The band's blend of punk-inflected folk rock with literate, witty, introspective lyrics have made them one of the most popular bands on the Canadian music scene.
Hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, The Weakerthans have produced four full albums with a variety of unusual subjects; a couple of songs are sung from the point of view of John's cat Virtute (Ver-tu-tay). The Weakerthans are popular in their home city of Winnipeg; their song "One Great City!" expresses their love/hate relationship with the problems and attitude of Winnipeg. No matter their methods, though, one thing is clear: The Weakerthans are not afraid to venture into lyrical styles uncharted by their contemporaries. On their third album, Reconstruction Site, Samson penned three songs, "(Manifest)", "(Hospital Vespers)", and "(Past Due)", in Shakespearean sonnet form.
One origin story for the band's name, as quoted in the liner notes of Fallow, is a line from the 1992 film The Lover: "Go ahead, I'm weaker than you can possibly imagine." The band's name may also refer to a Ralph Chaplin quote from "Solidarity Forever": "What force on Earth can be weaker than the feeble strength of one?" The band alludes to this line in the song "Pamphleteer" from the album Left and Leaving.
The band last released an album, Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre, in 2010.
Since 2015, the band has been on hiatus.
Bigfoot!
The Weakerthans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Patched the holes and fluid leaks
At dusk beneath a diabetic moon
And wait to take the TV crews
Across the creaking ice
The news is howling
To the timber wolves and soon
I'll go through it all again
Watch their doubtful smiles begin
But the visions that I see believe in me
So praise the things I can't forget
With burgers and a silhouette
On t-shirts at the council general store
I'll listen to the south winds sigh
With rumors and regrets
And I don't wanna talk about it anymore
Won't go through it all again
Watch their doubtful smiles begin
When the visions that I see believe in me
Oh the visions that I see
They will believe me
The Weakerthans' song "Bigfoot" is a haunting meditation on the idea of belief and determination in the face of doubt and skepticism. The first verse sets the scene, with the singer describing the work they've done preparing for a journey into the wilderness at night. As they wait for the TV crews to arrive, the "news is howling" - a fitting metaphor for the way that sensational headlines and rumors can inspire both fear and fascination. This sets up the central tension of the song, between the singer's own convictions and the doubts of those around them.
In the second verse, the singer expresses both frustration and resolve in the face of those doubts. They say that "I'll go through it all again" - a statement that suggests they've faced skepticism before, and perhaps been dismissed or disbelieved. But despite this, they still believe in the "visions" that they see, and are willing to endure the doubts and criticisms of others in order to pursue their goals. The closing lines of the song, with their repeated invocation of belief and the chorus of "they will believe me", add a sense of urgency and desperation to this resolve - as if the singer is clinging to their faith in the face of overwhelming odds.
Overall, "Bigfoot" is a powerful reflection on the nature of belief and the tension between conviction and skepticism. The singer's determination and resolve in the face of doubt and disbelief is both inspiring and melancholy; we can't help but admire their faith and persistence, but we also feel a sense of sadness at the way that others are quick to dismiss and discredit them. Ultimately, though, the song is a testament to the power of belief, and the way that it can give us strength and purpose even in the face of uncertainty and opposition.
Line by Line Meaning
I changed the oils and oiled the squeaks
I conducted maintenance on my equipment by changing out the oils and lubricating any areas that were squeaking
Patched the holes and fluid leaks
I fixed any physical damage or leaks in my equipment by patching them up
At dusk beneath a diabetic moon
I worked on my equipment at night, under the light of the moon, which appeared large due to the condition known as a "diabetic moon"
And wait to take the TV crews
I am anticipating the arrival of TV crews who have showing interest in what I am doing
Across the creaking ice
I will guide the TV crews across ice that is making creaking sounds
The news is howling
There is a lot of excitement surrounding what I am doing
To the timber wolves and soon
The excitement will soon be shared with the local wildlife, specifically the timber wolves
I'll go through it all again
I am willing to repeat this process all over again
Watch their doubtful smiles begin
I will observe the TV crew's hesitant and unsure facial expressions as they see what I'm doing
But the visions that I see believe in me
Although others may doubt me, the visions I hold give me the confidence to continue
So praise the things I can't forget
I hold onto and cherish the memories and experiences that I cannot forget
With burgers and a silhouette
These memories are so important to me that they appear in nostalgic images, such as in the form of a burger and a silhouette
On t-shirts at the council general store
These memories are so significant that they have been printed on t-shirts that are sold at the local general store
I'll listen to the south winds sigh
I will listen to the sound of the wind blowing from the south
With rumors and regrets
As I listen to the wind, I am reminded of various rumors and regrets that I carry with me
And I don't wanna talk about it anymore
I do not wish to discuss these rumors and regrets any further
Won't go through it all again
Despite my willingness to repeat the process, I've come to the realization that it may not be worth it to do so
Watch their doubtful smiles begin
I do not want to witness the TV crew's hesitant and unsure facial expressions once again
When the visions that I see believe in me
My personal visions and beliefs are more important than the doubtful opinions of others
Oh the visions that I see
I hold strong beliefs and visions of what I am doing
They will believe me
I am confident that my visions will eventually be understood and believed by others
Lyrics © O/B/O CAPASSO
Written by: John K Samson, Jason Tait, Greg Scott Smith, Stephen Allan Carroll
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gryffin
on Virtute the Cat Explains Her Departure
It had something to do with the rain
It was a rainy day when Virtute left
Leaching loamy dirt
The dirt becoming muddy and wet due to the rain.
And the way the back lane came alive
The rain bringing life to the back alley and making it more vibrant.
Half moon whispered go
Personification of the half-moon; Virtute believed it told her to leave
For a while I heard you
The cat heard its owner's footsteps for a brief period.
Missing steps in the street
The owner was upset and confused, stumbling while walking in the street, looking for her.
And your anger pleading
The owner's anger begging for something; perhaps Virtute's return
In an uncertain key
The owner's tone being unsure and lacking confidence.
Singing the sound that you found for me
Virtute's owner is calling out her name in an attempt to find her
When the winter took the tips of my ears
In winter, Virtute lost the tips of her ears to the cold
Found this noisy home
The cat found a new place to live.
Full of pigeons and places to hide
The new place was abundant in pigeons and had many good hiding spots.
And when the voices died
When everything became silent.
I emerged to watch abandoned machines
The cat came out of hiding to look at the machines that had been abandoned.
Waiting for their men
The machines were waiting for someone to come and use them.
To return, I remember the way
The cat remembers how the owner would look for her and she misses him.
I would wait for you
The cat used to wait for her owner to come back.
To arrive with kibble
The owner used to bring kibble for the cat to eat.
And a box full of beer
The owner used to have beer with him when he came back home.
How I'd scratch the empties
The cat remembers how she used to scratch the empty beer cans and bottles for hours to entertain herself.
Desperate to hear
The cat was desperate to hear the familiar sounds of her owner's presence.
You make the sound that you found for me
Virtute longed to hear her owner say her name, to be acknowledged by the person who left her alone for so long.
After scrapping with the ferals and the tabby
After fighting with other cats in the area.
Let you brush my matted fur
Allowed the owner to groom her matted fur.
How I'd knead into your chest while you were sleeping
The cat remembers how she used to knead into her owner's chest while he slept.
Shallow breathing made me purr
The cat would purr while feeling her owner's shallow breathing and being comforted by it.
But I can't remember the sound that you found for me
The cat can no longer remember the name her owner gave her, and it makes her sad and confused.
I can't remember the sound that you found for me
Reinforcing the fact that the cat can no longer remember her name.
I can't remember the sound
The cat can't seem to remember anything about the owner's voice and it vexes her.