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."
Letter From an Occupant
The New Pornographers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is just a bill from the restaurant
You told me I could order the moon, babe
Just as long as I shoot what I want
What the last ten minutes have taught me
Bet the hand that your money's on
Where the Hell have the '70s brought me?
For the love of a god, you said
Not a letter from an occupant
The time that your enemy gives you
Good times are not the ones you want
I've cried five rivers on the way here
Which one will you skate away on?
The tune you'll be humming forever
All the words are replaced and wrong
With a shower of "yeahs" and "whatevers"
You trade me away, long gone
For the love of a god, you said
Not a letter from an occupant
Where've all sensations gone?
Where've all sensations gone?
Where've all sensations gone?
Where've all sensations gone?
For the love of a god, you said
Not a letter from an occupant
For the love of a god, you said
Not a letter from an occupant
For the love of a god, you said
Not a letter from an occupant
The song, the song, the song that's shakin' me
The song, the song, the song that's shakin' me
The song, the song, the song that's shakin' me
The song, the song, the song that's shakin' me
For the love of a god, you said
Not a letter from an occupant
For the love of a god, you said
Not a letter from an occupant
"Letter From an Occupant" is a song by The New Pornographers that tells the story of a love gone wrong. The song begins by talking about how everything seems fine until the eventual downfall, which is like receiving a bill at a restaurant. The singer's lover promised them the moon but only if they shoot what they want. This could indicate that their lover is selfish and the relationship is one-sided.
The second verse talks about how the singer has learned a lesson: bet on the hand your money's on. They also question where they are in life, and feel traded away and forgotten by their lover. The chorus repeats the line "For the love of god, you said not a letter from an occupant." This suggests that the singer's lover wants honest communication rather than just a letter filled with words that don't bring them closer together.
In the third verse, the singer discusses that good times are not always what they seem. They have cried five rivers on the way there, and they wonder which one their lover will skate away on. The fourth verse talks about a song that's shaking the singer, which could represent their emotions. The song ends with three repetitions of the chorus.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm told the eventual downfall
I have been warned that ultimate failure is imminent
Is just a bill from the restaurant
The downfall will come from something as simple as a restaurant bill
You told me I could order the moon, babe
You promised me anything I wanted
Just as long as I shoot what I want
As long as I am successful in my endeavors
What the last ten minutes have taught me
Recent events have provided me with new knowledge
Bet the hand that your money's on
Put confidence in the thing you have invested in
Where the Hell have the '70s brought me?
I am questioning my current situation in life and how I ended up here
You trade me away, long gone
You have given up on me and left me behind
For the love of a god, you said
You claimed to care about me deeply
Not a letter from an occupant
But what I really needed was direct communication and reassurance
The time that your enemy gives you
Opportunities presented by your enemies
Good times are not the ones you want
Success is not always measured by positive experiences
I've cried five rivers on the way here
I have gone through a lot of emotional pain before arriving at this moment
Which one will you skate away on?
Which hardship will you ignore and avoid confronting?
The tune you'll be humming forever
A song that will stick with you for the rest of your life
All the words are replaced and wrong
But the lyrics have been changed or are incorrect
With a shower of 'yeahs' and 'whatevers'
The song is filled with meaningless words like 'yeah' and 'whatever'
Where've all sensations gone?
I am no longer feeling anything
The song, the song, the song that's shakin' me
This powerful song is having a profound effect on me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Carl Allan Newman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@crasyparty
Neko Case stepped on my hand at a concert once.
@galef1986
Don't even dare to wash that hand!
@PeterByker
so jealous right now
@JamesKobielus
Did it hurt? Did she apologize?
@ItsSomeDeadGuy
Did you say "thank you"?
@pancakeofdestiny
"It was awesome"?
@YoungThos
I have been listening to this for over 20 years, but am seeing the music video for the first time. So good!
@sjbechet1111
Im a bit embarrassed to confess I've only just discovered them. I just spent a month riding a motorcycle, touring and camping listening to this and it has been fucking awesome.
I quit Spotify and bought 6 of their albums on Bandcamp. I'm gonna buy some T shirts too - just to see if anyone else in NZ knows how they are.
@amanitaspilzkopf
Thank you for introducing me to this band, Karen! Wherever you are now...
@michaelmenke726
“Where’ve all sensations gone?” Neko Case is absolutely enchanting here! “The song, the song that’s shakin’ me”