(1) Formed in the fall of 1998, The Maccabees were comprised of ¾ of long-d… Read Full Bio ↴(1) Formed in the fall of 1998, The Maccabees were comprised of ¾ of long-defunct Pohgoh. They released a 6 track EP "Songs from the Weakest Link" on New Granada records.

(2) The Maccabees (2002-2016) were an indie rock band from London, UK. The line-up consisted of Orlando Weeks (vocals), Hugo White (guitar), Felix White (guitar, vocals), Rupert Jarvis (bass) and Sam Doyle (drums), who replaced Robert Dylan Thomas. Weeks stated once that the band came up with the name by flicking through the Bible and picking out a random word. Despite adopting a name with religious connotations, he affirmed that none of the band are religious.

Debuting in 2004 with the You Make Noise I Make Sandwiches EP (released on Haircut Records), they released their first single X-Ray on Promise Records on November 28, 2005. Receiving just little significant exposure - some evening play on XFM London radio station - the band however scored a minor indie hit with their second post-punk influenced single Latchmere released in April 2006 on Fierce Panda Records.
Then inking a deal with the Polydor imprint (and former home of The Cure) Fiction Records the bands first studio album, Colour It In, was released on May 4, 2007 .
To date (late September 2007) they have released three (widely available) singles from the album (First Love, About Your Dress and Precious Time) with a fourth and final single Toothpaste Kisses released on October 8, 2007.

On May 4, 2009 the band released Wall of Arms, their second album. Preceded by the single Love You Better on April 27th. Markus Dravs, who collaborated in the past with artists such as Björk, Arcade Fire and Coldplay, produced the album. The album has been recorded in various cities including Liverpool and Paris, unlike their first long-player which was recorded in "dribs and drabs" like frontman Orlando Weeks said.

On January 9, 2012 the Maccabees released Given To The Wild, their third album. The band worked on the album at both Rockfield Studios in Wales and their rehearsal space in London's Elephant and Castle district, before decamping to Suffolk to finish the record.

Marks to Prove It, their last album, was released in 2015.

Official Website

Guitarist Felix White was initially in a band called Jack's Basement with fellow friend Jack Peñate. Felix and Hugo White are brothers, along with Will White, who is the frontman of another band called Talk Taxis. Former drummer Robert Dylan Thomas left the band in 2008.

Can You Give It
The Maccabees Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

One last push with all the strength of us all
Under one great shadow floorshow take the strain for us all

Can you give it
Can you give it
Can you give it
Can you give it
Can you give it

One last pull to tight the slack of before
Slow rolling bolder, rock, stone, pebble, grit, sand, dust, grain, speck of it all

Can you give it
Can you give it
Can you give it
Can you give it
Can you give it

Bolt hold, tape together
Concrete to another
Bind tight, and deliver
Hold fast, hold fast, hold fast

Can you give it
Can you give it
Can you give it

Can you give it
Can you give it

Overall Meaning

In "Can You Give It", The Maccabees utilize vivid imagery to convey a sense of communal effort and unity in the face of struggle. The repeated refrain of "Can you give it" serves as an almost rallying cry, with the band encouraging listeners to push themselves to the limit and test their own strength. The lyrics are crafted in a way that emphasizes the idea of a collective effort, with phrases like "the strength of us all" and "for us all" reinforcing the idea that everyone must do their part.

The song also contains a strong sense of physicality, with references to pushing, pulling, and exertion. The line "Slow rolling bolder, rock, stone, pebble, grit, sand, dust, grain, speck of it all" serves as a metaphor for the difficulties and obstacles that must be overcome in order to achieve a goal. The list of different elements emphasizes the idea that even the smallest, seemingly insignificant things can play a role in a larger effort.

Ultimately, "Can You Give It" is a call to action, challenging the listener to push themselves beyond their limits and work together towards a common goal.

Line by Line Meaning

One last push with all the strength of us all
We need one final burst of energy from everyone to achieve our goal.

Under one great shadow floorshow take the strain for us all
We need to rely on each other to share the burden of the difficult task we face.

Can you give it
Can you put forth the effort and commitment necessary to succeed?

One last pull to tight the slack of before
We must make one final effort to overcome the remaining obstacles.

Slow rolling bolder, rock, stone, pebble, grit, sand, dust, grain, speck of it all
Our progress may be slow and difficult, but every small step counts towards our success.

Bolt hold, tape together
We need to strengthen our foundations and work together to ensure they hold firm.

Concrete to another
We need to connect and unite our efforts to make them stronger.

Bind tight, and deliver
We need to stay committed and deliver on our promise to succeed.

Hold fast, hold fast, hold fast
We must remain dedicated and steadfast in the face of adversity.

Contributed by Dylan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS