Kris Roe also took on the role of managing other punk bands such as Useless ID from Haifa, Israel. They collaborated on a split EP entitled "Let It Burn". Kris also acted as co-producer with Mass Giorgini (whose other production credits include working alongside Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day) for a ]label]Cincinnati, OH-based band called the National Trust in 2004, an album which is as-of-yet unreleased..
After a long delay, the album End Is Forever was released in 2001. This album was a testament to Kris Roe's increasing maturity as a songwriter. Most of the songs, especially "Fast Times at Dropout High", touched on very personal and emotional topics such as losing a sibling because his parents gave his newborn brother away for adoption. Once again the lineup changed, with John Collura replacing Peña on guitar.
On the 24th of June 2002 The Ataris left Kung Fu Records and signed with Columbia Records. Later in that year they recorded their 6th album, "So Long, Astoria", released on March 4th, 2003. This album was responsible for giving them their break into the mainstream audience and generated many successful singles, including "In This Diary" and their cover of Don Henley's "The Boys of Summer".
After touring behind the album for most of 2003, the band began writing the follow-up to "So Long, Astoria". Much of 2004 was spent in inactivity. In February of 2004, the band released "Live At The Metro", an album containing a full concert at The Metro in Chicago, as well as acoustic tracks. Mike Davenport and Chris Knapp left the band in early 2005.
Recording of "Welcome the Night" began in February 2005. Along with it came five new members - Sean Hansen filling the bass position, Shane Chickeles on drums, and guitarist Paul Carabello, Angus Cooke (Who played Cello on "End Is Forever"), and Bob Hoag on 3rd guitar, Cello, and Keyboards respectively. The group spent all of spring and summer recording at Seedy Underbelly in Los Angeles. "Welcome the Night" was orginally due out in April or May of 2006 but as of March 2006 the release date was pushed back to July of 2006. The release date of this album was once again been pushed back to possibly early 2007 after The Ataris asked to be released from their contract with Columbia Records, which the label agreed too. The "Welcome the Night" album was released in late February to an eager Ataris fan base. Unfortunately, it was not what they expected. The "Welcome the Night" album took a completely different approach to music. In a drastic deviation from his past traditions of whimsical, nostalgic pop songs, Roe used the new album to pursue a much more mature post-rock/progressive sound, an initiative which many speculate arose from the divorce of his wife and other personal conflicts. While "Welcome the Night" is certainly a great departure from The Ataris' roots, Roe has indicated that their upcoming release will attempt to return to the happy, youthful overtures that older fans have grown accustomed to.
All You Can Ever Learn is What You Already Know
The Ataris Lyrics
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The sunrise over smokestacks in the Midwest.
the beauty of this abandoned factory.
Christmas lights blinking on and off all
out of time in what used to be,
Your pink house dreams of a middle class America.
I'm trying to believe in you, but all these satellites
Please don't forget who you really are,
'cause nothing really matters when we're gone.
Fell in love with his Keno waitress
They honeymooned in Memphis,
they were married by the drive-up window.
Trailer parks, neon signs, and an empty box of Lucky Strikes
all used up on the dashboard of America.
I'm trying to believe in you but
this world sold its faith for parking lots and drunk sincerity.
Please don't forget who you really are,
'cause nothing really matters when we're...
You'll be saddened to know, the train tracks
you once walked as a young boy
are now nothing but a graveyard.
Please don't forget how small we really are,
nothing really matters when we're gone.
Nothing really matters
I'm trying to believe in you.
The Ataris's song All You Can Ever Learn is What You Already Know describes the beauty and tragedy of a changing America. The lyrics are about hope, love, and the loss of innocence. The songwriter reflects on the Midwest, a once-thriving region where the factories have closed, the train tracks have become a graveyard, and the dreams of middle class Americans have faded away.
The lyrics capture a sense of nostalgia for a simpler time, such as the Christmas lights blinking on and off. The singer is trying to believe in the promise of America, but the satellites and shattered dreams are blocking out his view. The song also mentions a Keno waitress and a honeymoon in Memphis, which symbolize love and the American dream. However, the trailer parks, neon signs, and empty box of Lucky Strikes on the dashboard highlight the realities of poverty and addiction.
The song ultimately conveys a message of humility and impermanence. The singer asks us not to forget who we really are, as nothing really matters when we're gone. The abandoned factory and graveyard serve as reminders of the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of change.
Line by Line Meaning
Is this how it was intended?
Questioning whether the current state of things aligns with their original purpose.
The sunrise over smokestacks in the Midwest.
Finding beauty in unexpected places like abandoned factories.
Christmas lights blinking on and off all out of time in what used to be,
Feeling a sense of loss and disorientation in a place that was once familiar.
Your pink house dreams of a middle class America.
Longing for a simpler time and a more attainable American dream.
I'm trying to believe in you, but all these satellites and shattered dreams are blocking out my view.
Attempting to have faith in something or someone, but feeling that modern distractions and disappointments are hindering that belief.
Please don't forget who you really are, 'cause nothing really matters when we're gone.
Urging someone to stay true to themselves, since ultimately, everything will perish and fade away.
Fell in love with his Keno waitress, They honeymooned in Memphis, they were married by the drive-up window.
Telling the story of a couple's unique and unconventional journey together.
Trailer parks, neon signs, and an empty box of Lucky Strikes all used up on the dashboard of America.
Painting a picture of a snapshot of America, complete with its gritty, imperfect details.
this world sold its faith for parking lots and drunk sincerity.
Observing that society has given up its morals and values for trivial things, and the only honesty found is in drunkenness and recklessness.
You'll be saddened to know, the train tracks you once walked as a young boy are now nothing but a graveyard.
Revealing the loss of something from childhood, such as innocence or sentimentality, is now just a haunting memory.
Please don't forget how small we really are, nothing really matters when we're gone. Nothing really matters
Reminding someone of their own mortality and to focus on the important things in life before it's too late.
I'm trying to believe in you.
Expressing a hope or desire to have faith in someone or something.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHRIS KNAPP, JOHN COLLURA, KRIS ROE, MICHAEL DAVENPORT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind