Little is known about the Protomen, other than the band is based in Nashville, Tennessee. Because the band often responds to interviews and questions in-character, their own descriptions of their history are delivered with the dramatic flair of their storyline concept and their comments can not always be taken at face value. Their code-names are largely references to pop culture films, song titles, and fictional characters.
The band is composed mostly of MTSU recording program graduates, and first came to be so they could meet class deadlines and the need to record for [their] grades. They produced their first album over two years in various Murfreesboro studios, using analog rather than digital production. Most of the band had graduated and moved to Nashville by 2005.
Group member Commander has stated that their first album was deliberately designed to sound like "distorted pencil sharpeners about 90% of the time" and "was made specifically to go against everything our recording teachers and fellow students were trying to feed us about making everything sound pristine and 'perfect.'. The tracks were mixed on analog tape.
In a 2009 interview, lead vocalist Panther stated, "We basically gathered up all of our good friends from the local rock bands of Murfreesboro, tied ourselves together, and tried to walk. And somehow it worked. At the time, we noticed a void in rock and roll. A hole that could only really be filled with grown men and women painting up like robots and playing some fierce and furious rock music based on a 1980's video game. We were fairly certain no one else was going to fill that hole. But, by god, it's filled now. You can thank us later."
The band has strong ties to the Murfreesboro and Nashville independent music scene, and some members are integrated into several bands simultaneously.
Because The Night
The Protomen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pull me close, try and understand
Desire is hunger is the fire I breathe
Love is a banquet on which we feed
Come on now try and understand
The way I feel when I'm in your hands
Take my hand come undercover
Can't hurt you now, can't hurt you now
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to lust
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us
Have I doubt when I'm alone
Love is a ring, the telephone
Love is an angel disguised as lust
Here in our bed until the morning comes
Come on now try and understand
The way I feel under your command
Take my hand as the sun descends
They can't touch you now,
Can't touch you now, can't touch you now
Because the night belongs to lovers
With love we sleep
With doubt the vicious circle
Turn and burns
Without you I cannot live
Forgive, the yearning burning
I believe it's time, too real to feel
So touch me now, touch me now, touch me now
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because tonight there are two lovers
If we believe in the night we trust
Because tonight there are two lovers
The Protomen's song "Because The Night" is a somber ode to the unending fascination of love and the promise of the night. "Take me now baby here as I am" - this opening line is a plea for acceptance, for loving whoever we are, flaws and all. It's about the intense emotions love can evoke, especially the hunger for desire, the need to be close to someone who understands. "Desire is hunger" - this line is an embodiment of the powerful, all-consuming feeling of wanting someone, the pain and excitement of that desire. The writers of the song also make use of metaphorical language such as "Love is a banquet on which we feed" to emphasize the importance of the emotion in our lives.
The song highlights how the night offers a peaceful and undisturbed setting for lovers. "Because the night belongs to lovers" - a line that repeats through the song, celebrating its tranquil spell. "Come on now try and understand, the way I feel when I'm in your hands" - this line speaks to the trust and safety those in love feel when they are with each other. They feel invincible, protected and cared for. The song ends on a note that implies that when two lovers unite, they can conquer everything. "Because tonight there are two lovers, If we believe in the night we trust" - this line signifies the importance of the darkness, which can be a safe haven for two people to express themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Take me now baby here as I am
Accept me as I am, in this moment, without reservation or judgment
Pull me close, try and understand
Draw me near and seek to comprehend what drives me
Desire is hunger is the fire I breathe
My craving for you is primal and all-consuming, like oxygen for my soul
Love is a banquet on which we feed
Our affection sustains and nurtures us, like a feast for our hearts
Come on now try and understand
Make an effort to discern the depths of my emotions
The way I feel when I'm in your hands
The sensations I experience when I am physically close to you
Take my hand come undercover
Let us escape together, hidden away from the outside world
They can't hurt you now, Can't hurt you now, can't hurt you now
We are protected in our embrace, and nobody can harm us
Because the night belongs to lovers
The darkness is a time for romance and intimacy
Because the night belongs to lust
Our passion is unleashed under the cover of night
Have I doubt when I'm alone
Sometimes I am uncertain when I am on my own
Love is a ring, the telephone
My connection to you is constant, like a ringing phone
Love is an angel disguised as lust
Our physical attraction is actually a divine manifestation of love
Here in our bed until the morning comes
Let us stay together until the daylight breaks
Take my hand as the sun descends
We can still find romance as daylight fades into the night
They can't touch you now, Can't touch you now, can't touch you now
Together, we are impervious to external forces
With love we sleep
In each other's arms, we find peace and rest
With doubt the vicious circle Turn and burns
Uncertainty can cause us to spiral into negativity and pain
Without you I cannot live
My life is incomplete without your presence
Forgive, the yearning burning
Let us forgive past hurts and allow our longing for each other to burn brightly
I believe it's time, too real to feel
Our connection is so genuine that it is almost overwhelming in its intensity
So touch me now, touch me now, touch me now
Let us express our love physically, in this moment
Because the night belongs to lovers
The atmosphere of the night is conducive to passion and intimacy
Because tonight there are two lovers
We are the only ones who matter in this moment of romance
If we believe in the night we trust
If we are open to the magic of the night, we can trust in the power of our love
Contributed by Evan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.