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."
Star Bodies
The New Pornographers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
under siege
under oath
anna lee
won't you come
strap yourself
to my side
in disguise
we've got more
lives than I
ever dreamed
you could own
at one time
there's a shake with the shock
and a gift off with them
they carry the dust of the failing wisdom
for you there's not any warning
for you there's not any warning
and love is 5 in the morning
on a tear
cautiously
we advance
anna lee
won't you come
pass the torch
bring your hands
yes and no
there's no right
but we have no
better light
to see through
to our star bodies go
there's a shake with the shock
and a gift off with them
they carry the dust of the failing wisdom
for you there's not any warning
for you there's not any warning
and love is 5 in the morning
now take me to where your sister lives
take me to where your sister lives
take me to where your sister lives
take me to where your sister lives
on a tear
far from home
by a thread
anna lee
what's been said
has to say
between us
call me over
I trust
we lay here
'til we must
make our break
to our star bodies go
there's a shake with the shock
and a gift off with them
they carry the dust of the failing wisdom
for you there's not any warning
for you there's not any warning
and love is 5 in the morning
for you there's not any warning
'til we skip through the towns to the bright sweet past on
and bury the dust of the failing wisdom
for you there's not any warning
for you there's not any warning
and love is 5 in the morning
for you there's not any warning
now take me to where your sister lives
take me to where your sister lives
The lyrics to "Star Bodies" by The New Pornographers are a combination of cryptic phrases and abstract concepts that evoke a sense of urgency and the need for adventure. The phrase "on a tear" is repeated throughout the song, perhaps indicating a sense of recklessness or impulsivity. The mention of being "under siege" and "under oath" adds to the sense of urgency and danger. "Anna Lee" is mentioned several times, and it's unclear if she is a real person or a symbol for something else.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "there's a shake with the shock and a gift off with them," which could be interpreted in several ways. It could refer to the idea that everything in life comes with a cost or a trade-off. The line "love is 5 in the morning" adds to the sense of urgency and suggests that the characters in the song are searching for something.
The final lines of the song mention going to where someone's sister lives, but it's unclear what the significance of this is. The song ends with the phrase "now take me to where your sister lives," which could be seen as a request for something new and exciting or a call to explore the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
On a tear
Starting off on a high energy
under siege
Being attacked or pressured
under oath
Legally bound to tell the truth
anna lee
An addressed person, possibly a partner or a friend
won't you come
Asking the addressed person to join in
strap yourself
Get ready, prepare yourself
to my side
Come along with me
with our grill
With our plan
in disguise
Hiding behind something else
we've got more
We possess a lot more
lives than I
More than I can count
ever dreamed
More than I have imagined
you could own
That can be possessed
at one time
During a certain period
there's a shake with the shock
Trembling with the impact
and a gift off with them
And a part of them has gone away
they carry the dust of the failing wisdom
They bring along the failures and mistakes from past experiences
for you there's not any warning
You won't have any indication before something big happens
and love is 5 in the morning
Love can strike anytime, even in unexpected hours
cautiously
With care and warning
we advance
We move forward
pass the torch
Pass on the responsibility
bring your hands
Come along with hands open, ready to receive
yes and no
Ambiguity
there's no right
No objective truth
but we have no
But we don't possess
better light
A better perspective
to see through
To perceive and understand
to our star bodies go
Towards a better version of ourselves
far from home
Away from comfort and security
by a thread
Barely hanging on the edge of something
what's been said
What has been spoken or communicated
has to say
Should be spoken out loud
between us
Confined in our relationship
call me over
Inviting to come over
I trust
I believe in our relationship
we lay here
We rest here
'til we must
Until we have to move again
make our break
To leave behind something and start anew
to the bright sweet past on
To a beautiful and beautiful memory
bury the dust of the failing wisdom
To leave behind the baggage of past failures
now take me to where your sister lives
Take me to a place where you're comfortable and familiar
Contributed by Molly Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.