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.
The Chimbley Sweep
The Decemberists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No bed to lie, no shoes to hold my feet
Upon the rooftop in dead of night
You'll hear me cry, I'll shake you from your sleep
To hear me weep
Your day will come indeed
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
I am an orphan, an orphan boy
I've known no love, I've seen no mother's joy
A dirty doorstep, my cradle lay
My fortune's made, I'll shake you from your sleep
To hear me weep
Your day will come indeed
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
A chimbley, chimbley sweep
"Oh, lonely urchin," the widow cried,
"I've not been swept since the day my husband died."
Her cheeks a-blushing, her legs lay bare
And shipwrecked there, I'll shake you from your sleep
To hear me weep
Your day will come indeed
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
A chimbley, chimbley sweep
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
A chimbley, chimbley sweep
The Chimbley Sweep by The Decemberists is a poignant portrayal of the life of a young orphan boy who earns a living as a chimney sweep. The lyrics are replete with vivid imagery that serves to create an image of the boy's impoverished and lonely existence. The song begins with the Chimbley Sweep introducing himself and lamenting about his conditions - having no bed to lie on and no shoes to hold his feet. The image of him crying and shaking people from their sleep as he works alone at night on the rooftops only adds to the sense of isolation.
The second verse talks about the boy's origin story - being an orphan who has never known the love and warmth of a mother's embrace. The tragic image of his cradle being a dirty doorstep, reflects the harsh reality of his upbringing. The chorus 'To hear me weep, your day will come indeed, For I am a poor and a wretched boy, A chimbley, chimbley sweep' is a haunting reminder for the listener that poverty and hardship can strike anyone, and perhaps the boy's tears should serve as a warning for those who enjoy the comforts of life.
The final verse talks about the Chimbley Sweep servicing a widow's chimney, and the suggestion that she has led a respectable, yet perhaps suppressed life becomes clear. The vivid imagery of her cheeks blushing and legs bare, and the boy's shipwrecked appearance and his weeping, creates a sense of vulnerability that is shared by people from opposite walks of life. Overall, The Chimbley Sweep is a powerful reflection on the harshness of life, and how the struggles of the less privileged can often go unnoticed.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a chimbley, a chimbley sweep
I am a poor boy who works as a chimney sweep.
No bed to lie, no shoes to hold my feet
I have no home and cannot afford shoes.
Upon the rooftop in dead of night
I work at night, climbing rooftops to clean chimneys.
You'll hear me cry, I'll shake you from your sleep
My cries from the rooftop will disturb your sleep.
To hear me weep
To listen to my misfortune.
Your day will come indeed
You will face some misfortune in your life.
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
I am a pitiful and unfortunate boy.
A chimbley, chimbley sweep
A chimney sweep, that is who I am.
I am an orphan, an orphan boy
I have no parents and am alone in the world.
I've known no love, I've seen no mother's joy
I have never experienced love or a mother's care.
A dirty doorstep, my cradle lay
I was abandoned as a newborn and left on a doorstep.
My fortune's made, I'll shake you from your sleep
My livelihood is made by disturbing your sleep with my cries.
"Oh, lonely urchin," the widow cried,
A widow took pity on me and addressed me as a poor boy.
"I've not been swept since the day my husband died."
She lamented that her chimney had not been cleaned since her husband's death.
Her cheeks a-blushing, her legs lay bare
Her face was red with embarrassment and her legs were exposed.
And shipwrecked there, I'll shake you from your sleep
Her invitation for me to clean her chimney will once again disturb your sleep.
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
I am unfortunate and pitiable.
A chimbley, chimbley sweep
This chimney sweep is who I am.
Contributed by Charlotte D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@namenick9057
I am a chimbley, a chimbley sweep
No bed to lie, no shoes to hold my feet
Upon the rooftops in dead of night
You'll hear me cry, I'll shake you from your sleep
To hear me weep
"Your day will come indeed
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
A chimbley, chimbley sweep."
I am an orphan, an orphan boy
I've known no love, I've seen no mother's joy
A dirty doorstep my cradle laid
My fortune's made, I'll shake you from your sleep
To hear me weep
"Your day will come indeed
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
A chimbley, chimbley sweep."
"O lonely urchin!" the widow cried,
"I've not been swept since the day my husband died."
Her cheeks are blushing, her legs laid bare
And shipwrecked there, I'll shake you from your sleep
To hear me weep
"Your day will come indeed
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
A chimbley, chimbley sweep."
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
A chimbley, chimbley sweep
@JammerCheeseCake
chimbley sweep is the best character he even has his own song
@Columbine621
I hope all the Law Of Talos fans check out other stuff from the Decemberists. One of the most underrated bands of the last two decades that could really use more fans.
@wintershows
yooo it’s the british boy from law of talos
@namenick9057
I am a chimbley, a chimbley sweep
No bed to lie, no shoes to hold my feet
Upon the rooftops in dead of night
You'll hear me cry, I'll shake you from your sleep
To hear me weep
"Your day will come indeed
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
A chimbley, chimbley sweep."
I am an orphan, an orphan boy
I've known no love, I've seen no mother's joy
A dirty doorstep my cradle laid
My fortune's made, I'll shake you from your sleep
To hear me weep
"Your day will come indeed
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
A chimbley, chimbley sweep."
"O lonely urchin!" the widow cried,
"I've not been swept since the day my husband died."
Her cheeks are blushing, her legs laid bare
And shipwrecked there, I'll shake you from your sleep
To hear me weep
"Your day will come indeed
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
A chimbley, chimbley sweep."
For I am a poor and a wretched boy
A chimbley, chimbley sweep
@parkerfaries4320
Thanks for the lyrics!
@dead_channelX.
......law of talos..........ref.....reference....hahfhhghgh
@bye787
Omg law of talos fan
@zuky_apalixl
I love chimbley, the song and the character‼️‼️🗣🗣🗣 (law of talos reference)
@mrmeows8457
"Oi! who are you callin dir'y?! (Oi! who are you calling dirty?!)"
@kurtsworId9646
So real