Zammuto and de Jong met through a friend in New York City. Sharing similar interests but different backgrounds in acoustic music and found sound, Zammuto and de Jong took their sonic experiments to the studio. Eventually, with some urging by Tom Steinle of Tomlab Records, they created what would become their debut record, 'Thought for Food', in 2002. Within a year, the Books relocated to Hot Springs, NC, and recorded and released 'The Lemon of Pink'. With a lot of favorable word of mouth and critical buzz from the first two records, the Books relocated again in winter of 2004 and recorded in an old Victorian home in North Adams, MA. With the release of 'Lost and Safe' in April of 2005, the Books prepared to tour with their unique blend of samples and acoustic music. All three Books albums were released on Tomlab Records.
One of the most unique aspects of the band was the video compositions which play during their live performances. Video was synched with the music and provide visuals to coincide with the many found-sounds the band employs. According to the band, much of the video was pulled from home movies and ephemeral films bought from thrift stores. For example, on the track entitled 'A Cold Freezin' Night', the many audio samples were pulled from Tiger Electronics Talkboy tapes also acquired from thrift stores.
In the late 2000s, The Books announced the addition of a third member of the band, who plays violin, guitar, and electronics. In August 2010, their final album entitled 'The Way Out' was released on Temporary Residence. 2012 saw a compilation release 'A Dot in Time.'
In early 2012, Nick Zammuto announced the end of the duo and the beginning of his solo project Zammuto. Subsequently, Paul de Jong released two solo albums.
A Little Longing Goes Away
The Books Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
distinction, so we choose the in-between.
Give up your books and put an end
to your worries. Enjoy Central Park in spring.
Our minds are empty, like we're too young
to know to smile.
We know to fear what others fear
is nonsense, right?
The books suggest we set our hearts
on doing nothing,
and then nothing's left undone.
Everybody's busy waiting for the go-ahead,
but by then their heads are gone.
Our minds are empty, grave as well as
strange. (Take this.)
We know to seek success is utter nonsense,
The best is to be blank.
{Here we are. Here we are.
We are antici-there it is. There it is.}
The lyrics of The Books's "A Little Longing Goes Away" contain a message of embracing the in-between and letting go of worries to find happiness in the present. The song suggests that by choosing not to conform to societal norms and instead embracing the emptiness and blankness of the mind, one can achieve a sense of peace and purpose. The opening lines, "Yes and no are just distinguished by distinction, so we choose the in-between," imply that choices are not always black and white and that the grey area can be a place of freedom.
The chorus, "The Books suggest we set our hearts on doing nothing, and then nothing's left undone," emphasizes the idea of letting go of the need for constant productivity and focusing on the present moment, without the pressure of expectations or goals. The line "Our minds are empty, like we're too young to know to smile," suggests a childlike innocence and wonder in embracing the present, rather than being weighed down by worries or expectations about the future. The song's final line, "The best is to be blank," reinforces the message of emptiness as a place of potential and possibility.
Overall, "A Little Longing Goes Away" encourages listeners to live in the present moment, embrace emptiness, and find peace by letting go of worries and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes and no are just distinguished by
distinction, so we choose the in-between.
We can't always rely on binary choices like yes and no, and instead should look for middle grounds that can better fit every situation.
Give up your books and put an end
to your worries. Enjoy Central Park in spring.
We should let go of our preconceptions and anxieties and try to take pleasure in the beauty of the present moment.
Our minds are empty, like we're too young
to know to smile.
Our minds are uncluttered and free of worries, but we sometimes lack the emotional maturity to fully enjoy life.
We know to fear what others fear
is nonsense, right?
We shouldn't follow the crowd and let others' fears dictate our own actions, but rather form our own objective opinions.
The books suggest we set our hearts
on doing nothing,
and then nothing's left undone.
The books advise us to take a step back and do nothing, and in doing so, things will naturally fall into place and we will find peace.
Everybody's busy waiting for the go-ahead,
but by then their heads are gone.
Everyone is so focused on waiting for permission or guidance that they're not using their own heads and making their own decisions.
Our minds are empty, grave as well as
strange. (Take this.)
Our minds are indeed empty, but that emptiness can be both peaceful and unsettling at the same time. It's a paradox to be savored.
We know to seek success is utter nonsense,
The best is to be blank.
The pursuit of success can be futile, and that true happiness may be found in a state of nothingness or blankness, where we aren't burdened by the pressure to achieve.
Here we are. Here we are.
We are antici-there it is. There it is.
This repeated refrain represents the feeling of anticipation and waiting, and finally arriving or achieving what we were waiting for.
Contributed by Aaron R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.