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.
Sleepy
The Ataris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm waiting here in line.
I'd buy a cup of coffee
But I just want to kill some time.
I'm watching you,
Now, I'm staring at you.
I figure that you notice,
Time sure does fly
When you're just a lonely boy,
Waiting for someone to come along
And ruin your fun.
Sitting all alone with that quiet smile
On your face.
I pretend I'm not interested
By staring off into space.
Why did I act like I didn't even care?
Now I wish that you could only be there.
A game of cat and mouse that curiosity has
Killed,
Just call it pointless, call it what you will.
In The Ataris' song Sleepy, we find the singer in a state of boredom, waiting in line and contemplating buying a cup of coffee just to pass the time. Although the situation seems frivolous and pointless, the singer finds himself captivated by another person in the same space, whom he watches and stares at. Despite his attempts at appearing disinterested, the singer realizes that he may have missed an opportunity to connect with this person. The lyrics explore themes of loneliness, missed connections, and the universal human desire for connection.
The line "Time sure does fly when you're just a lonely boy, waiting for someone to come along and ruin your fun," encapsulates the complex emotions that the singer experiences. While he is bored and looking for a distraction, he also longs for someone to come along and shake up his monotony. He sees the person he is watching as a potential source of this change, but his attempts at masking his interest backfire, leading to missed opportunities for connection.
The chorus, "A game of cat and mouse that curiosity has killed, just call it pointless, call it what you will," suggests that the singer's attempts to appear disinterested have ultimately led to a situation where nothing has happened. The idea of curiosity being "killed" suggests that the singer has let fear and social norms prevent him from taking a chance on connecting with the person he is watching.
Overall, The Ataris' Sleepy examines the complicated emotions that arise in mundane situations, exploring themes of loneliness and the universal human desire for connection. The lyrics capture the frustration of missed opportunities and the fear of rejection that can prevent us from taking even small chances on connection.
Line by Line Meaning
It's frivolous, it's pointless,
This waiting in line seems unimportant and purposeless.
I'm waiting here in line.
I'm standing idly, waiting for something to happen.
I'd buy a cup of coffee
But I just want to kill some time.
I could buy something to entertain myself, but I simply want to pass the time.
I'm watching you,
Now, I'm staring at you.
I'm observing you, and now I'm blatantly gazing at you.
I figure that you notice,
But you really don't have a clue. (a clue)
I imagine that you sense me staring, but you don't understand what I want.
Time sure does fly
When you're just a lonely boy,
Waiting for someone to come along
And ruin your fun.
I'm feeling isolated, and time passes slowly when you're anticipating someone to accompany and dull your pain.
Sitting all alone with that quiet smile
On your face.
You look calm and tranquil, despite being by yourself.
I pretend I'm not interested
By staring off into space.
I act disinterested by staring off blankly, but I am actually highly intrigued.
Why did I act like I didn't even care?
Now I wish that you could only be there.
I regret disregarding you, as now I yearn for your presence.
A game of cat and mouse that curiosity has
Killed,
This flirtation has turned into an unfulfilling game that has lost its allure.
Just call it pointless, call it what you will.
You can label this as meaningless, call it whatever you wish.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BENJAMIN BENT PEDERSEN, CASPER HANSEN, CHRISTIAN JUNCKER, JACOB FROELICH, JAKOB GROTH BASTIANSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind