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."
Your Hands
The New Pornographers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For the silver bullet make me
Put put put your heads together
For the cause and cure we're waiting
Digging through and past the center
Of the earth go straight
Play the scientist and vandal
Sweating either way
Put put put your hands together
For the silver bullet make me
Put the voice of the idol maker
Rising definite and shaking
Pick your gift for accident
For wrapped it in skintight
Pull the strings that make this thing
You pushed with all your might
Crude plays they used to stage (oh my)
You've saved the best for later (oh my)
Crude plays, and yet they made you mine, mine
You're mine, mine
All mine, mine, all mine
Put put put your hands together
For the silver bullet make me
Put put put your hands together
For the future perfect waiting
You can only cover so much territory of course
Belting carols at the sun
About the things you've lost
Put put put your hands together
For the cause and cure is calling
Put put put your hands together
For the silver bullet falling
Digging through and past the center
Of the earth go straight
Play the scientist and vandal
Sweating either way
Crude plays they used to stage (oh my)
You've saved the best for later (oh my)
Crude plays, and yet they made you mine, mine
You're mine, mine
All mine, mine, all mine
Crude plays they used to stage (oh my)
You've saved the best for later (oh my)
Crude plays, and yet they made you mine, mine
You're mine, mine
All mine, mine, all mine
All mine
All mine
All mine
The lyrics to "Your Hands" by The New Pornographers offer a commentary on the tension between progress and destruction in modern society. "Put put put your hands together" and "put put put your heads together" could refer to the idea that we need to come together as a collective in order to create change. The "silver bullet" and "cause and cure" could represent our desire for quick and easy solutions to complex problems. The lines "Digging through and past the center / Of the earth go straight / Play the scientist and vandal / Sweating either way" could suggest that we are willing to explore and manipulate the natural world for our own gain, without knowing the consequences.
The chorus includes the lines "Crude plays they used to stage / You've saved the best for later / Crude plays, and yet they made you mine, mine / You're mine, mine / All mine, mine, all mine." "Crude plays" could represent the primitive and destructive actions we have taken in the past, while "saving the best for later" could imply that we are planning even more drastic measures for the future. The repetition of "mine" could reflect our possessive and selfish nature, as we try to exert control over the world around us.
Overall, "Your Hands" presents a cautionary message about the consequences of our actions and the need for responsible and thoughtful progress.
Line by Line Meaning
Put put put your hands together
Let's applaud and come together
For the silver bullet make me
Let's create something powerful
Put put put your heads together
Let's brainstorm and collaborate
For the cause and cure we're waiting
For a solution to a problem we've been waiting
Digging through and past the center
Going deep to find answers
Of the earth go straight
Without deviation, go forward
Play the scientist and vandal
Experiment and take risks
Sweating either way
Working hard no matter what we do
Put the voice of the idol maker
Let's make our voices heard
Rising definite and shaking
Speaking with confidence
Pick your gift for accident
Choose your destiny
For wrapped it in skintight
For a perfect fit
Pull the strings that make this thing
Take control and make things happen
You pushed with all your might
You put in all your effort
You've saved the best for later
You've been holding back the best for last
Crude plays they used to stage (oh my)
The past was simpler but less effective
Crude plays, and yet they made you mine, mine
Even though it was crude, it still captured your heart
You're mine, mine, all mine
You belong to me
For the future perfect waiting
For a great future that awaits us
You can only cover so much territory of course
You can only do so much
Belting carols at the sun
Singing your heart out
About the things you've lost
Reflecting on past losses
For the cause and cure is calling
We need to find a solution for a pressing issue
For the silver bullet falling
The solution is on its way
All mine
I have it all
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Carl Newman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
troty99
Love the choreography at 1:06 and 2:32 when the chorus kicks in.
Jean Chrias
I can't say how much I love TNP. And their new album just sounds great.
missdaydreamillusion
Omg I've been looking for this for 12 years and am do elated I finally found it! Do you know what it's like to have a vague beat in your head for 12 years?!
leifer mcleiferson
Holy sh*t-- this is the best thing I've seen in weeks!!! I want them to do this dance routine at every NP show in the future!
Fritz
perfect video, perfect song! they are my heroes
Jamie SnuSnu
epicness they always have original ideas for music videos...:) love you guys
kingofgrace
love this song! without hearing any of their other songs or knowing anything about them.
The Bookish Liz
DUDE! This song is freaking amazing! And the video is so cool! Why in the world are most people my age listening to crap when there is music like this!!!
MrPOLARAGE
choreographed karate moves, a little bit of break dancing, parkour, and a little booty-poppin at 3:26. This is what makes up a modern ninja.
Raul Gimeno
marvelous!!! I love this video ... I think its great I hope to see them soon in Madrid