The band rose from the ashes of, "several crap indie bands [[artist]Hofman etc.] and a pretty good post-rock band [[artist]Gwei-lo]" in post-millennial Cambridge (i.e. around 2001).
“The first nice thing outside our own little world was getting a call from John Peel on a Sunday morning saying he liked our first record. It was like a pat on the back from your favourite uncle,” says frontman Steven Adams. Their first mini-album The King Will Build A Disco appeared in 2002, to general bemusement and delight that East Anglia had produced its own leftfield Americana act. The following year saw their first full-length album, the more folksy Cold Water Songs, closely followed by the inventive, adventurous Jesus Songs mini album. In 2005 they released the spiteful, dark Welcome Home Loser, clad in a particularly magnificent sleeve, and 2006’s cunningly titled Balls sealed their position as Britain’s most unlikely indie-country-rock outfit, as they turned up the fuzz and put down the acoustic guitars. By 2007 the distinctly British-sounding Hello Love was well received across the board, the swaggering single ‘Love Your Man, Love Your Woman’ becoming something of an anthem.
Eight years later, The Broken Family Band have gradually shed the accordionists, the cute girl singers, the banjo players and even the American drawl, and reduced themselves to the unchanged core of Adams, bassist Gavin Johnson, guitarist Jay Williams and drummer Micky Roman.
Mixed by veteran producer George Shilling, The Broken Family Band release their seventh album, Please and Thank You on 20/04/2009 and a single, Salivating, on 06/04/2009.
Citing wishes to "quit while we're ahead", the band announced their imminent split in August 2009. A series of shows in October will precede the final gig on October 31 at The Portland Arms in Cambridge.
Edit: 25/01/10 RIP The Broken Family Band. Gone but not forgotten.
Wherever You Go
The Broken Family Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when you come back you are what you do
Wherever you go, there you are
And when you come back you are what you do
Welcome home, loser
You let us down again
Welcome home, loser
Between here and there is rarely what you need
But if you find what you want take it where you can
The Broken Family Band's song "Wherever You Go" speaks about the concept of how no matter where you go or what you do, you will always be yourself at the end of the day. The opening lines, "Wherever you go, there you are, and when you come back you are what you do" suggests that no matter what path a person takes in life, they will always remain true to themselves. The song points out that the person may travel far and wide, seeking new experiences and encountering different people and places, but ultimately they cannot escape themselves.
The phrases, "Welcome home, loser. You let us down again" points to the disappointment of being let down by someone who has returned, with no real change or improvement. These lyrics suggest that the person may have had high expectations but ultimately failed to meet them. There is an element of social pressure on the singer to succeed but they are unable to, leaving them feeling like a failure or "loser."
The last lines of the song, "Between here and there is rarely what you need. But if you find what you want, take it where you can" can be interpreted as an encouragement to follow your dreams and go where your heart takes you. It's a reflection on the significance of finding what you want in life and taking hold of it. Despite the fact that the journey to achieving your goals may be difficult and imperfectly planned, it is still important to persevere and make the most of what you have.
Line by Line Meaning
Wherever you go, there you are
No matter where you go, you can't escape yourself
And when you come back you are what you do
Your actions define you, especially upon returning
Welcome home, loser
Sarcastic greeting, disappointment towards return
You let us down again
Reiterating disappointment towards return or past actions
Between here and there is rarely what you need
The journey or distance between two points may not fulfill your desires
But if you find what you want take it where you can
If you finally find what you seek, grab hold of it despite the location
Contributed by Aaliyah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.