Co-produced by Thom Monahan (Devendra Banhart, Pernice Brothers, Beachwood Sparks), the self-released Meet Yr Acres spent much of 2001 innocently making its way around the globe while garnering a goldmine of critical accolades and regular comparisons to Beck, Bob Pollard, George Harrison, and Bob Dylan. All of this unexpected critical attention culminated in a spot on Magnet Magazine's "Top 10 Hidden Treasures" list.
Urged to leave the bedroom and share his music with a live audience, Halperin (aka Shai, Son of Eli) recruited Dave Wayne Daniels, Jeff Van Newkirk and Sir Kyle Lloyd on bass, guitar and drums, respectively. Immediately, The Capitol Years sought to do away with the 'one-man band' aesthetic of Meet Yr Acres and began concentrating on new material. With collective backgrounds in noise-rock as well as Beatle-esque pop, this full-band incarnation of The Capitol Years immediately generated a buzz in Philadelphia's growing music scene. Word quickly spread about this maniacal live band whose songcraft suggested Guided By Voices as much as their performances recalled The Who.
Ready to take their show to the national level, The Capitol Years set out on a series of U.S. tours, sharing the stage with bands as diverse as The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Rooney, The Kills, Lilys, Daniel Johnston, Crooked Fingers, and Beachwood Sparks. Tours of the UK, Spain, and Israel followed, allowing the band to spread the buzz overseas.
In the midst of this frenzied touring, The Capitol Years sought to capture their live energy on tape and returned to the studio. They once again commissioned Monahan as well as Philadelphia's Brian McTear (Mazarin, A-Sides) to record their first full-band release: the 6 track EP, Jewelry Store. And while Jewelry Store documented The Capitol Years' garage rock tendencies, it also helped to set them apart from the crowd as it featured the goose-bump-inducing harmonies and melodies that typify The Capitol Years' sound. Sonically, the band had moved several worlds away from the subtle and sometimes lush Meet Yr Acres. But the critical praise continued…
In 2003, at the height of a national garage rock craze, The Capitol Years released their 'long lost' album, Pussyfootin. Originally recorded in 2001, it was another homemade and self-produced gem from their one-man band past. The album was as far removed from garage rock as one could travel with an acoustic guitar and a harmonica, and its lush and country-tinged sound helped solidify the respect of local scribes. At year's end, and with their popularity rising, The Capitol Years were named Philadelphia Magazine's "Best Band of 2003."
Continued touring and television appearances, as well as a handpicked opening slot for The Pixies' first show in 12 years, have helped generate a significant buzz for one of Philadelphia's best bands.
In 2004 the band began recording its first true full-length and full-band album. Renting a house in the small town of Northampton, MA for two weeks, The Capitol Years and Thom Monahan created Let Them Drink. Byrds-like harmonies, Stooges riffs, and even ethereal Coldplay atmospherics coexist on Let Them Drink, a record that enjoyed success overseas as well as on American tv and radio.
A year later The Capitol Years began work on the forthcoming Dance Away the Terror, the most realized collection of songs and sounds the band has ever recorded. The self produced album marks a return to the Capitol Years own production style, featuring lush harmonies, interweaving piano and guitar hooks, and a homemade feel connected with so many listeners early in the band's career. The end result is certain to stand the test of tastes and time. Dance Away the Terror is set for release in 2006 on Park The Van Records.
Lucky
The Capitol Years Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Capitol Years’ song “Lucky” is a song that explores the idea of luck from various angles. The song kicks off by saying that the singer is lucky when the sun comes up and even in the middle of the night. However, the kind of luck portrayed in the song is not something that is usually associated with positivity. For example, the singer claims to be lucky that he is last in line and can waste people’s time. He also mentions that he is lucky not to look attractive, lucky like a piece of wood, and lucky at the bottom of the lake. The song even states “I’m lucky to be loved” but then qualifies it with the phrase “too lucky” suggesting that being loved is not necessarily a good thing.
The second stanza of the song continues on this theme with the singer stating that he is lucky like a stolen riff, like a scratch and sniff, like a bathroom toilet, and like water when you boil it. The singer portrays himself as lucky with a golden throat and like a shooting star. The final lines of the song suggest that the singer is lucky at the end of the world, that he never has to pray, and that he can die in peace with the suggestion that this is the ultimate release. In summary, the song “Lucky” by The Capitol Years is a song that explores the idea of luck from various angles, including luck that is not based on typical notions of positivity.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm lucky when the sun comes up
I'm fortunate that the sun rises each day
I'm lucky in the middle of the night
I'm fortunate even in the darkness of night
I'm lucky that I'm last in line
I'm fortunate to be the last in a queue or group
I'm lucky I can waste your time
I'm fortunate to have the ability to use up your time with no consequence
I'm lucky not to look so good
I'm fortunate that my appearance is not a priority
I'm lucky like a birthday cake
I'm fortunate like a cake that symbolizes a special occasion
I'm lucky like a piece of wood
I'm fortunate like an object with no significant value or purpose
I'm lucky at the bottom of the lake
I'm fortunate even in the depths of the water
I'm lucky/ Too lucky/ To be loved
I'm fortunate, perhaps too much so, to be loved by someone
I'm lucky like a stolen riff
I'm fortunate like a stolen melody or tune
I'm lucky like a scratch and sniff
I'm fortunate like a scented sticker that can be scratched to release a fragrance
I'm lucky like a bathroom toilet
I'm fortunate like a basic, functional object that serves a necessary purpose
I'm lucky like water when you boil it
I'm fortunate like water that transforms and adapts when heated
I'm lucky with my golden throat
I'm fortunate to have a good singing voice
I'm lucky like a shooting star
I'm fortunate like a rare and beautiful cosmic event
I'm lucky I can love the world
I'm fortunate to be able to feel love and appreciation for the world around me
I'm lucky I can watch the war
I'm fortunate to be a bystander of conflict instead of a victim
Oh no/ I'm lucky at the end of the world
Alas, I'm still fortunate even at the end of everything
I'm lucky that I never have to pray
I'm fortunate to have no religious obligations or fears
I'm lucky I can die in peace
I'm fortunate to be able to pass away without concern or unrest
I'm lucky I can find release
I'm fortunate to be able to let go and find freedom
I'm lucky/ Too lucky/ To be loved
I'm fortunate, perhaps too much so, to be loved by someone
I'm lucky/ So lucky/ To be loved
I'm fortunate, very much so, to be loved by someone
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN ALLEN, MARK BEAUCHEMIN, MARK J BEAUCHEMIN, MITCHELL SCHERR, MITCHELL ALLAN SCHERR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind