Constantines are an indie rock band from Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Th… Read Full Bio ↴Constantines are an indie rock band from Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

The band was formed by Steve Lambke, Bryan Webb, Doug MacGregor, and Dallas Wehrle in 1999, following in the wake of the emotional hardcore band Shoulder.

Their style has been described as "art-punk," and they have been compared to a mixture of bands like The Clash, Fugazi, Bruce Springsteen, and Nick Cave. They relocated to London, Ontario and then to Toronto, where in 2001 they released their self-titled first album, which was extremely popular on campus radio and was nominated for a Juno Award for Best Alternative Album.

In 2002, the original members were joined by keyboardist Evan Gordon, after which they released The Modern Sinner Nervous Man EP in April 2002 on Suicide Squeeze. Gordon left soon afterwards, and was replaced by Will Kidman.

Despite signing an international deal with Sub Pop, the band ensured that their original home, Three Gut, would continue to release their albums in Canada. In 2003 they released the Nighttime Anytime EP, as well as their second full-length, Shine a Light.

In 2005, The Constantines embarked upon a cross-Canada tour with The Weakerthans, called The Rolling Tundra Revue, a feat which is set to be repeated by both acts in 2009.

2005 also saw the release of the band's third full-length release, Tournament of Hearts, which was to be the final Constantines release handled by Three Gut, which folded shortly afterwards. In early 2006, Blue Fog Records released a vinyl only split-album with The Constantines performing four Neil Young covers, while The Unintended did four Gordon Lightfoot songs.

In April 2008, The Constantines released their fourth album Kensington Heights on their new label, Arts & Crafts.

The Constantines' guitarist Steve Lambke has also recorded under the name Baby Eagle, whilst Will Kidman has recorded as Woolly Leaves.

Life Or Death
The Constantines Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I keep a lighter in my pocket
Since the fall of 2005
I was there, waiting on a revelation
I was lucky to get out alive

I was looking for a name
For a place to begin again
Was I a man dreaming of a drug

Or a drug dreaming of a man?

Life or death

Transmissions from the liberation front
Broken English on invisible wires
So far gone, I didn't cast a shadow
I believed I was born a liar

I was looking for a name
For a place to begin again
I was a man losing his voice
For words misused and things unsaid

Life or death

Hard won the sweet and aimless morning
The second son who learned to speak by counting
Is moving on
Well, free of understanding

I was lucking to get out alive

Overall Meaning

The Constantines's song "Life or Death" is a poignant reflection on the struggles of addiction and the search for personal identity. The opening lines of the song introduce a lighter that the singer keeps in their pocket, which they have possessed since the fall of 2005. This period marks an important moment in their history, a time when they were waiting for a revelation about their life. The singer considers themselves fortunate to have emerged from this period alive and reflects on the uncertainty surrounding their quest for personal identity, whether they were a man dreaming of a drug or the other way around.

The song then highlights the challenges of addiction and the struggle to communicate, with the singer recalling their experiences of the "transmissions from the liberation front" and "broken English on invisible wires." The sense of isolation is further amplified by the line "so far gone, I didn't cast a shadow," perhaps suggesting their detachment from reality. The chorus, "Life or death," suggests the binary choices that addicts face, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

The final verse speaks of hope and renewal, of finding one's footing after challenging experiences. The use of counting as a means of learning to speak and the mention of a "second son" suggests a journey of growth and learning. The singer, no longer weighed down by the burden of understanding, is ready to move on and face the future.

Line by Line Meaning

I keep a lighter in my pocket
I carry a symbol of hope and light with me at all times.

Since the fall of 2005
It has been a long time since I first started carrying this lighter.

I was there, waiting on a revelation
I was searching for a profound moment of clarity and insight to guide me.

I was lucky to get out alive
I narrowly escaped death or destruction at some point in my past.

I was looking for a name
I was searching for an identity or purpose to define myself by.

For a place to begin again
I needed a fresh start or clean slate to reinvent myself.

Was I a man dreaming of a drug
I was unsure if my desires and ambitions were genuine or driven by addiction.

Or a drug dreaming of a man?
I questioned if my substance abuse had taken control of my life and identity.

Life or death
My choices and actions have serious consequences, including survival or demise.

Transmissions from the liberation front
I received messages of freedom and resistance from those fighting for change and justice.

Broken English on invisible wires
The voices and ideas that inspired me were often communicated through unconventional or secretive means.

So far gone, I didn't cast a shadow
I was so lost or disconnected that I felt like I was a ghost or empty shell of a person.

I believed I was born a liar
I thought of myself as inherently dishonest and deceitful.

For words misused and things unsaid
I regretted past mistakes and missed opportunities to express myself clearly and truthfully.

Hard won the sweet and aimless morning
It took effort and struggle to achieve a sense of peace and contentment in my life.

The second son who learned to speak by counting
I had to learn to communicate and connect with others in unconventional ways, like through numbers instead of words.

Is moving on
I am leaving my past behind and progressing forward in my life.

Well, free of understanding
Despite not fully comprehending or predicting the future, I am liberated and unburdened.

Lyrics © ARTS & CRAFTS MUSIC INC DBA GALLERYAC MUSIC
Written by: BRYAN WEBB, DALLAS WEHRLE, DOUG MACGREGOR, STEVEN LAMBKE, WILL KIDMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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