After completing several East Coast tours, they released a split EP in 2006 with local Cairns band Sleeping in Trains. Their debut album The Recordings of the Middle East was released on 24th April 2008, shortly before the band announced their first split. They reconvened eight months later, and in the autumn of 2009 released their album in the United States as an abridged EP, also called The Recordings of the Middle East.
Their song "Blood" is featured in the films Accidents Happen, It's Kind of a Funny Story. and Crazy, Stupid, Love, as well as in an episode of the Australian television comedy-drama series Offspring and an advertisement for European bank BNP Paribas.
At the start of their appearance at 2011's Splendour in the Grass music festival, the band announced that their set that night would be their last show ever, thanking fans in attendance for making their finale special for the band.
Black Death 1349
The Middle East Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rats are coming down the Rhine
Pretty girls, little boys
Bring all just a-and-b’s (?)
In the void (?)
Picking with (?) 13 Jews
With all those (?)
Little babies in the void
Jesus Christ was what a noise (?)
Saviour coming down the Rhine
Black Death, 1349
The lyrics to The Middle East's Black Death 1349 are both cryptic and hauntingly dark. The song seems to be describing the bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, which spread throughout Europe in the 14th century. The opening line "rats are coming down the Rhine" references how the disease spread through the rat population that lived along the river. The song then mentions "pretty girls, little boys" who are bringing "just a-and-b's" (possibly referring to the ABCs of disease prevention) in the void, likely referring to the feeling of emptiness and grief left by the heavy toll of death.
The song then takes a disturbing turn as it describes "picking with (?) 13 Jews" and asks if the listener has ever heard the news. This may refer to the belief held by some at the time that the bubonic plague was caused by Jews poisoning wells, leading to their persecution and execution. The final lines of the song mention a "savior coming down the Rhine," possibly referring to an attempt to curb the spread of the disease, and again references the Black Death of 1349.
Line by Line Meaning
Black Death, 1349
Referring to the Bubonic Plague that hit Europe in 1349
Rats are coming down the Rhine
The disease-carrying rats from Asia were spreading towards Europe through trade routes, including the Rhine river
Pretty girls, little boys
Referring to the innocent victims of the plague, regardless of their gender or age
Bring all just a-and-b’s (?)
Not clear, possibly referring to everyone being affected equally by the disease
In the void (?)
Not clear, possibly referring to the feeling of emptiness and despair during the outbreak
Picking with (?) 13 Jews
Referring to the blaming of Jews for spreading the plague, causing violence and persecution against them
Ain’t you ever heard the news
Suggesting that people were aware of the plague and its devastation
With all those (?)
Not clear, may refer to the widespread death and suffering from the disease
Little babies in the void
Highlighting the tragic loss of innocent lives, including infants and children
Jesus Christ was what a noise (?)
Not clear, possibly referring to the panic and chaos caused by the outbreak
Saviour coming down the Rhine
Possibly referring to the hope for divine intervention to stop the spread of the disease
Contributed by Abigail S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jumungie
i love this song :')
John Doe
This song is beautiful
Toracube
Great music.
Eduardo Osorio
"Black death thirteen-fourty-nine, Rats are coming down the Rhine, Pretty girls, little boys, Were all just babies in the void," (not sure what he says here, maybe "Picking with burning youth"), "Ain't you ever heard the news, Were all just little babies in the void, Jesus Christ is what i was, Saviour coming down the Rhine, Black death thirteen-fourty-nine." It does sound a bit like Fleet Foxes.
Dave
"we're all just little babies in the void"