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."
Breakin' The Law
The New Pornographers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't touch me, don't touch me up,
to the teeth, by the numbers.
It's not much but I'm going under.
Liar, Liar, everything's on fire.
So I don't want to hear how you crossed the wires.
Don't touch me, don't touch me up,
You'll come to, little indian giver.
So give us the keys now,
we'll burn this hall of justice down.
Around the ankles, or just to the ground.
Hats off to the city fathers,
they're no longer a hundred feet tall.
They're no longer, no longer,
and we're just here,
another hundred feet stronger. Yeah!
The lyrics of The New Pornographers's "Breakin' the Law" seem to speak of a person who is struggling to remember the name of someone they have met before. The line "I can never place the name with the face" suggests they are experiencing a moment of forgetfulness, perhaps due to stress or anxiety. The next few lines - "Don't touch me, don't touch me up, to the teeth, by the numbers" - could be interpreted as a plea to be left alone and not bothered by others, as if the person is withdrawing from the world around them. They feel as if they are going under, perhaps sinking into a feeling of depression or despair.
The chorus of the song seems to suggest that the world is in a state of chaos, with everything "on fire." The singer doesn't want to hear about how someone "crossed the wires" - which could mean they messed things up, made a mistake, or caused something to malfunction. They simply want to be left alone, and are ready to "take it to the river" - perhaps a metaphor for washing their troubles away.
The final verse of the song is somewhat ominous, with the suggestion of burning down a "hall of justice." However, it should be noted that the idea of a "hall of justice" could be interpreted in various ways, depending on the listener's perspective. It could be a government building, a court of law, or even a university lecture hall. The line "Around the ankles, or just to the ground" suggests that the person or people involved in this act of rebellion are ready to tear the whole structure down, even if it means destroying themselves in the process. The final lines - "Hats off to the city fathers, they're no longer a hundred feet tall. They're no longer, no longer, and we're just here, another hundred feet stronger" - could be seen as an affirmation of the singer's belief that the old order is crumbling and that something new and stronger is emerging in its place.
Line by Line Meaning
I can never place the name with the face.
I struggle to remember who people are and connect their names with their physical appearance.
Don't touch me, don't touch me up, to the teeth, by the numbers.
Do not lay your hands on me, don't do it again, be serious and precise about what you do or say.
It's not much but I'm going under.
I am not doing well, I am in trouble and struggling to stay afloat.
Liar, Liar, everything's on fire. So I don't want to hear how you crossed the wires.
You are lying and causing problems, I do not want to hear your excuses or explanations because everything is chaos.
Watch, I'll take it to the river.
I'll make sure that whatever is happening gets sorted out, dealt with or taken care of.
You'll come to, little indian giver.
The situation will become clear to you, but don't try to take things back the way children do.
So give us the keys now, we'll burn this hall of justice down. Around the ankles, or just to the ground.
Give us the power or control and we will destroy this corrupted justice system, we can destroy it completely or just weaken its foundation.
Hats off to the city fathers, they're no longer a hundred feet tall.
Congratulations to the city leaders who are becoming more human, with fewer delusions of grandeur or untouchable power.
They're no longer, no longer, and we're just here, another hundred feet stronger. Yeah!
They no longer have power or control, but we have been strengthened and empowered to fight against systems of oppression.
Contributed by Skyler R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.