Following an EP on Ambivalent Records in summer 2003, So Many Dynamos released its debut full-length, When I Explode (mixed by the Dismemberment Plan's Jason Caddell), in 2004 on Skrocki Records. Flashlights, which expanded the band's sound with a four-piece horn section and 30-member choir, arrived in September 2006. After extensive touring, writing, and recording, the band released "The Loud Wars" on Vagrant Records in June 2009 (recorded by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla). In August of that same year, founding guitarist Ryan Wasoba announced his departure from the band; making him the second Ryan to quit So Many Dynamos (Ryan Ballew quit shortly after the release of When I Explode). He was replaced by former Target Market front man and St. Louis heavyhitter Nathan Bernaix.
The band currently plays songs in peoples vans.
Friendarmy
So Many Dynamos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We killed our families and they will not be missed.
We don't make friends, we build armies.1
We make rations and make rash decisions.
You think you're clever you're wrong.
You've got a lot to learn about coming off too strong.
Tell me everything you know about breaking a window.
Tell me everything you know about cracking a safe code.
Tell me everything you know about siren crescendos.
Tell me everything you know about being a scapegoat.
Metal's colder when it's pressed 2
Against your temple, so keep it simple, boy.
Every motion is chilling through your
Nervous body, don't make me prove my point.
You think we're kidding, we're not.
We're only playing but we're playing God.
We tried to warn them but they never listened.
We tried to sing it but the melody drifts.
And these birds in our mouths are the gifts they don't understand.
Tell me everything you know about breaking a window.
Tell me everything you know about cracking a safe code.
Tell me everything you know about siren crescendos.
Tell me everything you know about being a scapegoat.
(Note: The following is in the liner notes and is included as such)
FOOTNOTES:
1 Sond title "Friendarmy" inspired by the album Central Hug/Friendarmy/Fractal Dunes by Emperor X, used by permission from Chad Matheny.
2 See: "Keep It Simple" footnote 3.
The lyrics to "Friendarmy" by So Many Dynamos present a deeply unsettling worldview, which emphasises that the band do not make friends and instead create armies. The opening lines suggest that the band has severed ties with their family and indicate that they carry out rash decisions. These lines foreshadow the explanation offered later in the song that the band members have tried to warn people, but their warnings have been ignored, and as a result, they have been pushed to create their own army. This hints that their isolation and their army build-up may have a deeper, darker purpose.
The following lines are addressed directly to an unknown person who has just joined the band or wants to associate with them. The band members are warning the new person that coming on too strong will not be helpful. They also ask them to explain their knowledge of breaking a window, cracking a safe code, and being a scapegoat. These questions might relate to an initiation process for those who want to join the 'Friendarmy', or they may indicate the nature of the group's activities. The use of metal, a cold and hard material, pressed against the temple, elicits feelings of threat and intensifies the eerie atmosphere of the song.
Finally, the reference to "these birds in our mouths" raises a range of possible interpretations. Birds can be symbols of flight and freedom, and by having them in their mouths, it could mean that the band has lost their voice and cannot speak up against oppression. Alternatively, it might suggest that they have been fed lies or propaganda by their leadership, and have swallowed it without question. The repeated refrain of "tell me everything you know" then takes on a more sinister tone, becoming almost an interrogation in which an answer is expected, and the person questioned will become a pawn in the band's broader scheme.
Line by Line Meaning
We don't make friends, we don't need them.
Making friends is not our priority, nor is it required to achieve our goals.
We killed our families and they will not be missed.
We have cut all ties with our loved ones and they will not be an obstacle in our way.
We don't make friends, we build armies.
Rather than making friends, we create an organized group of people to support us.
We make rations and make rash decisions.
We prepare for the worst and are willing to make quick decisions that benefit our group.
You think you're clever you're wrong.
Underestimating our capabilities will only lead to your downfall.
You've got a lot to learn about coming off too strong.
Being too aggressive will not end well for you.
Tell me everything you know about breaking a window.
Can you share your knowledge on how to break into a place?
Tell me everything you know about cracking a safe code.
Can you teach me how to open a locked safe?
Tell me everything you know about siren crescendos.
Can you explain how to create an alarming sound that increases in volume?
Tell me everything you know about being a scapegoat.
Can you enlighten me on how to take the blame for a situation?
Metal's colder when it's pressed Against your temple, so keep it simple, boy.
A gun is more intimidating when it's pressed against your head, so don't make things complicated.
Every motion is chilling through your Nervous body, don't make me prove my point.
Your every movement is making me suspicious, and I'll prove you wrong if you push me.
You think we're kidding, we're not.
Don't take our words as a joke, we mean what we say.
We're only playing but we're playing God.
Though we may not be serious, we feel like we're in control of everything.
We tried to warn them but they never listened.
We attempted to caution them, but they refused to heed our advice.
We tried to sing it but the melody drifts.
We tried presenting our message in an appealing way, but it did not resonate with them.
And these birds in our mouths are the gifts they don't understand.
Our symbolic gestures are not being appreciated or comprehended by those around us.
Friendarmy
The combination of the words friend and army in the song title is inspired by the Emperor X album Central Hug/Friendarmy/Fractal Dunes, used by permission from Chad Matheny.
Contributed by Jason A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.