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.
Good for you's good for me
The Walkmen Lyrics
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In the shadow of this town.
And the sun is shining out
Pushing shadows down the street.
Cross into the sunny side,
Her and I am barreling out.
And the leaves are coming down
Good for you is good for me,
Maybe I'll stop by,
You weren't in the dream I had last night.
And the sun was shinin',
Never so invitin'.
Yea the sun was shinin' out
Underneath the dogwood tree.
Rent is always climbin',
Why don't you move in?
What the hell we might as well try.
On some hazy afternoon
Heard a siren in the air,
High above this city sky,
Over towers, over domes.
And the sun was shining out
Cast my shadow on the walk.
Another year is goin' round
In a shadow on this town.
I don't get some people
But I don't really try,
Whats good for you is good for me
For now
The lyrics to The Walkmen’s song “Good for you’s good for me” evoke a sense of nostalgia for a simpler time, when the fall air is dry and the sun is shining brightly, illuminating the shadows on the street. The singer and his companion cross into the sunny side of town, enjoying the beauty of the changing leaves falling around them. The chorus, “Good for you is good for me,” suggests a harmony between the singer and his companion, as they enjoy the beauty of the day together.
The second verse introduces a new topic, the singer’s housing situation. He suggests that his companion move in with him to help with the rent, saying, “What the hell we might as well try.” This line suggests a casual nature to their relationship, with the singer willing to take a chance and see where things lead. The third verse introduces an element of danger, as the singer hears a siren in the air above the city. The image of his shadow on the sidewalk suggests the passage of time, with another year going by in the same old town.
Overall, the lyrics to “Good for you’s good for me” rely on vivid imagery and a simple melody to create a mood of nostalgia and contentment. Through descriptions of the changing seasons, the beauty of the natural world, and the singer’s casual relationship with his companion, the song evokes a sense of warmth and familiarity that is both comforting and bittersweet.
Line by Line Meaning
In the fall the air is dry,
During autumn, the air lacks moisture.
In the shadow of this town.
The town's physical presence causes areas of shade.
And the sun is shining out
The sun is visible and emitting light.
Pushing shadows down the street.
The sun's light is overpowering areas of darkness.
Cross into the sunny side,
Move into the area receiving direct sunlight.
Her and I am barreling out.
She and I are moving briskly and energetically.
And the leaves are coming down
Foliage is falling from surrounding trees.
Coverin' up this muddy ground.
The ground is being concealed by fallen leaves and earthy mud.
Good for you is good for me,
Your well-being positively impacts my own.
Maybe I'll stop by,
I may pay a visit.
You weren't in the dream I had last night.
You were absent from my subconscious thoughts during sleep.
And the sun was shinin',
The sun was radiating light.
Never so invitin'.
The sun's warmth and light were especially alluring.
Yea the sun was shinin' out
The sun was emitting light and warmth.
Underneath the dogwood tree.
Beneath the flowering dogwood tree which offered shade and aesthetic beauty.
Rent is always climbin',
The cost of renting property is consistently increasing.
Why don't you move in?
Why don't you relocate to this dwelling?
What the hell we might as well try.
There's no harm in attempting a living arrangement together.
On some hazy afternoon
During a misty or unclear day
Heard a siren in the air,
The sound of an emergency vehicle was audible.
High above this city sky,
In the airspace above the city limits.
Over towers, over domes.
Passing over tall buildings and architectural elements.
And the sun was shining out
The sun was emitting light and warmth.
Cast my shadow on the walk.
My silhouette was projected onto the pavement surface.
Another year is goin' round
Time has passed and another year has nearly ended.
In a shadow on this town.
The town continues to retain some areas of shade.
I don't get some people
I don't understand certain individuals.
But I don't really try,
I don't put in significant effort to comprehend certain people.
Whats good for you is good for me
Your personal benefits and positive experiences will also benefit me.
For now
At present, this is the status quo.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES HAMILTON LEITHAUSER, MATTHEW FREDERICK BARRICK, PAUL C. MAROON, PETER M. BAUER, WALTER R. MARTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Carl Gibson
I've seen dozens of great performers- everyone from Steely Dan to DMX, Beastie Boys, Snoop Dogg, Merle Haggard, Nappy Roots, Public Enemy, The Strokes, Ben Folds, and many others. But The Walkmen are just an amazing show. So much raw energy and life. I'd say this is probably my favorite song by them, but there are so many good ones