Named both in reference to the Russian Decembrist Revolt (they use the national anthem of the Soviet Union as an introduction at many concerts) and to the atmosphere associated with the month of December, the Decemberists write songs that range from upbeat pop to instrumentally lush ballads. They often employ instruments like the accordion, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer organ, and upright bass. In their lyrics, they eschew the angst and introspection common to modern rock, instead favoring a storytelling approach, as evidenced in songs such as "My Mother Was a Chinese Trapeze Artist" from the 5 Songs EP and "The Mariner's Revenge Song" on Picaresque. Their songs convey tales ranging from whimsical ("Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect") to epic ("The Tain") to truly dark ("Odalisque"). They often invoke historical events and themes from around the world. Early in their career, The Decemberists' musical and lyrical aesthetics frequently prompted critics to compare them to Neutral Milk Hotel. Since their debut, their sound has undergone a consistent evolution, most notably in the direction of progressive rock with a strong folk influence, though they have also been described as indie rock and, by Stephen Colbert, as "hyper-literate prog rock." For example, one song, "When the War Came", uses a little-known story from the Siege of Leningrad to describe the heroism of civilian scientists during warfare. The lyrics state: "We made our oath to Vavilov / We'd not betray the solanum / The acres of asteraceae / To our own pangs of starvation". Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov was a Russian botanist whose laboratory, a seedbank containing 200,000 types of plant seeds, many of them edible, was preserved throughout the siege, during which hundreds of thousands of people died.
In March 2005, the Decemberists were reportedly the first band to distribute a music video via BitTorrent -- the self-produced "16 Military Wives" (from Picaresque). That same month, the band's equipment trailer was stolen; fans contributed to a replacement fund, and another fund-raiser was organized via an eBay auction, with buyers bidding for copies of Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey and original art work by Carson Ellis. They also received help from Lee Kruger, The Shins, The Dandy Warhols and other musicians. The Martin Guitar Company offered six- and twelve-string guitars on permanent loan. In early April, police discovered the trailer in Clackamas, Oregon, and a fair amount of the band's merchandise, but the instruments and equipment were not recovered.
On 12 December 2005, Meloy revealed to Pitchfork Media that they had signed to Capitol Records, and planned to begin recording their major label debut with producers Tucker Martine and Chris Walla, of Death Cab for Cutie fame, in April 2006. The Decemberists' first album on Capitol, and their first major label debut, The Crane Wife, was released on 3 October 2006. The release was accompanied by an appearance the same day on the world-wide syndicated TV talk show Late Night with Conan O'Brien when the track "O Valencia!" was performed. The Decemberists began their tour in support of The Crane Wife, with The Rout of the Patagons Tour, on 17 October 2006, at Portland, Oregon's Crystal Ballroom. Their opening act was Lavender Diamond. Later on in the tour, Alasdair Roberts opened for the band.
In July 2007 the Decemberists set out on a five-date tour with a full orchestral accompaniment. On 7 July, the tour put the group on the stage of the historic Hollywood Bowl for the first time in their career, and they were joined by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. On 15 July the group performed with The Mann Festival Orchestra at The Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They then played a free concert in Chicago, Ilinois, at the recently developed Millennium Park with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. In September 2007 they also played at Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Texas.
In October 2007, they began The Long and Short of It Tour. However, having completed the European portion of the tour and immediately after playing the Chicago dates, the rest of the tour was canceled due to illness.
On 24 March 2009, the band released The Hazards of Love, their fifth album. The album's first single, "The Rake's Song", was made available for free on the band's website. The album featured guest appearances from My Brightest Diamond, Becky Stark of Lavender Diamond, Robyn Hitchcock and Jim James. The album peaked at #14 on the Billboard 200.
On 11 January 2011, the band released their sixth album The King is Dead. The band released the first single "Down by the Water" for free on their website. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States and is the highest charting album in the band's career. The second single, "This Is Why We Fight" was released on January 25, 2011.
There is another band with the same name:
(2). The Decemberists formed in Liverpool in 1984 when Andy Ford and Tom Gent from Swim Naked hooked up with Colin Pennington, who had just left The Tunnel Users. They played their first show at The Cavern in 1985 and then played extensively in their home city. After recording demo tapes which attracted attention from BBC Radio 1's John Peel and Rough Trade Records, they secured a residency at University Of London Union (ULU). Their first release was James Is (Still The Same) on the Discreet Campaigns compilation cassette tape alongside New Order and Cocteau Twins. After the appearance of Gift Horse on the Ways To Wear Coats compilation LP in 1987, the band changed their name to Hellfire Sermons.
James Is (Still The Same) was included on The Sound Of Leamington Spa Volume 6 in 2009. They are listed as ‘The Decemberists Of Liverpool 1985-87’ on this album to make a distinction from the famous 21st century group of the same name.
Make You Better
The Decemberists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanted you, thin fingernails
And when you bend backwards
I wanted you, I needed you
Oh-oh, to make me better
I'll love you in springtime
I lost you when summer came
I wanted you, I needed to
Oh-oh, to make me better
Oh-oh, to make me better
But we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
And won't it all just come around to make you
Let it all unbreak you to the day you met her
But it'd make you better
It'd make you better
I sung you, your twinges
I suffered you, your tattletales
And when you broke sideways
I wanted you, I needed you
Oh-oh, to make me better
Oh-oh, to make me better
But we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
And won't it all just come around and make you
Let it all unbreak you to the day that you met her
And it'd make you better
Did it make you better?
Make you better
And all I wanted was a sliver to call mine
And all I wanted was a shimmer in your shine
To make me bright
'Cause we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
Won't it all just come around and make you
Let it all unbreak you to the days you met her
But it'd make you better
It'd make you better
The song Make You Better by The Decemberists is a heartwarming tribute to a love that has endured despite the ups and downs of life. It speaks to the idea that throughout a relationship, there are moments where we need our partner to uplift us, and other moments where we must step up and be the one to make our partner better. The use of metaphors in the song illustrates this beautifully, with the singer mentioning how he wanted his lover's thin fingers and fingernails to make him better. He also sings about how he loved her in springtime, lost her in summer and when she broke sideways he still needed her to make him better.
The lyrics suggest that the two protagonists have been through a lot and are no longer in the honeymoon phase, but have matured and grown together. The line "But we're not so starry-eyed anymore/Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters" suggests that they are more grounded in reality and aware of each other's flaws. However, they still love each other despite the challenges they have faced. The final lines "And all I wanted was a sliver to call mine/And all I wanted was a shimmer in your shine/To make me bright" emphasizes that they are a team, each bringing something unique to the relationship to make it better.
Line by Line Meaning
I want you, thin fingers
I desired your slim fingers
I wanted you, thin fingernails
I wished for your slender fingernails
And when you bend backwards
When you retreat or resist me
I wanted you, I needed you
I craved your presence and influence
Oh-oh, to make me better
To help me improve and grow
I'll love you in springtime
I fell for you in the season of renewal
I lost you when summer came
I lost you when things got heated
And when you pulled backwards
When you distanced yourself from me
I wanted you, I needed to
I yearned for your supporting presence
Oh-oh, to make me better
To enlighten me and motivate me
But we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Our romanticized view of each other has faded
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
You presented yourself ideally in your written correspondence
And won't it all just come around to make you
At some point, your actions will have consequences
Let it all unbreak you to the day you met her
Let the hardships and experiences shape you, including the day you met her
But it'd make you better
It has the potential to help you grow and progress
I sung you, your twinges
I vocalized your pain and discomfort
I suffered you, your tattletales
I endured your gossip and complaints
And when you broke sideways
When you went off course or acted erratically
I wanted you, I needed you
I still longed for your presence and guidance
Oh-oh, to make me better
To help me develop my character
But we're not so starry-eyed anymore
We have lost our idealistic view of each other
And all I wanted was a sliver to call mine
I only needed a small part of you for myself
And all I wanted was a shimmer in your shine
I just wanted a bit of your light to shine on me
To make me bright
To illuminate my being and make me stand out
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: COLIN MELOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sebastianruhland5198
lyrics:
I want you, thin fingers
I wanted you, thin fingernails
And when you bend backwards
I wanted you, I needed you
Oh-oh, to make me butter
I'll love you in springtime
I lost you when summer came
And when you pulled backwards
I wanted you, I needed to
Oh-oh, to make me butter
Oh-oh, to make me butter
But we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
And won't it all just come around to make you
Let it all unbreak you to the day you met her
But it'd make you butter
It'd make you butter
I sung you, your twinges
I suffered you, your tattletales
And when you broke sideways
I wanted you, I needed you
Oh-oh, to make me butter
Oh-oh, to make me butter
But we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
And won't it all just come around and make you
Let it all unbreak you to the day that you met her
And it'd make you better
Did it make you butter?
Make you butter
And all I wanted was a sliver to call mine
And all I wanted was a shimmer in your shine
To make me bright
'Cause we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
Won't it all just come around and make you
Let it all unbreak you to the days you met her
But it'd make you butter
It'd make you butter
@SophiesBlueBox
Hilarious and bizarre and yet somehow heartfelt...just as the Decemberists always are
@cansuturgut3724
Colin Meloy is a true genius. Just finished reading his Wildwood series and I'm truely amazed by his talent as an author as well.
@MrPenguinFingers
*Colon
@sebastianruhland5198
lyrics:
I want you, thin fingers
I wanted you, thin fingernails
And when you bend backwards
I wanted you, I needed you
Oh-oh, to make me butter
I'll love you in springtime
I lost you when summer came
And when you pulled backwards
I wanted you, I needed to
Oh-oh, to make me butter
Oh-oh, to make me butter
But we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
And won't it all just come around to make you
Let it all unbreak you to the day you met her
But it'd make you butter
It'd make you butter
I sung you, your twinges
I suffered you, your tattletales
And when you broke sideways
I wanted you, I needed you
Oh-oh, to make me butter
Oh-oh, to make me butter
But we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
And won't it all just come around and make you
Let it all unbreak you to the day that you met her
And it'd make you better
Did it make you butter?
Make you butter
And all I wanted was a sliver to call mine
And all I wanted was a shimmer in your shine
To make me bright
'Cause we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
Won't it all just come around and make you
Let it all unbreak you to the days you met her
But it'd make you butter
It'd make you butter
@LaTerreMorte
Love it! Also, Nick Offerman makes everything better.
@systemafunk
He also makes everything butter
@SodaPop2323
You say better, not butter
@AxisFlowers
Not sure why there's so much hate over the video. It's quirky and broody. Like the Decemberists. Personally, I love it!
@liamgoulding2983
"there comes a time in a mans life where... where the music makes sense" is probably the best quote I have ever actually been able to identify with, perfect way to end the video!
@dreemahday8269
Great song - the video, if one watches without puristically listening to the music, is brilliantly done. Bill Fishman / whoever came up with the storyboard has clearly put intricate thought into this. Each piece has meaning and it's well produced. Anyone who knows anything about production can see how cleverly it's been done. There will be those who disagree, but from this viewer, much appreciated.