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.
What's in It for Me
The Walkmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's in it for me
I came here for a good time and you're telling me to leave
But you don't have to say it again, I heard you the first time
[Repeat: x2]
We're counting on you
Well I like to remember it like that
When we had one in the hand, that was one in the hand
But you never come over any more
So you don't have to say it again, I heard you the first time
The Walkmen's song "What's in It for Me" deals with themes of entitlement and selfishness. The repeated refrain "What's in it for me" suggests that the singer is only interested in fulfilling their own desires, and is not sensitive to others' needs or desires. The opening lines of the song, "I came here for a good time and you're telling me to leave," suggest that the singer is not interested in adhering to any rules or norms; rather, they are only interested in doing what they want to do. The line "We're counting on you" suggests that the singer is not actually alone, but is part of a group (perhaps a social group or a community) that is expecting them to behave in a certain way.
The middle section of the song reflects on times past ("when we had one in the hand") and suggests a certain regret or nostalgia for a time when things were simpler or more fun. However, this sentiment is undercut by the line "But you never come over any more", which suggests that the singer is now disconnected from the people or places they used to enjoy.
Line by Line Meaning
What's in it for me
I am questioning what benefit I will receive from this situation
I came here for a good time and you're telling me to leave
I initially came here to enjoy myself, but now you are asking me to depart
But you don't have to say it again, I heard you the first time
I am aware of your request and you do not need to repeat it
We're counting on you
You are an important part of our group or plan and we need you to follow through
Well I like to remember it like that
My recollection of the situation is positive or favorable
When we had one in the hand, that was one in the hand
In the past, we had a clear understanding or agreement that was easy to follow
But you never come over any more
I have noticed that you are absent or not as involved as you used to be
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: GARY S. BURR, JOHN JARRARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Esteban Alfredo
Forever one of the greatest songs to listen to on a rainy winter day
Lawrence Gopnik
Haha that's exactly what I'm doing
Chris Salt
Absolute gorgeous song and the opening track to one of my favourite albums of all time
waz 312
''Everyone who pretended to like me is Gone'' was so good , I couldn't bring myself to listen to their sophomoric release in fear of disappointment. Its been 14 years. That's ample time of avoidance. Today is the day I finally hear Bows + Arrows ...
Lawrence Gopnik
Are you crazy? This album is stellar!
William Stubler
Best Christmas Album of All Time
ferris bueller
thank you sooo much for this! i was looking everywhere for a demo version on youtube.
pyaz54
Love this song..sundayfunday
NotReloaded
imgur always delivers.
Don Rodrigo
I found this because I have good taste!