They prefer the sound of vintage musical instruments, particularly the upright piano, and have often recorded at Marcata Recording, a recording studio built in Harlem in 1999 by the three former members of Jonathan Fire*Eater and later relocated to upstate New York.
Each of the members of The Walkmen grew up in and around the Washington, D.C. area, played in many of the same bands from early in their careers, and even attended the same Washington-area high school. The bandmates eventually moved to Harlem and became a part of the burgeoning New York City rock scene.
The band was formed in 2000 following the breakup of two separate bands: Jonathan Fire*Eater, whose members included Martin, Maroon and Barrick, and The Recoys, whose members included Leithauser and Bauer. The three members from Jonathan Fire*Eater, which had recorded for Dreamworks Records, had money left over from that past recording contract and used the remaining funds to construct a rehearsal space in uptown New York. The rehearsal space featured a 24-track recording studio and was dubbed Marcata Studios.
The newly-formed band, who wished to distance themselves from the garage rock sounds of previous bands, released a self-titled EP of songs in 2001 on Startime International, a small Brooklyn-based record label.[4] Shortly after release of the EP, which featured an eccentric blend of upright pianos and other vintage instruments, The Walkmen made their official live debut with a performance at Joe's Pub in the East Village.
The 2002 debut album Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone, released by Startime, was well received by critics. The album was noted for its innovative approach to atmosphere and instrumentation, with sparse bass and drums complemented by plinking piano, jangly guitars and Leithauser's unique vocal stylings. Two of the songs on the album, "The Blizzard of '96" and "That's the Punchline," were adaptations of tracks meant for The Recoys' unreleased full-length album.
138th Street
The Walkmen Lyrics
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And all your friends you finally figured out
But you go out in the night til you got no place to go
I see you on the corner where you're trying to use the phone
And everyone will say you missed your chance
And everyone will say you've lost you're edge
But it's just something that you've heard about a thousand time before
And every time you're falling then you'll see me on the floor
You'll take a wife, and start a life
It won't be long
I hear that you got yourself a job
And all your friends you finally nailed down
But you go out in the night till you got no place to go
Something you ain't doing right is haunting you at home
Now we've been hanging round for quite a while
So let's get out of here and take a drive
On the parkway tonight
You can hear the engines roar
The flashing lights will nab you when you're driving your way home
And someday when you turn around you'll see the door is closing
"138th Street" by The Walkmen is a song about a person who seems to have it all, but deep down is still unsatisfied and restless. The lyrics describe how the person has a house and a job and has finally figured out their social life, but they still go out at night with nowhere to go. This suggests a sense of emptiness and a desire for something more.
The reference to the corner where the person is trying to use the phone implies a sense of disconnection and possibly loneliness. Despite the outward appearance of success, there seems to be a feeling of isolation and a struggle to find a sense of belonging.
The lines "And everyone will say you missed your chance, And everyone will say you've lost you're edge" speak to the pressure to succeed and the fear of failure. The repetition of this theme throughout the song highlights the challenge of balancing personal goals and societal expectations.
The song ends with the lines "And someday when you turn around you'll see the door is closing". This suggests a sense of finality and a realization that time is running out to find what one is truly looking for.
Overall, "138th Street" is a poignant commentary on the human experience of striving for success and happiness, and the struggle to find fulfillment in a world that often values superficial achievements.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear that you got yourself a house
I have heard that you have finally settled down in a house.
And all your friends you finally figured out
It seems like you have finally figured out how to get along with your friends.
But you go out in the night til you got no place to go
Despite having a house and friends, you wander out at night aimlessly.
I see you on the corner where you're trying to use the phone
I observe you on the corner, trying to make a call from a public phone.
And everyone will say you missed your chance
People will say that you have missed an opportunity in life.
And everyone will say you've lost you're edge
People will say that you are no longer sharp or competitive.
But it's just something that you've heard about a thousand time before
However, you have heard these criticisms countless times before.
And every time you're falling then you'll see me on the floor
Whenever you find yourself struggling, you will see me there beside you.
And someday when you turn around
At some point, when you least expect it,
You'll take a wife, and start a life
You will settle down and start a family.
It won't be long
This will happen sooner than you anticipate.
I hear that you got yourself a job
I have heard that you have secured employment.
And all your friends you finally nailed down
You have finally managed to cement your friendships.
Something you ain't doing right is haunting you at home
However, there is something that you are doing wrong, and it is affecting you at home.
Now we've been hanging round for quite a while
We have been spending a lot of time together lately.
So let's get out of here and take a drive
Let's go for a drive to get away from everything.
On the parkway tonight
We will take the parkway tonight.
You can hear the engines roar
We will be able to hear the engines roaring as we drive.
The flashing lights will nab you when you're driving your way home
However, we need to be careful not to get caught by the police while driving home.
And someday when you turn around you'll see the door is closing
At some point, you will realize that an opportunity has passed you by.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: JAMES HAMILTON LEITHAUSER, MATTHEW FREDERICK BARRICK, PAUL C MAROON, PETER M BAUER, WALTER R MARTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@seanjester2905
This song is my life.
@xlr555usa
No doubt, this is what makes the song great. These songs remind me of waiting for the subway in NYC. Its perfectly etched within my mind.
@n.o2164
One of the best songs in our lifetime