Band member Adam Granduciel (born Adam Granofsky in Dover, Massachusetts) moved from Oakland, California to Philadelphia in 2003, where he met Kurt Vile and began playing music with him. They began playing as The War on Drugs in 2005, and self-released a demo EP. While Vile and Granduciel formed the backbone of the band, they had a number of accompanists early in the group's career, before finally settling on a lineup that added Charlie Hall as drummer/organist, Kyle Lloyd as drummer and Dave Hartley on bass. Granduciel had previously toured and recorded with The Capitol Years, and Vile has several solo albums. The group gave away its Barrel of Batteries EP for free early in 2008. Their debut LP for Secretly Canadian, Wagonwheel Blues, was released in 2008.
Reviewers of the band's music make note of its Americana overtones. The group's sound has been described as influenced by Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and My Bloody Valentine.
The lineup underwent several changes, and by the end of 2008, Kurt Vile, Charlie Hall, and Kyle Lloyd had all exited the group. Granduciel and Hartley were joined by drummer Mike Zanghi as the group slimmed to three members.
After Zanghi's exit in 2010, Steven Urgo took over drum duties and Robbie Bennett joined on keys.
I was There
The War on Drugs Lyrics
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Let me do my best to both,
let me ride, let it roll
I was there to catch a man
I thought I had him by the hand
I only had him by the glove
Come on baby, let me in
You can show yourself to him
You can show me through the doors
And I was there, catching air
Thought I had him by the hand
I only had him by the glove
We was there, in the road
Picking diamonds from a tree
Heard a wolf coming through
Coming through and coming hard,
Tried to leave the heat and gone
Tried to lean against the wall
I'll be there, coming clean
Like a runner in the wind
Coming through the morning light
Rising in, in the stone
Tried to leave the heat at home
Running through the morning dim
And I was there to catch a man,
I thought I had him by the hand
I only had him by the glove
Come on baby, let me close
Let me do my best to both
Run through but cut close
Come on baby, let me in
You can show yourself to him
Ride the road, ride it rough
Yeah in the day I was gone,
Tried to leave the heat at home
Run through and run the road
I was there, coming clean
Like a runner in the wind
Coming through the morning light
You'll be there, on the floor
Picking diamonds from a stone
Looking through the totem pole
The War on Drugs’s song “I Was There” is a poetic representation of journeying on the road, seeking elusive destinations, and being hooked by life's unpredictable events. The song begins with the singer appealing to his lover to hold him closely and let him do his best while riding along. The theme of miscalculation is rampant throughout the song as the singer keeps thinking he is catching a man by the hand but only holds by the glove. He was there to catch a man, but his grip was fleeting, only visible through the thick fingers of his gloves. The singer struggles with the torment of unfulfilled desires as he tries to show himself to his beloved through the doors. Perhaps he is seeking solace in a love that seems to slip away. The lyricism draws the image of a traveler attempting to escape his troubles but incapable of doing so completely.
The chorus instructs the listener to "come on baby, let me close," as the singer endeavours to hold on tightly and urgently, hoping to seize the moment this time around. The theme of the road remains ubiquitous throughout the whole track, along with its promise of freedom and escape. Yet, the singer can't seem to fully shake off his haunting memories; the heat follows him everywhere, forcing him to run through and run the road. The last stanza offers some hope as the singer is "coming clean like a runner in the wind," energized by the morning light and the freedom that the road provides. The lyrics depict the singer’s journey through a thorny road where he battles in vain to capture elusive desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on baby, hold me close
Asking for physical intimacy with the person
Let me do my best to both, let me ride, let it roll
Desire to perform well in bed and to have a good time
I was there to catch a man
Claiming to have been present to apprehend someone
I thought I had him by the hand
Believed to have captured the person
I only had him by the glove
Only managed to touch the person briefly before they escaped
Come on baby, let me in
Asking for emotional intimacy with the person
You can show yourself to him
Encouraging the person to reveal their true self to someone else
And I was there, catching air
Claiming to have jumped or leaped somewhere
Thought I had him by the hand
Believed to have captured the person while jumping
I only had him by the glove
Only managed to touch the person briefly while jumping
We was there, in the road
Present in a public area
Picking diamonds from a tree
Having a good time and enjoying the moment
Heard a wolf coming through
Became aware of a potential danger or threat
Coming through and coming hard, tried to leave the heat and gone
Trying to escape from a dangerous situation quickly and urgently
Tried to lean against the wall
Attempted to find support or stability during a difficult situation
I'll be there, coming clean
Claiming to be honest and genuine
Like a runner in the wind, coming through the morning light
Describing oneself as determined and unstoppable
Rising in, in the stone
Becoming stronger and more resilient
Tried to leave the heat at home
Attempted to avoid getting into trouble or danger
Running through the morning dim
Moving forward through a difficult or challenging time
Come on baby, let me close
Asking to be near the person physically and emotionally
Run through but cut close
Moving quickly through a situation while being careful and cautious
You'll be there, on the floor
Imagining the person being in a vulnerable or emotional state
Picking diamonds from a stone
Finding something valuable or beautiful in a difficult situation
Looking through the totem pole
Trying to understand or decipher something complex or mysterious
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Adam Granofsky
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind