(1) Formed in the fall of 1998, The Maccabees was comprised of ¾ of long-de… Read Full Bio ↴(1) Formed in the fall of 1998, The Maccabees was 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, 2024-present) are 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. The band announced that they decided to disband in August 2016, with farewell gigs in 2017.

On 25 October 2024, it was announced that the band were reuniting.

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.

Slowly One
The Maccabees Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

In every quiet moment
In every little silence
Every small reminder where you find her
With every left light on
Let alone

Every little loving word
Said out of love

Going cold

Little by little I'm laid down
Little by little I'm laid down

I can go wherever
Still the same
Every small reminder of a name
Any half measures
Any pleasures
Every new encounter that's not her
Leaves you cold

Little by little I'm laid down
Little by little I'm laid down

Some day you're going to wake up

And think you went a day without
Going cold

Overall Meaning

The Maccabees's song Slowly One is a powerful yet subtle representation of the aftermath of a break-up. The song is sung in a melancholic tune that is fitting for the somber and heavy lyrics. The lyrics of the song convey the aftermath of a break-up, where everything in the world becomes a reminder of the past relationship. In every quiet moment and every little silence, the person finds themselves reminded of their lost lover. They are left alone with every light left on, and the small things that were said out of love now seem to be going cold.

The song speaks of the gradual descent into heartache, where the person is slowly being laid down. Every small reminder - a name, any half-measures, any pleasures, or even new encounters that are not her, leaves them cold. The song speaks of a turning point, one that the person may reach someday, where they realize they have gone a day without going cold. The slightly cryptic nature of the lyrics allows the listeners to interpret it in their own ways, connecting with the words and what they mean to them personally.

Line by Line Meaning

In every quiet moment
During every moment of silence

In every little silence
During even the smallest of silent moments

Every small reminder where you find her
Every little thing that reminds you of her presence

With every left light on
When you leave the light on, hoping she'll come back

Let alone
Not to mention everything else

Every little loving word
Each and every word of love

Said out of love
Expressed out of pure affection

Going cold
Slowly losing its warmth and meaning

Little by little I'm laid down
Gradually losing hope and giving up on love

I can go wherever
I can travel to different places

Still the same
But none of it changes the fact that I still feel the same way