The band started life as a side project for singer Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie and producer Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel, Headset and Figurine. The group formed, in 2001, after Gibbard contributed vocals for a song on Dntel's album Life Is Full Of Possibilities called (This Is) The Dream Of Evan And Chan.
The band released their debut album Give Up on 18 February 2003 on the Sub Pop label. The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and is the second best-selling record in the history of Sub Pop Records after Bleach by Nirvana.
Several songs on this album feature guest vocals from Jenny Lewis, the lead singer of Rilo Kiley, a band which was once on the same label as Death Cab (Barsuk Records) and vocals from Jen Wood, an indie rock solo artist. Chris Walla recorded some of the songs and played the piano on Nothing Better. Lewis' membership in the band was unclear during the "Give Up"-era, although she appeared with Tamberello and Gibbard in the music video for "We Will Become Silhouettes". By the time of their 2013 reunion, Lewis had become a permanent third member of the group.
The group's name comes from the manner in which their songs were written, due to the fact that the two of them lived too far away to be able to work together in person. Tamborello would create beats and mail them to singer and lyricist Gibbard, who would then edit them and put his melodies over the tracks and mail them back. Gibbard didn't write any of the lyrics until the tracks were completely finished.
In August 2003, the United States Postal Service sent the band a cease and desist letter, citing its trademark on the phrase "postal service". After negotiations, the USPS relented, allowing the band use of the trademark in exchange for promotional efforts on behalf of the USPS and a performance at its annual National Executive Conference. Additionally, at one point the USPS website sold the band's CDs. In 2007, "Such Great Heights" appeared in the background of the "Whiteboard" advertising campaign for one of the federal establishment's private competitors, the United Parcel Service.
The album's most notable single was Such Great Heights that has been featured in various television commercials, series, and movie trailers also remixed by John Tejada.
The Postal Service contributed a cover of Against All Odds to the soundtrack to the 2004 motion picture Wicker Park, and the band has worked on several remixes of other artists, including Do You Realize?? (Postal Service remix) (from Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots) and Little Girl Blue (Postal Service remix) (from Verve Remixed 3) and Mushaboom (Postal Service remix). Gibbard doesn't sing on these remixes (except for Feist's Mushaboom), and it is likely that he granted Jimmy Tamborello permission to work alone under the name The Postal Service.
Second album
On June 22, 2007, it was revealed that The Postal Service had begun work on a new album, though the specifics of the release date were ambiguous. Gibbard stated, "We're slowly starting. We're crawling right now, and whether that crawl turns into a walk remains to be seen. But we'll know more towards the end of the year. I've just been touring so much and trying to find time to make it happen and make our schedules line up." Tamborello added, "We're talking about wanting to finish an album by sometime next year, because we have to work with Death Cab's schedule and stuff. I definitely want to do another one."
On February 29, 2008, Spinner released an article stating that The Postal Service may not release a new album. Ben Gibbard stated, "Jimmy and I are still throwing ideas back and forth, but as time goes on, we find ourselves busy with our own music. ... We have some stuff, but it's been difficult to find the time and the drive to do the record. I'd love to finish it at some point and maybe even do some performances. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be."
In a December 2008 interview with Rolling Stone, Gibbard laughed off suggestions that The Postal Service's long overdue follow-up to their 2003 hit Give Up is an indie version of Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy. Gibbard said that both he and Tamborello do not see it as a priority in light of their main projects, Death Cab for Cutie and Dntel. He said, "The anticipation of the second record has been a far bigger deal for everybody except the two of us... I don't know about it being the indie-rock Chinese Democracy, but now that Chinese Democracy has come out, I guess it just becomes the second Postal Service record that will never come out. There never really was a plan to do a second album. We work from time to time together but we have other things that take up all of our time."
2013 Reunion
As of November 2012, Ben Gibbard posted on his Twitter account that there are "no plans" to produce another Postal Service record. He did not cite any specific reason for this statement, other than the fact that multiple fans questioned if there was going to be a second album.
In January 2013 Postal Service updated their website to read "The Postal Service 2013," reigniting speculation that the band would play shows, or possibly release a new album. It was later confirmed that the image on the band's site portended that the band's debut, Give Up, would receive a ten year anniversary re-issue featuring a 15-song disc of rarities, including two new songs with Jenny Lewis.
In February 2013, The Postal Service announced it would officially reunite for twelve tour dates including the 2013 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April, the Primavera Sound Festival 2013 in Barcelona, Sasquatch! Festival in Washington, and Lollapalooza 2013 in Chicago. The band played a Lollapalooza aftershow on August 4, 2013 to 1,200 people at Wrigleyville's Metro, in which Ben Gibbard prefaced the night's second rendition of "Such Great Heights" by saying "not only is this the last song of the tour, this is the last show we will ever do." At the song's conclusion, Gibbard stated that "The Postal Service is closed."
In 2023, the band reunited once again to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of "Give Up" in a co-headlining tour with Death Cab for Cutie for the 20th Anniversary of "Transatlanticism."
This Place Is a Prison
The Postal Service Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Inhaling thrills through twenty dollar bills and the
Tumblers are drained and then flooded again and again
There are guards at the on ramps armed to the teeth
And you may case the grounds from the
Cascades to Puget Sound, but you are not
Permitted to leave
I know there's a big world out there like the
One I saw on the screen
In my living room late last night,
It was almost too bright to see
And I know that it's not a party if it happens every night
Pretending there's glamor and candelabra
When you're drinking by candlelight
What does it take to get a drink in this place?
What does it take, how long must I wait?
The lyrics to The Postal Service's song This Place Is a Prison paints a vivid picture of the feeling of being trapped in a place where you don't belong. This place is described as a prison, a place filled with people who are not your friends. The only escape seems to be through thrills that come from inhaling drugs, while the days seem to be filled with repetitive actions of emptying and refilling glasses. The guards at the on ramps who are armed to the teeth make it clear that leaving this place is not an option, no matter how much you might want to.
The second verse references the larger world outside of this prison that the singer has seen glimpses of in movies and on TV. It seems like they are yearning for that world, comparing it to the dim candlelight world they're caught up in. However, they know that living in a constant state of partying and glamor is not a sustainable way of living. They end the song back where they started, in this prison, wondering how long they'll be stuck there and how hard it is just to get a simple drink. This song is commentary on the dullness of repetitive partying, drug addiction, and the physical inability to leave a place.
Line by Line Meaning
This place is a prison and these people aren't your friends
The singer feels trapped and isolated in their current environment, surrounded by people who they do not feel a genuine connection with.
Inhaling thrills through twenty dollar bills and the tumblers are drained and then flooded again and again
The singer is engaging in substance abuse to escape their reality, but it is only a temporary solution that ultimately leads to a cycle of addiction.
There are guards at the on ramps armed to the teeth
The singer feels like they are not in control of their own life due to external factors or societal norms that limit their freedom.
And you may case the grounds from the Cascades to Puget Sound, but you are not permitted to leave
Despite being surrounded by beautiful scenery, the artist feels trapped and unable to fully experience it because they are unable to leave their current situation.
I know there's a big world out there like the one I saw on the screen
The artist understands that there is more to the world than their current situation, and yearns for something more fulfilling and meaningful.
In my living room late last night, it was almost too bright to see
The singer has seen glimpses of the larger world outside of their current environment, but it is almost too overwhelming or unrealistic for them to pursue.
And I know that it's not a party if it happens every night
The singer understands that indulging in vices or distractions on a regular basis loses its novelty and becomes a negative cycle.
Pretending there's glamour and candelabra when you're drinking by candlelight
The artist recognizes the facade and superficiality of their current environment, including the false sense of luxury they try to create by drinking by candlelight.
What does it take to get a drink in this place?
The artist is frustrated with their current situation and the difficulty they have in obtaining basic comforts or freedoms.
What does it take, how long must I wait?
The artist is desperate for change and escape from their current situation, and questions how much longer they must endure before they can find a way out.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Benjamin D Gibbard, Jimmy Tamborello
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Zena Nan
This place is a prison and these people aren't your friends
Inhaling thrills through twenty dollar bills and the
Tumblers are drained and then flooded again and again
There are guards at the on ramps armed to the teeth
And you may case the grounds from the
Cascades to Puget Sound, but you are not
Permitted to leave
I know there's a big world out there like the
One I saw on the screen
In my living room late last night,
It was almost too bright to see
And I know that it's not a party if it happens every night
Pretending there's glamor and candelabra
When you're drinking by candlelight
What does it take to get a drink in this place?
What does it take, how long must I wait?
Manda Tory
"This place is a prison
And these people aren't your friends
Inhaling thrills through $20 bills
And the tumblers are drained and then flooded again
And again
Ther're guards at the on ramps armed to the teeth
And you may case the grounds from the cascades to puget sound,
But you are not permitted to leave
I know there's a big world out there like the one i saw on the screen
In my living room late last night,
It was almost too bright to see
And i know that it's not a party if it happens every night
Pretending there's glamour and candelabra
When you're drinking by candlelight
What does it take to get a drink in this place?
What does it take, how long must i wait?
What does it take to get a drink in this place?
What does it take, how long must i wait?
How long must i wait?"
Joshua B
"This Place Is A Prison"
This place is a prison
And these people aren't your friends
Inhaling thrills through $20 bills
And the tumblers are drained and then flooded again
And again
Ther're guards at the on ramps armed to the teeth
And you may case the grounds from the cascades to puget sound,
But you are not permitted to leave
I know there's a big world out there like the one i saw on the screen
In my living room late last night,
It was almost too bright to see
And i know that it's not a party if it happens every night
Pretending there's glamour and candelabra
When you're drinking by candlelight
What does it take to get a drink in this place?
What does it take, how long must i wait?
Eric Foster
Yeah. You don’t skip tracks on this record. You commit to it and let it do it’s thing
VitaEx
This whole album will always be fire
thequadfather27
Fer sure!!! 👨🚒🔥🔥
cal vonik
Damn right
Trent Hobson
One of the greatest albums ever created in the history of the universe
Garnack 17
This is in my top 5 all time.
Sarah L
Listening to this live at their Madison Square Garden performance 9/19/23. Such an energy from the crowd is testament to their enduring legacy.
Andrew DiMaggio
can't wait to see them next month. I missed them open for Coldplay in 2003, I had tix to the reunion tour in 2014 but ended up in a medical detox, but nothing will stop me from seeing them this time around. i didn't hesitate to drop $500 for 2 tickets
Eric Foster
Revisiting this record is making me feel crazy. It’s just so much more intense than I remember it being even tho I listen to it at least once of twice a year. But today it’s cutting right into me.
Randomfools
Such a sick track man. Great mix of indie alternative and industrial electronica. That snare is perfection.