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.
I Lost You
The Walkmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drive on
The highway's bright and long
The river's overflowing
The houses burning down
Drive on
Drive on
We kiss goodbye and drank up
Some mouths before our tongues
We kiss goodbye and drank up
I'll miss you when you're gone
So throw me a line
So throw me a line
The windows are shaking and so are my bones
The world's going 'round
Throw me a rope
The trumpet and trombone
Still echoing in the hall
And bells ringing along the dam
So hang onto me
Hang onto me
The world's going 'round
And time's cutting out
The headlights are stinging all over the road
Throw me a rope
Throw me a rope
I knew you when I was young
I wish you were still along
I waited a long time
All for you
I waited a long time
I lost you
I was sleeping in the backseat
When I got home
I lost you
The Walkmen’s “I Lost You” is a captivating song filled with emotional lyrics and a catchy tune. The song takes listeners on a journey, driving down a long, bright highway with overflowing rivers and burning down houses. The repetition of “drive on” throughout the song adds to the feeling of moving forward, and the hum of the engine becomes a metaphor for the pace of life. With each passing moment, time is running out, and the world keeps spinning.
The singer reminisces about a past love, kissing goodbye and drinking up before they parted ways. The lyric “I’ll miss you when you’re gone” echoes the sentiment of lost love and the sadness that comes with it. The trumpet and trombone still echoing in the hall, and bells ringing along the dam become a symbol of past memories and experiences, and the singer pleads for someone to “throw me a rope” to hold onto those moments.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on wishing the person he lost was still around, and how he waited a long time for them. The last line, “I lost you,” is a powerful admission of regret and heartbreak. The final image of the singer sleeping in the backseat upon returning home further drives home the feeling of being lost and alone.
Overall, “I Lost You” is a poignant song that captures the pain and regret of lost love while reflecting on the fleeting nature of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Drive on
Keep moving forward
The highway's bright and long
There are opportunities ahead
The river's overflowing
Emotions are overwhelming
The houses burning down
Things are falling apart
The engine hums along
Life goes on
We kiss goodbye and drank up
We're trying to enjoy the moment before change comes
I'll miss you when you're gone
I'm sad about what's to come
So throw me a line
Help me out of this tough situation
The windows are shaking and so are my bones
I'm scared and uncertain
The world's going 'round
Life keeps moving
Throw me a rope
Save me
The trumpet and trombone
Memories of happier times
Still echoing in the hall
Those memories linger
And bells ringing along the dam
Life goes on, even in the midst of pain
So hang onto me
Be there for me
The headlights are stinging all over the road
The future is uncertain and difficult to navigate
I knew you when I was young
We go way back
I wish you were still along
I miss you
I waited a long time
I hoped for the best
All for you
Because of you
I lost you
You're gone, and I'm alone
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Matthew Frederick Barrick, Peter M. Bauer, James Hamilton Leithauser, Paul C. Maroon, Walter R. Martin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BBS- Be Breaking Stereotypes
Drive on, drive on
The highway bright and long
The river's overflowing
The house's burning down
Drive on, drive on
The engines on the lawn
We kiss goodbye and drink up
Some hours before the dawn
We kiss goodbye and drink up
I'll miss you when you're gone
So throw me a line
Throw me a line
My heart's underneath
Aside on our feet
The windows are shaking
And so are my bones
The world's going round
Throw me a rope
A trumpet and a trombone
Still echoing in the hall
And bells ringing out at dawn
So hang on to me
Hang on to me
The world's going round
And time's cutting out
The headlights are swinging all over the lawn
So throw me a rope
Throw me a rope
I knew you when I was young
The loveliest girl in town
I wish you were still around
Hey
I waited a long time
All for you
I waited a long time
I lost you
I was sleeping in the backseat
When I got home
I was finally reminded
I lost you
EriKa Vazquez
I'll miss you when you're gone
I knew you when I was young
The loveliest girl in town
I wish you were still around
I waited a long time
All for you
I waited a long time
I lost you
I was sleeping in the backseat
When I got home
I was finally reminded
I lost you
reymont cantil
the sound of being in a bar by yourself, feeling bad and blue, when all of a sudden you get that revelation, that part of you that thinks you can win her back, you start running down the street, thru rain or snow, and you reach her place but its too late. she's not there. she really has gone and theres nothing you can do about it.
JJ
This is basically the music video I envision for this song. Except I imagine a guy kind of following a girl around but just watching her from afar in different places like a coffee shop, a park, a beach, etc. and occasionall looking at a picture of him and her, until the end he's about to go up to her on a street corner and sees another guy come up and hug/kiss her..."I was finally reminded, I lost you..."
El Sin Un Nombre
@reymont cantil You sir are a poet among youtube commentators.
postshanna
the build up to the last verse is almost unbearable. you can feel every word.
BBS- Be Breaking Stereotypes
Drive on, drive on
The highway bright and long
The river's overflowing
The house's burning down
Drive on, drive on
The engines on the lawn
We kiss goodbye and drink up
Some hours before the dawn
We kiss goodbye and drink up
I'll miss you when you're gone
So throw me a line
Throw me a line
My heart's underneath
Aside on our feet
The windows are shaking
And so are my bones
The world's going round
Throw me a rope
A trumpet and a trombone
Still echoing in the hall
And bells ringing out at dawn
So hang on to me
Hang on to me
The world's going round
And time's cutting out
The headlights are swinging all over the lawn
So throw me a rope
Throw me a rope
I knew you when I was young
The loveliest girl in town
I wish you were still around
Hey
I waited a long time
All for you
I waited a long time
I lost you
I was sleeping in the backseat
When I got home
I was finally reminded
I lost you
Mike Snarski
exquisite. what other song is there that can toss your gut from here to there and make you remember things you haven't fathomed in decades?
comitdinosaur9
Their great, how come their not the radio. We need more mainstream bands like this.
Lukfawan Trijati
I think the world not appreciate this band much... i still can't believe this song only view under 100k after more than 10 years.. this is masterpiece
EriKa Vazquez
I'll miss you when you're gone
I knew you when I was young
The loveliest girl in town
I wish you were still around
I waited a long time
All for you
I waited a long time
I lost you
I was sleeping in the backseat
When I got home
I was finally reminded
I lost you
vibln030
gotta love the refrain...