Championed by NME, the band's first single What a Waster charted at number 37, despite being banned from Radio 1 and commercial radio due to an overabundance of foul language; this set the trend for steadily increasing returns, culminating in a #2 single and #1 album in the UK Charts. However, the band's music was often eclipsed by its internal conflicts, many of which stemmed from Doherty's considerable drug use, and it was mostly because of this that after a final show in Paris (without Pete) that the band was disbanded at the end of 2004.
The former members of The Libertines have gone on to form three splinter bands, with varying degrees of commercial and critical success. These bands include Peter Doherty in Babyshambles, Carl Barât and Gary Powell in Dirty Pretty Things and John Hassall in Yeti.
Pete and Carl recently came back to work on Babyshambles' charity cover of The Clash's 'Janie Jones' for Strummerville. Carl and Pete also performed 13 songs together in April 2007 as Carl appeared on stage at one of Pete's shows. On the 29th of March 2010 the Libertines announced they had reunited to play the Leeds and Reading festivals in August.
On 20 April 2014 an image of London's Hyde Park was released to the band's Facebook page. Around this time both Carl Barat and Peter Doherty indicated in interviews that they had accepted an offer to play the venue on July 5, 2014. On 25 April, it was confirmed that The Libertines will play on Saturday 5 July in London's Hyde Park, headlining the day, as part of the Barclaycard British Summer Time series of concerts. Support for the concert will be provided by a number of bands and artists, most notably The Pogues, Spiritualized, Maxïmo Park, Raglans and The Enemy
On 20 May, it was confirmed that The Libertines will play on Saturday 19 July in Benicassim FIB, Spain, as headliners.
They have also announced a European tour, their first tour in 10 years, consisting of 9 dates prior to the release of a new album in 2015, 11 years after their previous studio release.
The band's reunion album was followed by a series of festival appearances, including a surprise gig during the 2015 Glastonbury Festival, as they were secretly called to replace Florence + the Machine (who were earlier announced as unscheduled headliners after Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl's injury prevented the latters from headlining the day). The Libertines were filmed as they landed down off an helicopter outside the festival site, and stated their show with a hit from their 2nd album, Can't Stand Me Now.
On the 13th of October 2023 the band released their first single in eight years, as well as announcing that their new album All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade will be arriving on March 8, 2024.[40] To celebrate the announcement of the new album the band announced "The Albionay Tour". An intimate club tour that sold out in seconds. [41]
Arbeit Macht Frei
The Libertines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The guard said he could stay alive
But he has to shovel
And burn his friends to die, people to die
And the gate read:
"Arbeit Macht Frei"
In her rollers
She's leaning the steps in a mean street
Where no policeman walks the beat
Her old man
He don't like blacks or queers
Yet he's proud we beat the Nazis?
How queer
Arbeit Macht Frei
The Libertines's song Arbeit Macht Frei speaks about the horrors that took place in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. The song begins with a reference to the harsh working conditions in the concentration camps where prisoners were forced to work under brutal conditions. The phrase "Arbeit Macht Frei," meaning "work sets you free," was a cruelly ironic slogan placed at the entrance of the concentration camps to deceive those arriving as well as hide the truth about the atrocities that were committed there.
The second verse of the song focuses on a girl who is smoking a cigarette and leaning against the steps of a mean street where no police officer walks. She seems unconcerned with the world around her, but the lyrics suggest she is a victim of neglect and oppression. Her father is a bigot who despises black and queer people. He's proud of his country for defeating the Nazis, but the irony is not lost on the singer, given the parallels of oppression between the people his father hates and the victims of the concentration camps.
In summary, the song is a commentary on how ordinary people are affected by the ideologies of those in power and how they can be cruelly oppressed as a result.
Line by Line Meaning
Roll a gasper
Light up a cigarette
The guard said he could stay alive
A guard offered him a chance at life
But he has to shovel
In order to live, he must work
And burn his friends to die, people to die
He is forced to incinerate the bodies of those who have died
And the gate read: 'Arbeit Macht Frei'
The gate reads 'work sets you free,' a cynical message given the concentration camp setting
In her rollers
She is wearing hair rollers
And a gasper
She is smoking a cigarette
She's leaning the steps in a mean street
She is hanging out in a dangerous area
Where no policeman walks the beat
There is no police presence in this area
Her old man
Her boyfriend/husband
He don't like blacks or queers
He is racially and sexually prejudiced
Yet he's proud we beat the Nazis?
He is hypocritical for being proud of beating the Nazis despite holding discriminatory beliefs
How queer
Ironic use of the word 'queer' to emphasize the hypocrisy of the situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PETER DOHERTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind