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.
Great Lakes/Great Escapes
The Lawrence Arms Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The knife and phone just fucking lay there.
I orchestrate a day of routine elements.
These letters are are so old and faded.
And in the end we'll burn in history.
I'll take a chance and fall in love tonight.
I'm lost and found. So lost again.
(I don't worry when I'm wandering)
I used to paint myself with sentiment.
But all my colors turned to gray.
I spent the night out on the wire again.
But I wasn't looking for a savior
And in the end we'll burn in history.
I'll take a chance and fall in love tonight.
I'm lost and found. So lost again.
I wonder as I'm wandering.
(I don't worry when I'm wandering)
Great Lake, I don't need a great escape.
Tonight. I've got this city on my side.
And in the end we'll burn in history.
I could fall in love with her tonight.
I'm lost and found. So lost again.
Nothing to do but keep on wandering.
We can live with our mistakes.
All my friends are going out tonight.
And I can't sit here just waiting for another day to die
Fuck all this ancient history.
The Lawrence Arms’ song Great Lakes/Great Escapes is a nostalgic reflection on the past and questioning the present. The lyrics convey the message of being lost and searching for an escape, but not necessarily from a place, instead from oneself. The line "I scratched my name into the table," is an act of leaving a mark of oneself, leaving a trace that shows the existence of the individual. However, the realization of being just another trace of history and eventually fading away leads to a search for meaning and experiencing new things. The lyrics "I used to paint myself with sentiment. But all my colors turned to gray," suggests a loss of emotion, lacking the ability to feel as vividly as before.
The choruses of the song emphasize the importance of taking a chance on life. The lyrics "And in the end, we'll burn in history. I'll take a chance and fall in love tonight," encapsulate the idea of living life to the fullest and making an impact in the world. The line "Great Lake, I don't need a great escape. Tonight. I've got this city on my side," highlights the power of being present and finding joy in the moment. The song encourages listeners to embrace the opportunities life has to offer and to not wait for them to come to you but to instead seek them out.
Line by Line Meaning
I scratched my name into the table.
I left my mark on this place, but it might not last forever.
The knife and phone just fucking lay there.
There are tools and ways to reach out, but they're just sitting idle.
I orchestrate a day of routine elements.
My life is planned out with monotonous tasks.
These letters are so old and faded.
The things that were once important to us are now forgotten and worn down.
And in the end we'll burn in history.
Our actions will have an impact on the world, even if we're not remembered as individuals.
I'll take a chance and fall in love tonight.
I'm open to the possibility of connecting with someone on a deeper level.
I'm lost and found. So lost again.
I'm confused and searching for meaning, but I've been in this position before.
I wonder as I'm wandering.
I'm exploring new places but still questioning my purpose.
(I don't worry when I'm wandering)
I feel free and unburdened when I'm exploring and discovering new things.
I used to paint myself with sentiment.
I used to be emotional and expressive, but something has changed.
But all my colors turned to gray.
My life has become dull and uninspired.
I spent the night out on the wire again.
I took risks and lived dangerously, but it wasn't because I was looking for help or guidance.
But I wasn't looking for a savior
I don't need someone to save me, I'm content doing things my own way.
Great Lake, I don't need a great escape.
I find peace and fulfillment in simple pleasures in the present moment.
Tonight. I've got this city on my side.
I feel confident and empowered knowing that I have familiarity and strength within my community.
Nothing to do but keep on wandering.
I have no specific direction, but I'll keep exploring and seeking new experiences.
We can live with our mistakes.
It's okay to make errors and learn from them.
All my friends are going out tonight.
My peers are also living their lives and having new adventures.
And I can't sit here just waiting for another day to die.
I refuse to waste my life with inaction and monotony.
Fuck all this ancient history.
I'm not interested in worrying about the past, I'm focused on what's happening now and what's ahead.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind