Each member is originally from Anchorage, Alaska and migrated separately to Portland, Oregon to start a career in music.[7][8]
Initially they called themselves "The Funeral Band", performing in the streets and outside of music venues. The name eventually changed to The Builders and The Butchers, "for no other reason than it was the only name all five members liked."[8] The first year of acoustic performances were mostly street shows until opening for the experimental band Man Man in 2006.[8] “We very slowly started plugging [our instruments] in.” Sollee says,[8] but the group had to figure out how to utilize its two percussionists on stage. They found that by splitting one drum kit between Seely and Rude, with one handling the kick drum and another playing the snare, they developed what the group calls a “deconstructed” drumming style.[8]
The band's song-writing process involves Sollee writing the lyrics out and presenting it to the other members, who then start playing and putting the music around these lyrics.[6]
In May 2008 the band won the Willamette Week’s “Best New Band of 2008”[9] and Seattle Sound’s “Best Live Performers 2008”.
In late 2010, The Builders and the Butchers signed with Badman Recording Co. and released their third album, Dead Reckoning on February 22, 2011.[10][11]
Devil Town
The Builders and the Butchers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A forest fire and a murder bright across the wire
Some are beaten some are burned and hanged and drowned
Keep your eyes to the sky and your ears to the ground
And take me down
Take me down
We'll build ourselves a home
In the Devil town
And the eyes stolen jewelry in the night
And a heart's as dark as a coal mine
and I think that I'll be comin' round
Keep your eyes to the sky and your ears to the ground
And take me down
Take me down
We'll build ourselves a home
Outta muscle, blood and the broken bones
In the Devil town
Batten down the tracks of a wooden veil
Lost a sea in a sinking ship with a rotted sail
You're tied up to the cross because your life ain't worth the nail
And the vines they ever reach across the ground
And the branches in the trees they bend to make a crown
And the vines they ever reach across the ground
And the branches in the trees they bend to make a crown
And the vines they ever reach across the ground
And the branches in the trees they bend to make a crown
And take me down
Take me down
We'll build ourselves a home
Outta muscle, blood and the broken bones
In the Devil town
In the Devil town
In the Devil town
The lyrics of "Devil Town" by The Builders and the Butchers describe a chaotic and eerie world filled with darkness and danger. The opening lines describe a moon-shaped hole in the sky, a forest fire, and a murder. The scene is set for a world where violence and destruction reign. The next lines mention people who have been beaten, burned, hanged, and drowned. The singer advises the listener to keep their eyes to the sky and ears to the ground, suggesting that danger lurks everywhere.
The chorus, "Take me down," suggests a desire to escape the chaos and perhaps create a new life. The following line, "We'll build ourselves a home outta muscle, blood, and the broken bones in the devil town," further reinforces this idea of creating something new out of the destruction around them. The next few stanzas describe the dark and dangerous people who dwell in this devil town, stealing jewelry and having hearts as dark as coal mines. The same advice is given again to keep one's eyes and ears alert.
The final stanza describes being tied up to a cross because life is not worth the nail. The imagery of vines and branches reaching across the ground and trees further reinforces the idea of a dark, eerie, and potentially dangerous world.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a moon-shaped hole in the night sky
The sky seems dark and scary, with a weird hole representing the void or emptiness that people may experience.
A forest fire and a murder bright across the wire
There's chaos and tragedy all around, with fires and deaths that can be seen and heard from far away.
Some are beaten some are burned and hanged and drowned
People are suffering from violence and injustice, and some are even killed in brutal ways.
Keep your eyes to the sky and your ears to the ground
Be alert and aware of what's happening around you, both above and below, to stay safe and informed.
And take me down
I want to escape from this harsh reality, and go somewhere else.
We'll build ourselves a home
Let's create our own safe and comforting space, where we can be happy and at ease.
Outta muscle, blood and the broken bones
We'll use our own strength, sacrifice, and pain to build this home, without relying on anyone else.
In the Devil town
Despite the danger and darkness of this place, we'll still make it our home and find some happiness here.
And the eyes stolen jewelry in the night
There are thieves and criminals who prey on others, taking what's not theirs in the darkness.
And a heart's as dark as a coal mine
Some people have a cruel and evil nature, devoid of any warmth or kindness.
and I think that I'll be comin' round
Despite the dangers, I'm still drawn to this place and feel like I belong here.
Batten down the tracks of a wooden veil
Protect yourself and prepare for the worst by covering your path with a makeshift shield.
Lost a sea in a sinking ship with a rotted sail
Feeling lost and hopeless, with no way out and no help coming.
You're tied up to the cross because your life ain't worth the nail
Feeling like a victim, being punished and humiliated for no good reason.
And the vines they ever reach across the ground
Nature seems to be constantly growing and spreading, with vines expanding and taking over everything around them.
And the branches in the trees they bend to make a crown
Even in the midst of darkness and chaos, there's still beauty and majesty to be found, with trees that look like kings or queens.
And take me down
I still want to escape this dark and dangerous world, and find peace and safety somewhere else.
We'll build ourselves a home
No matter how hard it may be, we'll still strive to create a safe and happy place for ourselves, with the journey being just as important as the destination.
Outta muscle, blood and the broken bones
We'll use everything we have, even our own pain and suffering, to make this home a reality.
In the Devil town
Despite all odds, we'll still stay in this dangerous and chaotic place, and turn it into something good and meaningful.
In the Devil town
No matter how hard it may be, we'll fight to make this place our own, and find happiness and peace amidst the darkness and chaos.
Contributed by Kaitlyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.