Members of the Lawrence Arms have also played in The Broadways, Slapstick, Tricky Dick and Baxter.
The three musicians came together to form the Lawrence Arms in 1999. Although punk rock bands in their infancy generally start out by releasing EPs and 7" vinyl singles, the band members used their existing relationship with Asian Man Records to immediately begin recording a full-length album, a guided tour of chicago, which was released later that year. A second album, ghost stories, followed in 2000. Both albums focused heavily on the members' own stories of growing up and living in Chicago.
The band's next two releases were split EPs with other bands. The first, a split with Shady View Terrace, was released in 2000 and was their first release to be recorded by Matt Allison, who would continue to record and produce all of their subsequent releases. A second EP, Present Day Memories, was released in 2001 and was a split with The Chinkees.
The band's records and touring schedule had brought them to the attention of Fat Mike of NOFX, who signed them to his label Fat Wreck Chords in late 2001. Their first release on the label was a 7" vinyl single, part of the label's "Fat Club" series of 7" records. This was followed by the full-length album apathy and exhaustion, released in 2002. The album spawned the band's first music video, for the song porno and snuff films and they toured extensively with NOFX and other bands from the label.
Their next album was 2003's the greatest story ever told. Arguably their most ambitious album to date, it demonstrated the band members' continued growth as musicians and songwriters and included extensive footnotes to the lyrics detailing their many references to history, literature and pop culture. It also showed an evolution in the band's vocal style. Kelly had sung most of the vocals on their first album, while on subsequent releases he and McCaughan had split vocal duties almost equally from one song to the next, with Kelly's voice tending to sound more harsh and urgent while McCaughan's sounds more relaxed and melodic. With this release, however, the two began to move towards more of a duet style of singing which would feature prominently on their next album. Extensive touring following the album's release saw the band on the road for much of 2003 and 2004. They also contributed a song to the Fat Wreck Chords Rock Against Bush, Volume 2 compilation, leading up to the 2004 presidential election and became involved with the Punk Voter campaign.
In December of 2004 Kelly and Hennessy joined with fellow Chicago natives Dan Andriano of Alkaline Trio (who had played with Kelly in Slapstick) and Todd Mohney, formerly of Rise Against, to form The Falcon, and released an EP on Red Scare. Meanwhile, with interest in the Lawrence Arms increasing and their EPs out of print, Asian Man Records planned a CD release of the band's EP tracks. The resulting compilation album, Cocktails & Dreams, was released on Asian Man in June of 2005 and included their songs from both EPs along with nearly all of their compilation tracks, rare songs and b-sides.
The Lawrence Arms re-entered the studio in October and November of 2005 and recorded the album oh! calcutta!, which was released on Fat Wreck Chords in March of 2006. It had an overall faster and more urgent feel to it than their previous album, and demonstrated another step in the development of their singing as Kelly and McCaughan shared vocals in a duet style on nearly every song. They filmed a music video for the song the devil's takin' names.
The Lawrence Arms spent most of 2006 touring extensively alongside bands such as NOFX, Alkaline Trio, The Draft, Lagwagon, and A Wilhelm Scream. The full-length debut by the Falcon was released that fall on Red Scare. In December, the Lawrence Arms embarked on their first headlining tour of Australia, also playing supporting shows with Frenzal Rhomb.
In March of 2007, guitarist Chris McCaughan released the debut album from his acoustic side project Sundowner, entitled four one five two.
The band toured again in 2007, with their side projects The Falcon and Sundowner as openers along with the recently reunited American Steel.
The 2010s saw minimal studio activity by the band, but for one album. 2014's Metropole was received well, and marked the band's first full-length in eight years. The band took another extended break in between albums again, taking six years before releasing their seventh album Skeleton Coast in 2020.
Chicago is Burning
The Lawrence Arms Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Lawrence Arms's song "Chicago is Burning" is a poignant commentary on the cyclical nature of destruction and rebirth in Chicago. The opening lines speak to the sacrifice and loss that is often the impetus for new growth. The violent imagery of bodies being thrown into a fire speaks to the darker side of human nature, the desire to destroy what we have created, and the reckless abandon we have for our own lives in pursuit of that destruction. The imagery of kerosene and alcohol being tossed and spread to ignite cardboard homes speaks not just to the physical destruction we can cause, but the underlying social and economic factors that often play a part in creating the circumstances that lead to these types of disasters.
The lyrics continue to explore the idea of destruction and rebirth on a larger scale, focusing on the cyclical nature of change in the city of Chicago. The reference to "a second in a hundred and again as many years" speaks to the idea that history repeats itself and that the same problems that have plagued the city for generations continue to do so. The line "street signs, skyscrapers and names. State street, what a great street when the places and people stayed the same" speaks to the idea that even though the city is constantly changing, people often long for a simpler time when things were more stable.
The later verses of the song focus on the idea that the city is choking on its own filth, with "obstinate displays of wealth" clogging Lincoln, Wicker, and Rogers Parks. The reference to "fiddle as we burn" is an allusion to Nero, the ancient Roman emperor who is said to have played the fiddle while Rome burned. The final lines of the song speak to the idea that even though we continue to build up and tear down without learning from our mistakes, there is always the possibility for rebirth and renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
we throw out our bodies on the fire and we die, settle into ashes as the flames keep piling high
We sacrifice ourselves to the flames, giving up everything we have as our beloved city burns down around us.
we tossed and spread the kerosene and alcohol, the ethylene ignited cardboard homes
We fuel the fire with anything we can find, from flammable liquids to makeshift shelters.
the second in a hundred and again as many years street signs, skyscrapers and names
This is not the first time our city has burned, and it likely won't be the last. Every time we rebuild, only to watch it all be destroyed once more.
state street, what a great street when the places and the people stayed the same
Our city used to be filled with familiar faces and local businesses. Now, it's overrun by chain stores and anonymous crowds.
winter beats the summer on the worst ones i fall in love again on the first ones
Even in the darkest moments, we find hope and beauty in our city's resilience. We fall in love with it all over again.
carbon vapor lines burn as a grid like the burning summer evenings like my fingertips did ...
The flames consume everything in their path, creating a hauntingly beautiful grid of fire that feels both intensely personal and universal.
this town is choking on our filth obstinate displays of wealth clog our lincoln, wicker, rogers parks. here's to your health chicago.
Chicago is struggling under the weight of our own greed and pollution, and yet we refuse to change our ways. We toast to our own destruction.
fiddle as we burn. nevermore, nevertheless build it up and tear it down and never learn .....
We watch helplessly as our city burns, knowing that we will continue to rebuild, only to repeat the same mistakes and suffer the same fate all over again.
Contributed by Jeremiah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.