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.
One Engine
The Decemberists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One engine barely makes it away
Hold on, they're breaking their bonds
Hold on, they're breaking their bonds
One engine barely makes it away
And the martyr line
It's a bitter pill
It will barely make you feel
I'd like to get you in some kind of way
Some kind of trouble in some kind of way
Bear down, they'll run you aground
Bear down, they'll run you aground
We all must suffer awhile in a way
And the martyr line
It's a bitter pill
And the line of right
It will barely make you feel
Make you feel
Barely make you feel
Make you feel
And the martyr line
It's a bitter pill
And the line of right
It will barely make you feel
Make you feel
Barely make you feel
Make you feel
One engine
One engine
One engine barely makes it away
The Decemberists’ “One Engine” is a reflective piece about facing adversity and striving for freedom against insurmountable odds. The song uses the metaphor of an airplane with only one engine that is “barely” escaping danger to symbolize the struggle for survival. The repetition of “One engine barely makes it away” in the chorus emphasizes the tension and precarious situation of the individuals facing perilous trials. The line “Hold on, they’re breaking their bonds,” suggests that despite being in a dire situation, there is hope for survival, and the people must hold onto that hope and keep fighting to break free.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of martyrdom, and how doing the right thing can sometimes be difficult and come with great sacrifice. The phrase “And the martyr line, It’s a bitter pill” suggests that staying loyal to one’s principles and beliefs can be a hard task, but it’s worth it. The line “And the line of right, It will barely make you feel,” suggests that doing the right thing may not bring immediate satisfaction, but it’s the only way to truly make an impact in the long run.
In essence, “One Engine” is a song that urges people to keep fighting even when the odds seem stacked against them. It advocates for staying true to one’s beliefs and principles, even if it means experiencing discomfort, and ultimately, to never give up on the pursuit of freedom and survival.
Line by Line Meaning
One engine barely makes it away
There's only one engine and it's barely enough, but they are managing to get away.
Hold on, they're breaking their bonds
Despite being restrained, they are breaking free and escaping.
And the martyr line
It's a bitter pill
The idea of being a martyr is difficult to swallow and accept.
And the line of right
It will barely make you feel
Doing the right thing may not give immediate satisfaction or relief.
I'd like to get you in some kind of way
Some kind of trouble in some kind of way
I want to challenge and push you out of your comfort zone.
Bear down, they'll run you aground
We all must suffer awhile in a way
If you don't push back, you'll be unable to move forward and it will be painful, but it's necessary.
Make you feel
Barely make you feel
Make you feel
Repeating the previous lines to reiterate the point that doing the right thing may not immediately provide a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment.
One engine
Repeating the first line to emphasize the importance of the one engine in their escape.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: COLIN MELOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind