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.
Rock around the Clock
The Walkmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Five, six, seven o'clock, eight o'clock, rock,
Nine, ten, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock, rock,
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight.
Put your glad rags on and join me, hon,
We'll have some fun when the clock strikes one,
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.
When the clock strikes two, three and four,
If the band slows down we'll yell for more,
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.
When the chimes ring five, six and seven,
We'll be right in seventh heaven.
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.
When it's eight, nine, ten, eleven too,
I'll be goin' strong and so will you.
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.
When the clock strikes twelve, we'll cool off then,
Start a rockin' round the clock again.
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.
The Walkmen's song "Rock Around The Clock" is a classic that celebrates the joyous energy of dancing the night away. The lyrics repeat a series of times on the clock, starting with "One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock, rock" and leading up to "Nine, ten, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock, rock," creating a sense of building momentum as the night progresses. The lyrics invite the listener to put on their best clothes and join the party, promising that they'll have fun when the clock strikes one. The song implies that the rock and roll lifestyle is about living in the moment and enjoying life to its fullest.
Although the song has no traditional verse-chorus structure, the repeated refrain of "We're gonna rock around the clock tonight" ties together the different sections and creates a sense of unity and shared purpose. The verses build tension and anticipation, as they describe the different hours of the night, and the chorus releases that energy with its energetic and infectious melody. Overall, the lyrics of The Walkmen's "Rock Around The Clock" convey a sense of joy, abandon, and unity that captures the spirit of rock and roll music.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock, rock,
We begin at 1 and keep progressing to 4 to start rocking.
Five, six, seven o'clock, eight o'clock, rock,
We continue the countdown to 8 before really getting into it.
Nine, ten, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock, rock,
By the time we hit midnight, we'll really be rocking out.
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight.
We plan on dancing and partying all night long.
Put your glad rags on and join me, hon,
Get dressed up and come party with me.
We'll have some fun when the clock strikes one,
When the party officially starts at 1, we'll have a great time.
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight.
We plan on non-stop dancing and fun until the sun comes up.
When the clock strikes two, three and four,
Even if the band slows down, we'll demand more music.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.
We'll continue partying and dancing all night long.
When the chimes ring five, six and seven,
As the morning begins, we'll still be in party mode.
We'll be right in seventh heaven.
We'll be in a state of pure joy and pleasure.
When it's eight, nine, ten, eleven too,
As the day progresses, we'll still be dancing and enjoying ourselves.
I'll be goin' strong and so will you.
We'll both have the stamina to keep partying all night.
When the clock strikes twelve, we'll cool off then,
When midnight hits, we'll take a brief break from dancing.
Start a rockin' round the clock again.
But then we'll get back to the partying and dancing until morning.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.
The chorus repeats to emphasize our intention to keep the party going all night long.
Lyrics © BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, ROBERT W. CINQUE, ESQ., Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Max Freedman, James Myers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind