speedstick, got a gig at a party and played approximately 10 original punk-style compositions. About this time, Matt switched to bass and Dave Martens joined as drummer. Josh became an Elvis Costello fan and his style, accordingly, became more pop influenced. Speedstick recorded 10 songs in their first studio session, including "Brand New Hairstyle," which would become a staple of the Smoking Popes repertoire.
They changed the band's name, taking "Smoking" from Matt and Josh's penchant for excessive cigarette smoking and "Popes" from the movie "The Pope of Greenwich Village." (The band's original name was simply the "Popes", but it was decided to add the adjective to distinguish the band from the Chicago gang The Popes.)
Martens, disenchanted with the band's musical direction, stopped attending rehearsals and the Caterers recruited Mike Felumlee of Article One to replace him.
In 1991, the band released five tracks recorded during their Speedstick days as the Innoculator EP, with local indie label Radius Records. With the proceeds and what other funding they could scratch together, the Smoking Popes bankrolled the recording of the Break Up EP in 1992. In February Eli Caterer joined as a second guitarist and in October Break Up was released. They played as often as possible in the Chicago area and ventured occasionally to small venues in Indiana and Tennessee.
In 1993 the band recorded their best-yet compositions on the 2 EP. They also recorded a split 7" single with Groovy Love Vibes. GLV vocalist Erik Pertl guested on the Popes' track "Leather and Lace" and Josh guested on the GLV track "Goodtime Music."
The band got a break when pop punk icon Ben Weasel of Screeching Weasel became a fan and used his connections to recruit Mass Giorgini of Squirtgun to produce the Smoking Popes' first LP, Get Fired. With their improved status, the band scored a three-week tour with The Bollweevils and played to bigger audiences.
That year also saw the release of two Popes tracks from the same sessions as the Break Up EP. "Run Away" and "Let's Hear It for Love" appeared on the "It's a Punk Thing... You Wouldn't Understand" compilation on Shakefork Records.
For the follow-up to Get Fired the band worked with producer Phil Bonnet, who also produced much of their early material. "Need you Around," which would later launch Smoking Popes to a huge audience via the soundtrack to the movie Clueless, was recorded in December.
In early 1994 the band opened for Green Day, who extended the invitation after hearing Get Fired. In mid-1994 the Popes finished their new album, Born to Quit. After "Need You Around" took off on alternative radio, they opened for Elastica and gained the attention of record label scouts. They signed with Capitol Records, which rereleased Born to Quit. In a promotional blitz, they toured America with the Goo Goo Dolls and Tripping Daisy.
In 1996 The Clueless soundtrack was released in the UK and "Need You Around" was dropped as a single to capitalize on their newfound popularity there. It was promptly designated "Single of the Week" by the New Musical Express. They toured England and Scotland for a couple of weeks, then crossed back over the Pond to tour with Jawbreaker.
Despite the touring, album sales didn't meet Capitol's expectations and it became clear that the band had to deliver a hit. Producer Jerry Finn, who had added gloss to the sound of Green Day and Rancid, was brought in to do the same for Smoking Popes. In September they toured with labelmates Jimmy Eat World.
The start of 1997 brought dissatisfied label execs who insisted they didn't hear a single among the tracks Smoking Popes submitted for the new album. The band spent six months writing and demoing songs until Capitol was finally determined that new song "I Know You Love Me" had commercial potential. However, the label fired the Popes' A&R representative and the new album was shelved.
After negotiations, Destination Failure was released in August. At this point Tom Counihan, a.k.a Tom Daily, joined the band as a touring guitarist. In October they began to tour with alternative icon Morrissey, who said of Born to Quit, "[it's] extraordinary, the most lovable thing I'd heard in years."
Album sales picked up and the band garnered new fans at every stop. Still, the label couldn't be convinced to devote significant resources to promotion.
In 1998 the band toured with Triple Fast Action and Menthol. Afterward, the band decided to record a covers album, which would fulfill their contract with Capitol.
Around this time Josh became very involved in Christianity and wanted to devote his work to his faith. The label rejected the new album but released Smoking Popes from their contract. The band played several large shows before Josh quit, effectively breaking up the band.
In a later interview, Josh commented about this time "I became a Christian in May 1998 and I quit the Popes in January 1999. I tried to incorporate my faith into what we were doing in the Popes, but it just didn't seem like a good fit."
In 2001, record label Double Zero finally released the covers album The Party's Over.
In November of 2005 the Smoking Popes reunited for a packed and much-anticipated show at the Chicago club The Metro with Rob Kellenberger replacing Mike Felumlee on drums. The tickets sold out in a mere 36 minutes. In that show — immortalized on a DVD called At Metro, bundled with a CD of the performance — Josh, Matt and Eli were conspicuously happy and energized. Eli remarked that he hadn't had that much fun in seven years, a reference to the time since the band's previous break-up. Josh has become somewhat more accepting of much of the music of his former band, and the Popes have decided to reunite on a permanent or semi-permanent basis. They embarked on a U.S. tour in early 2006 with the band Bayside. Several older, pre-1999 songs in the band's repertoire Josh retired from their set list, owing to their expression of views incongruent with his Christianity. During this time, the Popes have acquired a new drummer, Ryan Chavez, who replaced Kellenburger, who had prior commitments. Chavez now seems to be the permanent replacement. During August 5th of Lollapalooza 2006 in Chicago, Josh introduced and played two new songs which he announced would be on the forthcoming Popes album, though no release date or album title was given. The new songs, entitled "If You Don't Care" and "Stay Down", are now available to hear on the band's MySpace page.
Let's Hear It For Love
Smoking Popes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's hear it for pain
Let's hear it for poison tears that wash your dreams down the drain
Let's hear it for sleepless nights
Let's do it again
[Chorus]
Let's hear it for love
Let's hear it for love
Let's hear it for
Let's hear it for love
Pick your heart up off the floor
This is what you've been waiting for
Let's hear it for love
Let's hear it for promises
Something sealed with a kiss
Let's hear it for big mistakes
That you just couldn't resist
Let's hear it for bucket seats
Let's try it like this
[Chorus]
Let's hear it for letting someone totally ruin your life
Let's hear it for love
Let's hope it's everything you hoped it would be
Let's hear it for jealousy
Let's hear it for hate
Let's hear it an apology before it's too late
Let's hear it for cigarettes
Baby you were great
Let's hear it for love
[Repeat x3]
Let's hear it for
Let's hear it for love
These lyrics from Smoking Popes’ song “Let’s Hear It For Love” can be interpreted in many different ways, depending on the listener's perspective, but at its core, the song seems to be celebrating the ups and downs of romantic love. The verses list out things that are commonly associated with heartache and pain, such as poison tears and sleepless nights, as well as the more positive aspects of love like promises and kisses. The chorus brings it all together by encouraging us to celebrate love, no matter how hard it can be at times.
The repetition of "Let's hear it for…" in the chorus emphasizes the idea that we should celebrate all aspects of love, good or bad. Whether it's making big mistakes, letting someone ruin your life, or feeling jealous and full of hate, the song seems to suggest that it's all worth it if it means experiencing love to its fullest.
The final verse, with its callouts to cigarettes and bucket seats, reminds us that even the small things can take on special meaning when we're in love. Overall, “Let's Hear It For Love” celebrates the way love can transform and energize our lives, while acknowledging that it's not always easy.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's hear it for heartache
Let's acknowledge and appreciate the pain of heartache
Let's hear it for pain
Let's acknowledge and appreciate the experience of pain
Let's hear it for poison tears that wash your dreams down the drain
Let's recognize the tears that come from heartache and the impact they have on one's dreams and hopes
Let's hear it for sleepless nights
Let's acknowledge the experience of sleepless nights that often come with heartache
Let's do it again
Let's go through the experience of heartache once more
Let's hear it for love
Let's appreciate and recognize the complex and often painful experience of love
Pick your heart up off the floor
Don't give up on love despite the pain and heartache
This is what you've been waiting for
Love is often seen as something to wait for, even if it has the potential to cause pain
Let's hear it for promises
Let's acknowledge the significance of promises made within a relationship
Something sealed with a kiss
A kiss as a sign of commitment and promise within a relationship
Let's hear it for big mistakes
Let's acknowledge and appreciate the experience of making significant, life-changing mistakes in the name of love
That you just couldn't resist
Despite knowing the potential consequences, one couldn't resist making the mistake
Let's hear it for bucket seats
Bucket seats, often found in cars, can be seen as symbolic of the intimacy and closeness of a relationship
Let's try it like this
Let's approach love and relationships in a new or different way
Let's hear it for letting someone totally ruin your life
Acknowledgment of the negative impact love can have on one's life if it is not reciprocated or if the relationship ends poorly
Let's hope it's everything you hoped it would be
Despite the potential for heartache and pain, one hopes that love will fulfill their expectations and desires
Let's hear it for jealousy
Jealousy, an often negative emotion associated with love, is recognized as a part of the experience
Let's hear it for hate
Hate, which can sometimes arise in a relationship, is recognized as a part of the experience
Let's hear it an apology before it's too late
Apologizing and making amends for one's mistakes in a relationship before it's too late and the relationship ends
Let's hear it for cigarettes
Cigarettes can be seen as symbolic of the intimacy and connection between two people in a relationship
Baby you were great
A term of affection and appreciation towards a past partner or relationship, despite any pain or heartache that may have come from it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSH CATERER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind