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.
Nebraska
The Lawrence Arms Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it's been too long since we spoke
Your sarcasm radiates unhappiness
So withdrawn and rooted deep inside
Are you content at twenty-seven
Were you hopeful at 17?
A void the size of oceans stretches out between us
I guess our blood is suppose to be a bridge
Can you pull yourself up
Frustrations driven you to angry dreams
Let nebraska disappear in golden flames of grain
I know you can't imagine having company right now
There's a world of tired faces that understand this pain
There's a better life waiting on the outside
Of these decaying walls
Your bitterness doesn't surprise me
As these pointless days go screaming by
Rejected sour eyes can't imagine blue skies
I wish you could find something to live for
Besides the agony of bleeding towards the last breath
I truly believe that you want more than this (this is killing you)
That what you want is very simple
Somehow so complex to get
Please don't hate yourself.
The Lawrence Arms’s song Nebraska depicts a conversation between two men, one of whom is named Mike, who seems to be going through a challenging phase of his life. The lyrics express concern and empathy from the singer towards Mike, as well as acknowledging the emotional distance that seems to exist between them. The lines “A void the size of oceans stretches out between us / I guess our blood is supposed to be a bridge” suggest that despite being related, the two have drifted apart.
The verses also highlight Mike’s struggles with self-hatred, frustration, and bitterness. The line “Your bitterness doesn’t surprise me / As these pointless days go screaming by” paints a bleak picture of his state of mind. However, the singer offers words of encouragement, urging Mike to find something to live for and not hate himself. The chorus is an invitation for Mike to leave behind his current circumstances, represented by Nebraska, and move towards a better life outside those “decaying walls.”
Overall, Nebraska is a poignant song that explores themes of loneliness, regret, and the search for meaning. The lyrics are sincere and heartfelt, offering hope and support to someone in a dark place.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey mike I wish I could help you figure something out
The singer wants to help Mike figure out his problems but feels it's been too long since they last talked.
But it's been too long since we spoke
The singer hasn't talked to Mike in a long time.
Your sarcasm radiates unhappiness
Mike's sarcastic tone reflects how unhappy he is.
So withdrawn and rooted deep inside
Mike has withdrawn and keeps his problems inside.
Are you content at twenty-seven
The artist questions if Mike is happy with how his life turned out at 27.
Were you hopeful at 17?
The singer wonders if Mike was optimistic about his future at 17.
A void the size of oceans stretches out between us
There's a large emotional gap between the singer and Mike.
I guess our blood is suppose to be a bridge
Family ties are supposed to bring people together.
Can you pull yourself up from this self hatred
The artist hopes Mike can overcome his self-loathing.
Frustrations driven you to angry dreams
Mike's frustrations cause him to have angry dreams.
Let nebraska disappear in golden flames of grain
The singer suggests burning down Nebraska to rid Mike of his negative feelings.
I know you can't imagine having company right now
Mike doesn't want to be around other people.
There's a world of tired faces that understand this pain
Others can relate to Mike's pain.
There's a better life waiting on the outside
Leaving his current situation can lead to a better life.
Of these decaying walls
Mike is stuck in an unhealthy environment.
Your bitterness doesn't surprise me
The artist isn't surprised by Mike's bitterness.
As these pointless days go screaming by
Days feel meaningless to Mike and pass by quickly.
Rejected sour eyes can't imagine blue skies
Mike can't see a better future because of how rejected and sour he feels.
I wish you could find something to live for
The singer wants Mike to find a purpose in life.
Besides the agony of bleeding towards the last breath
The artist doesn't want Mike to live only for the sake of dying.
I truly believe that you want more than this (this is killing you)
The artist believes Mike wants a better life because his current situation is hurting him.
That what you want is very simple
The artist thinks Mike's desires are straightforward.
Somehow so complex to get
Achieving what Mike wants is difficult.
Please don't hate yourself.
The artist encourages Mike to not hate himself.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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