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.
There's No Place Like a Stranger's Floor
The Lawrence Arms Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Lawrence Arms's song There's No Place Like a Stranger's Floor might come across as a drunken and disoriented account of waking up on someone's floor after a night of partying. However, it is a powerful representation of the emotional tumult and disconnection that we feel in life. The opening lines, "Teeth ripped out of gums hit sparkling gray squares of concrete" speaks to the painful and jarring experiences we go through. The screaming in "technicolor pain" conveys the intensity of these experiences, which drive us to double over and spit blood. Nevertheless, there is something curiously life-affirming about it all. Maybe, it's the realization that we are alive and experiencing the full spectrum of emotions.
The second verse of the song talks about the feeling of being stuck in a recurring dream where you are desperately trying to say something, but no one can hear you. It is a metaphor for the failure of communication and connection that we often experience with others. The chorus, "Your worlds are corroding. Please let it work itself out. We've got time to melt" speaks to the need for a resolution, but also acknowledges that these things take time. The third verse brings in the imagery of city life, with oil stains glistening on the pavement and fluorescent lights glaring in the darkness. The line, "It's not worth talking when everything goes left unsaid" highlights the futility of trying to communicate with someone who refuses to hear you. The final lines of the song are both poignant and melancholic. "Your eyes are a cloudy morning. My lips are this sealed letter. Ineptly yours. Sincerely sorry" captures the sense of sadness and regret that we feel when we can't connect with someone, even when we desperately want to.
Line by Line Meaning
Teeth ripped out of gums hit sparkling gray squares of concrete.
Experiencing intense pain and aggression, with a loss of control, that it feels like your teeth are being ripped out and hitting the concrete.
Screams in technicolor pain. Doubled over spitting blood.
Experiencing so much pain that you scream uncontrollably and spit blood, with vivid and intense color that represents the severity of the situation.
The freezing rain. Never felt so good to wake up in some town on some floor to some sound.
Despite being uncomfortable and cold from the freezing rain, waking up on a stranger's floor in an unfamiliar town feels strangely relieving and refreshing.
Voices rattle through my veins.
Feeling intense emotions and anxiety to the point where it feels like your whole body is vibrating with the sound of voices running through your veins.
You're slowly imploding, your worlds are corroding. Please let it work itself out. We've got time to melt.
Your life is slowly falling apart, crumbling around you, but it's important to stay calm and let things work themselves out. There's time to recover and come back stronger.
You haven't said a single thing. A six month recurring dream.
Being stuck in a situation where you can't express yourself or make any progress, feeling like you're trapped in a repeating nightmare that goes on for months.
Oil stains glisten in the light. Fluorescent yellow blue and red.
The colorful and vibrant display of oil stains on the ground, reflecting the light and representing the chaos and beauty in everyday life.
It's not worth talking when everything goes left unsaid.
Sometimes it's better to just let things be, even if there are things left unsaid, because it's not worth trying to force a conversation that won't accomplish anything.
The freezing rain slants down in icy sheets on some street where someone is cursing what they've done.
The cold rain falls heavily on a street where someone is filled with regret and cursing their past decisions.
And walking quickly toward the train, cold and dejected in a brightly lit steel frame.
Feeling down and defeated, yet still pressing on with a sense of determination, walking towards a train that will take you to a new destination.
Your eyes are a cloudy morning. My lips are this sealed letter.
The singer has a foggy and unclear perception of the other person, while they themselves feel unable to communicate their thoughts or feelings in a meaningful way.
Ineptly yours. Sincerely sorry.
Feeling regretful and apologizing, though unable to express themselves eloquently or effectively.
It's something you feel in the sole out of your shoe on a loud city bus on some aching afternoon.
A sensation of deep discomfort and restlessness that arises in random moments, when you're stuck in a mundane situation and your mind is overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind