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.
Cello Song
The Books Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So pale and sincere
Underneath, you know well
You have nothing to fear
For the dreams that came to you
When you were young
Told of a life where
You would seem so frail
In the cold of the night
When the armies of emotion
Go out to fight
But while the earth
Sinks to its grave
You sail to the sky
On the crest of a wave
So forget this cruel world
Where I belong
I'll just sit and wait
And sing my song
And if one day
You should see me in the crowd
Lend a hand and lift me
To your place into the cloud
The lyrics of "Cello Song" by The Books present a mysterious and enigmatic character, whose appearance is described as having "pale and sincere" eyes. The song speaks of this strange face's dreams that came to him or her when they were young, which promised a life where spring has sprung. However, despite seeming frail during the night when emotions are at their peak, this person sails to the sky on the crest of a wave as the earth sinks to its grave. The final lines speak of forgetting this cruel world and waiting while singing a song. The closing line suggests the possibility of an encounter with the strange face amidst a crowd, where the listener is asked to uplift and help the character escape to a better place.
The essence of the "Cello Song" seems to be about transcendence and hope. The song encourages listeners to look beyond the painful reality of the present world and focus on the beauty that exists in dreams, imagination and the ability to make them a reality. It can suggest that life may appear aimless and meaningless sometimes, but courage, determination, and the willingness to lend a helping hand can uplift one.
Line by Line Meaning
Strange face, with your eyes
You have a peculiar face, your eyes are the only sincere thing about you
So pale and sincere
Your eyes are sincere and yet they give off an eerie, pale stare
Underneath, you know well
Despite your odd appearance, you have a deep understanding of yourself
You have nothing to fear
You are confident and unafraid of the things that life could throw at you
For the dreams that came to you
You have had vivid dreams that are still with you
When you were young
You had these dreams when you were a child
Told of a life where
These dreams revealed a vision of a life
Spring has sprung
This life was filled with the vibrancy and growth of springtime
You would seem so frail
You could come across as weak in the face of emotional battles
In the cold of the night
When darkness surrounds you and you feel alone
When the armies of emotion
When your emotions and thoughts become overwhelming, it feels like an entire army fighting inside of you
Go out to fight
They strive to overcome you and force you to fight back
But while the earth
Despite all this, you are still grounded and connected to the earth
Sinks to its grave
The world may be filled with death and despair, but you are not
You sail to the sky
You rise above the negativity, transcending it
On the crest of a wave
You are carried by your optimism and hope for the future
So forget this cruel world
You are aware of the harsh realities of life and choose to focus on the beauty of it instead
Where I belong
You feel out of place in this world and search for a sense of belonging and purpose
I'll just sit and wait
You will patiently wait for your purpose and place to be revealed to you
And sing my song
In the meantime, you will keep singing and creating, expressing yourself through art and music
And if one day
If, by chance, our paths cross
You should see me in the crowd
If you recognize me among the masses
Lend a hand and lift me
Extend a hand and help me rise up, find my place in the world
To your place into the cloud
Take me with you to a place of peace, hope and freedom, where I can live without being weighed down by the troubles of the world.
Contributed by Jayden C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.