They released their third and final album Klang in 2009 which included the singles 1989 and That's the Reason.
In October 2009, The Rakes announced that the band was to split with immediate effect: "The Rakes have always been very adamant and proud of the fact that we give 100% to every gig we’ve ever played. If we can’t give it everything then we won’t do it. That was the rule we set ourselves from day one".
Their style can be described as "lo-fi" indie and is vaguely reminiscent of early Joy Division with some catchy guitar riffs and intelligent and humorous lyrics.
Singer Alan Donahoe has a project called Champagne Campaign and drummer Lasse Peterson went on to join Wolf Gang.
1989
The Rakes Lyrics
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Where the bars were full it was summertime
Punks were hangin out in the park
While someone practised electric guitar
We drank some homemade wine
Now my heads not straight
So I lean for a minute on a cemetery gate
Half expecting to catch a sight
La la la la la laaaaa
Feel the sea like the blood is shed
As the dawn rubs up against our aching head
Girls light up pull there hoods up tight
Stuck the money in your bra that you made last night
Well I spent the night in three drinks time
Bars were full there was no closing time
Punks comparing tattoos and their scars
Now everyone’s waiting for the band to start
La la la la la laaaaaa
(its alright if it all goes wrong in this cold lone city no one knows where your from)
Woohoo woohoo woohoo
Oh the camera pulls away to show a hidden alleyway
Of broken bags and dreams by Turkish cafes
Where the dirty little pigeon played his inner puddle
By the drip drip drip of an emptying bottle
Of champagne perched on top of a half bombed church
Seeing angels who hear our wounds that make no sounds
The bird flies out to meet the hopes of the dream
And see what such grand stories
He’s in the right to the left wing
He tries so hard
But falls back to earth to the filth of the yard
The singers blood runs cold like the spree
But not this girl not when she was 19
It was 1989
Its alright if it all goes wrong in this cold lone city no one knows where your from
The Rakes' song "1989" is a nostalgic reflection on a night out in the summer of 1989. The lyrics vividly describe the setting, with bars full of punks, someone practicing electric guitar, and homemade wine being drunk. The singer leans on a cemetery gate and half expects to see dead Russian soldiers marching into the night. As dawn breaks, the girls pull their hoods up tight and everyone waits for the band to start. The camera then pulls away to show a hidden alleyway full of broken dreams and the sounds of pigeons and empty bottles.
The lyrics of "1989" capture a sense of lost youth and the fleeting nature of time, as the singer looks back on a night that has become a cherished memory. There is a sense of melancholy and nostalgia throughout the song, as the singer reflects on the passing of time and the feeling of being disconnected from the world around them. The lyrics are supported by a driving beat and catchy guitar riff, which give the song a sense of urgency and energy.
Line by Line Meaning
Spent the night in three drinks time
We had a wild and crazy night out partying, drinking so much that it all blurred together in just a few hours
Where the bars were full it was summertime
We hit up all the hottest spots in town during the peak of the summer season
Punks were hangin out in the park
We saw some of the local punk scene congregating and chilling out in the park together
While someone practised electric guitar
We could hear the sound of a musician playing their guitar, trying to perfect their art
We drank some homemade wine
We were enjoying some drinks that we had prepared ourselves, possibly to save money or try out a new recipe
Now my heads not straight
I'm pretty drunk and feeling a bit disoriented
So I lean for a minute on a cemetery gate
I needed to rest and found a nearby gate to a cemetery to prop myself up and take a break
Half expecting to catch a sight
I was keeping my eyes peeled in the hopes of seeing something interesting or exciting
Of the dead Russian soldiers marching into the night
I was hopeful for an eerie or supernatural experience, half-jokingly imagining the undead soldiers marching through the cemetery
Feel the sea like the blood is shed
The ocean air felt infused with a sense of danger and excitement, as if it were pulsing with raw energy
As the dawn rubs up against our aching head
We were starting to feel the effects of the all-nighter and the sunrise wasn't helping our hangover
Girls light up pull there hoods up tight
The women around us were lighting cigarettes and trying to hide from the morning light by pulling their hoods up
Stuck the money in your bra that you made last night
One of us had made some cash through probably sketchy means and stored it in a bra for safekeeping
Now everyone’s waiting for the band to start
We were all looking forward to seeing a live performance by a band that was about to play
Bars were full there was no closing time
The party was still going strong and it seemed like the bars might never close
Punks comparing tattoos and their scars
We watched some of the punk rockers showing off their ink and sharing stories of their past wounds
The camera pulls away to show a hidden alleyway
We witnessed the scene unfolding from a removed perspective, as if we were watching a movie or documentary
Of broken bags and dreams by Turkish cafes
We saw a rundown area with crushed dreams and litter all around, near a cluster of Turkish cafes
Where the dirty little pigeon played his inner puddle
We noticed a pigeon bathing itself in a puddle, a small moment of innocence amidst the grime and filth
By the drip drip drip of an emptying bottle
We could hear the sound of liquid slowly trickling out of a nearly empty bottle, adding to the bleak atmosphere
Of champagne perched on top of a half bombed church
We saw a bottle of champagne resting atop a partially destroyed church, an ironic and jarring sight
Seeing angels who hear our wounds that make no sounds
We felt like we were being watched over by benevolent forces that could sense our inner emotional turmoil
The bird flies out to meet the hopes of the dream
We witnessed a bird taking flight, perhaps symbolizing our own aspirations for something better
And see what such grand stories
We imagined the bird being able to witness incredible events and stories
He’s in the right to the left wing
The bird changes direction suddenly, as if it's not quite sure where it needs to go
He tries so hard
The bird makes an effort to fly higher and further, pushing its limits
But falls back to earth to the filth of the yard
The bird eventually lands back on the dirty ground, unable to escape its reality
The singers blood runs cold like the spree
The singer is dealing with extreme emotions, and is perhaps referencing past violence or trauma
But not this girl not when she was 19
The artist is reminding us that there is still hope for the younger generation, that they can find their way through troubled times
Its alright if it all goes wrong in this cold lone city no one knows where your from
The song ends on a note of resilience and bravery, acknowledging that it's okay to be lost or struggling as long as you keep moving forward
Contributed by Jacob O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.