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.
Little House of Savages
The Walkmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somebody's waiting for me at home
I should've known
I should've known
And somebody's got a car outside
Somebody's got a car outside
Let's take a ride
Somebody's waiting for me at home
Somebody's waiting for me at home
I should have known
I should have known
Here we go
And somebody's got a car outside
Somebody's got a car outside
Let's take a ride
I know that it's late but I've nowhere to go
Somebody's waiting for me at home
I should've chose
I should've chose
'Cause you can run and have your fun
But don't come around when she get's home
Oh baby, don't go home
There's a door in my heart
And it's open tonight
Come on in I got you tonight
Come on in I got you tonght
I should've told
I should've told
'Cause you can run and have your fun
But don't come around when she gets home
The opening lines of The Walkmen's song Little House of Savages emphasize the concept of waiting. The repeated phrase 'Somebody's waiting for me at home' suggests a sense of responsibility and commitment towards a relationship. The use of the word 'somebody' implies that this person is not just anyone but someone that holds immense importance in the singer's life. The second verse introduces the idea of a car parked outside, hinting at an escape from reality. However, the lyrics soon shift back to the importance of home and the person waiting. The chorus repeats the same lines, almost like a warning or a reminder to the singer that they should have known better than to leave their loved one waiting.
The bridge moves away from the theme of waiting and instead focuses on the idea of choices. The singer regrets choosing to leave instead of staying home with their partner. The lyrics 'Cause you can run and have your fun, But don't come around when she gets home' imply that there are consequences for their actions and that they cannot just have the best of both worlds. The song ends on a more optimistic note, with the singer inviting the loved one back into their life.
Overall, "Little House of Savages" is a poignant reflection on the complexity of relationships and the consequences of our actions. The lyrics highlight the importance of valuing and respecting our loved ones and the choices we make in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Somebody's waiting for me at home
There's someone waiting for me at home, expecting me.
I should've known
I should have realized that I need to go back home.
And somebody's got a car outside
There's a car waiting outside for us to take a ride.
Let's take a ride
We should leave and take a ride in that car.
Here we go
We're ready to leave and go on this ride.
I know that it's late but I've nowhere to go
I'm aware that it's late, but I have no destination other than home.
I should've chose
I should have made a different decision and not come here.
'Cause you can run and have your fun
But don't come around when she get's home
You can do what you want, but don't be around when your partner gets home.
Oh baby, don't go home
Please don't leave and go back home.
There's a door in my heart
And it's open tonight
Come on in I got you tonight
Come on in I got you tonght
I'm opening up and welcoming you into my heart tonight.
I should've told
I should have spoken up earlier and made my intentions clear.
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