Aside from a brief interlude in 1998 and 1999 when they were signed by major label Interscope Records, the band recorded for local label DeSoto Records. Their third record and breakthrough album, Emergency & I, was actually created during their time at Interscope; however, they were dropped from the label shortly after its completion, and thus took it back with them to DeSoto, where it wound up being released. The Ice of Boston EP is the only item of theirs Interscope actually released during their tenure there.
Following the massive underground success of Emergency & I, the band received an even higher profile after being invited to open for the European leg of Pearl Jam's 2000 tour. The band recorded and released a follow-up to Emergency & I, Change, in 2001 using the severance money they received from Interscope, and a subsequent co-headlining tour in 2002 with Death Cab for Cutie (cheekily called the "Death and Dismemberment Tour") also worked well to raise both bands' profiles and cross-pollinate their fanbases, as well as forge creative ties between several members.
Later that summer and fall, the Dismemberment Plan started to debut songs for their follow-up to Change. In 2002, the band put all the music tracks from their last two albums on their website, encouraging fans to remix the songs. The result was 2003's A People's History of the Dismemberment Plan. On January 19, 2003, however, the band announced on their website that they had decided to break up after a few tours that year. A final show was planned for July 28, 2003 in Washington D.C.'s famous outdoor show space, Fort Reno Park. However, come show-time, a heavy rain had driven off all but the most devoted fans, leading the band to add one more final show.
On September 1, 2003, the band closed out the first part of their career with a sold-out show at the renowned 9:30 Club. Following the split, Travis Morrison took the post-Change songs with him for further work, and released many of them on his first album, Travistan, in 2004. Jason Caddell worked with Morrison on Morrison's second album, All Y'all, which was released under the name Travis Morrison Hellfighters. Eric Axelson started a band called Maritime with former members of The Promise Ring; they released an album, Glass Floor, in 2004. Axelson subsequently left Maritime and joined the band Statehood in mid-2006 with Joe Easley until the tragic death of Clark Sabine in June 2009. The Dismemberment Plan itself even reunited for two shows to benefit Cal Robbins at the Black Cat in Washington, D.C. on April 29 and April 30, 2007. A full reunion still seemed unlikely, though, and on July 2, 2009, Travis Morrison announced his retirement from music, stating that there would be no more shows or bands.
In late 2010, however, the Dismemberment Plan announced that they would reunite for a full-scale tour in 2011 coinciding with Barsuk's vinyl reissue of Emergency & I. At the time, the band denied that they were planning a new record, but implied that one could be possible. By the time the tour was finished, the band played on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, as well as three performances in Washington, D.C., the Pitchfork Music Festival, Philadelphia's Roots Picnic, and ten other dates.
The band reconvened once again in 2012 and played several small-venue shows in Baltimore, Maryland and Fredericksburg, Virginia, where they debuted eight new songs; a month later, Travis Morrison confirmed that they were working on a new record. On June 26, 2013, the band officially announced their fifth studio album (and first new record in 12 years), entitled Uncanney Valley. It was released via Partisan Records on October 15, 2013.
Ellen and Ben
The Dismemberment Plan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They met at someone's house warming party
They didn't like each other at first
I was still there
I heard them talking as they found their rain coats
They made a date expecting the worst
When Ellen got home she made a snack
And went up on her rooftop
She stayed up for hours just watching all the drunk folks find their taxis
'cause all in all it was a good night
Soco (southern comfort)in bed, a sunny Sunday watching John McLaughlin
And having sex again and again
I'd stopped by cause Ellen had my copy of Nebraska
They never even put on their clothes
I hung for a while but everytime I tried to ask them something they started
Making out all again
I thougt it was rude
I couldnt tell you why, why
Ellen and Ben they may as well run off to Havana
They simply disappeared for a year
They'd show up at shows
But less and less and saying "hi" to no one
And why they even came was unclear
They got a new place
But Neither of their names were in the phonebook
So no one really knew where they where
I thought it was cheap
But I couldnt tell you why
Yea yea why yea yea
When I was ten I had this book of modern fighter planes with F-15s and MiGs
And headed for a brighter future with ----------
------ the Ocean City girls on the boardwalk singing oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah ye
Yah yah yah
Ellen and Ben I heard they broke up loudly at a wedding and never saw each
Other again
It seems kinda weird, they make each other feel like they could die but they
Couldnt stay the slightest of friends
I'm doing fine, I'm staying busy hanging with my nephew
And trying to keep my eyes on the prize
You know how it goes
And so do I
So call me when you can now
You know how I love a surprise
O yea O yea
The Dismemberment Plan's song "Ellen and Ben" is a story about two people who meet at a party and start dating. At first, they didn't like each other, but then they decided to go out anyway. Later, the singer stops by their apartment, but they are too busy making out to talk to him. Throughout the song, the lyrics jump between different scenes and time periods. Ellen and Ben disappear for a year, and no one knows where they are. The singer doesn't seem to understand their relationship, why they ever came to shows, or why they broke up. In the end, the singer is getting on with his life and staying busy.
The song invites different interpretations, depending on the listener. It could be a story about how two people fell in love unexpectedly and then disappeared from the friend group, leaving everyone else to wonder what went wrong. Alternatively, it might convey a warning about the danger of making someone the center of your life, to the point that you can't function without them. The music, which alternates between a contemplative tonality and an upbeat, danceable rhythm, also creates a sense of disorientation, moving the listener from one scene to the next without pause.
Line by Line Meaning
Ellen and Ben
This song is about Ellen and Ben
They met at someone's house warming party
Ellen and Ben met at a party to celebrate someone moving into a new house
They didn't like each other at first
When they first met, Ellen and Ben didn't have a positive impression of each other
I was still there
The artist was still at the party when Ellen and Ben left
I heard them talking as they found their rain coats
The artist overheard Ellen and Ben talking as they were getting ready to leave the party
They made a date expecting the worst
Ellen and Ben arranged to meet each other again, but didn't have high expectations for the date
When Ellen got home she made a snack
After her date with Ben, Ellen went home and made a snack
And went up on her rooftop
Ellen went up to the roof of her building
And didn't think about Ben at all
Ellen wasn't thinking about Ben while she was on the rooftop
She stayed up for hours just watching all the drunk folks find their taxis
Ellen spent a long time on the rooftop watching drunk people leaving the party and finding taxis
'cause all in all it was a good night
Despite some of the difficulties of the night, Ellen thought it was a good night overall
Soco (southern comfort)in bed, a sunny Sunday watching John McLaughlin
Ellen was spending time in bed and watching TV on a Sunday
And having sex again and again
Ellen was also having sex repeatedly
I'd stopped by cause Ellen had my copy of Nebraska
The singer went to see Ellen because she had their copy of the album Nebraska
They never even put on their clothes
When the singer arrived, Ellen and Ben were both naked
I hung for a while but everytime I tried to ask them something they started Making out all again
The artist tried to talk to Ellen and Ben, but they kept making out instead
I thougt it was rude
The artist thought it was impolite of Ellen and Ben to ignore them
I couldnt tell you why, why
The singer doesn't know why they thought it was rude
Ellen and Ben they may as well run off to Havana
The singer suggests that Ellen and Ben might as well run away together to Havana
They simply disappeared for a year
Ellen and Ben vanished for a year
They'd show up at shows But less and less and saying 'hi' to no one
When they reappeared, Ellen and Ben became less and less social and rarely greeted anyone
And why they even came was unclear
It was unclear why Ellen and Ben started attending shows again
They got a new place But Neither of their names were in the phonebook
Ellen and Ben moved to a new place, but didn't put their names in the phonebook
So no one really knew where they where
Because their names weren't in the phonebook, no one knew where Ellen and Ben lived
I thought it was cheap
The singer thinks it was unfair of Ellen and Ben to be so private
But I couldnt tell you why
The singer doesn't know why they think it's cheap
When I was ten I had this book of modern fighter planes with F-15s and MiGs And headed for a brighter future with ---------- ------ the Ocean City girls on the boardwalk singing oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah ye Yah yah yah
The singer remembers a book of fighter planes they had when they were young, and references some lyrics from 'Amongst the Waves' by Pearl Jam
Ellen and Ben I heard they broke up loudly at a wedding and never saw each Other again
Ellen and Ben reportedly had a public and dramatic break-up at a wedding, and never spoke to each other again
It seems kinda weird, they make each other feel like they could die but they Couldnt stay the slightest of friends
The artist thinks it's strange that Ellen and Ben had such a passionate relationship, but couldn't remain even casual friends
I'm doing fine, I'm staying busy hanging with my nephew And trying to keep my eyes on the prize
The singer has been spending time with their nephew and trying to focus on their goals
You know how it goes And so do I
The singer is resigned to the fact that they know how things are going in their life, and don't need an explanation
So call me when you can now You know how I love a surprise O yea O yea
The artist is open to being contacted by Ellen or Ben if they feel like it, and likes surprises
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind