Carl Newman, who writes most of the band's material, has said, "When I seriously started to try to write songs, my main influences were, like, Burt Bacharach, Jim Webb, and Brian Wilson. Those were the guys I kinda looked at their music and went, 'What the hell are they doing here?' I was just fascinated by the structures and the harmonics."
The melody of the first and eponymous track on their second album Electric Version, for instance, begins with an arpeggiated diminished triad --- a rare and strange opening flourish for a pop song.
The band have released a series of well-received albums: Mass Romantic (2000), Electric Version (2003), Twin Cinema (2005), Challengers (2007), Together (2010), Brill Bruisers (2014) and Whiteout Conditions (2017). In 2019 they released In the Morse Code of Brake Lights.
The band members include:
- Carl Newman - vocals, guitar, ebow, synthesizer, harmonica, pump organ, xylophone
- Dan Bejar - vocals, guitar, synthesizer, melodion
- Kathryn Calder - vocals, piano
- Neko Case - vocals, tambourine
- John Collins - bass, guitar, synthesizer, ebow, vocals
- Kurt Dahle - drums, percussion, vocals
- Todd Fancey - guitar
- Blaine Thurier - synthesizer
The New Pornographers are frequently referred to as an indie supergroup because of the following members' associations:
- Carl Newman, solo artist (as A.C. Newman), also of Superconductor and Zumpano
- Dan Bejar of Destroyer,Swan Lake and Vancouver Nights.
- Kathryn Calder of Immaculate Machine.
- Neko Case, solo artist, also of Maow and cub
- John Collins of The Evaporators
- Kurt Dahle of Limblifter and Age of Electric
- Todd Fancey of Fancey
- Blaine Thurier, independent filmmaker
Newman, however, doesn't care for the term: "I'm really tired of that supergroup label, and I wish people would stop using it. None of us were known at all outside of Canada --- I just don't think it's accurate."
Another Drug Deal Of The Heart
The New Pornographers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pretend it's yours 'cause it will be
It will still be cracked
Are you sure we bought the right thrill here?
It's a drug deal of the heart
It's a drug deal of the heart
Don't meet me here
I won't pay you here
Let's treat it more like being sworn in and not
Like a drug deal of the heart
Like a drug deal of the heart
In a drug deal of the heart
It's a drug deal of the heart
It's a drug deal of the heart
It's a drug deal of the heart
The song "Another Drug Deal of the Heart" by The New Pornographers is a fascinating commentary on love and the buying and selling of affection. The lyrics paint a picture of two individuals in a situation similar to a drug deal, attempting to exchange their emotions and feelings much like they would exchange drugs on a street corner. The singer implores their partner to meet them in a discreet location, to ensure that the transaction remains hidden from prying eyes.
The chorus highlights the central theme of the song: "It's a drug deal of the heart". The parallel between love and drugs is drawn upon throughout the song, with the idea that both are highly addictive and can leave you feeling vulnerable and exposed. The lines "We can't send it back, pretend it's yours 'cause it will be, it will still be cracked" suggest that even if one party is unhappy with what they receive in the transaction, there is no going back. The idea of purchasing love, even if it is cracked or flawed, is too appealing to resist.
In conclusion, Another Drug Deal of the Heart is a song about the exchange of love, and how this exchange can mirror a drug deal. The song's lyrics suggest that love, like drugs, can be both dangerous and addictive. The song's chorus highlights the novel central concept, making it an innovative take on a familiar subject matter.
Line by Line Meaning
We can't send it back
We cannot undo what has happened or what has been purchased
Pretend it's yours 'cause it will be
Act like you own it because, in reality, it belongs to us and no one else
It will still be cracked
It may not be perfect, but it's still worth having
Are you sure we bought the right thrill here?
Are you positive that this is what we truly desire?
It's a drug deal of the heart
This emotional exchange is similar to a narcotics transaction
Don't meet me here
Don't come to the obvious location because it may attract unwanted attention
Just meet me out on that corner stop
Meet me at a more discreet location like the street corner
I won't pay you here
I will not give you what you want in public because it's too risky
Let's treat it more like being sworn enough
Let's handle this transaction with the utmost secrecy and care
A drug deal of the heart
This emotional exchange is similar to a narcotics transaction
It's a drug deal of the heart
This emotional exchange is similar to a narcotics transaction
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Carl Allan Newman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind