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.
History to the Defeated
The Weakerthans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A hangover halo is washing away
Mechanic-school dropout stares into the mirror
Stands up in his derelict daydreams
Always too tall, always walked around wearing
A smile that was never quite sure of itself
Planning a future of failures inflicted
In phone calls from strip clubs and bail bonds
There's a light left on
There's a pace to our direction
There's a movie still
Of a heart I'd like to mention
Don't give me that look, I looked harder than most did
Let details like sharp nails punch holes in my shoes
Soft-traced to frown as I put the receiver down
Where do I go for a pardon?
There's a light left on
There's a pace to our direction
There's a movie still
Of a heart I'd like to mention
We're listing what's left
A signed Slayer t-shirt
A car up on blocks in his mother's backyard
The Weakerthans's "History to the Defeated" is a poignant exploration of a young man's struggle with his dream, his identity, and his place in the world. The song tells the story of a mechanic-school dropout who is plunging his wrists into the sink, staring at his reflection. He's a dreamer, but also someone who is plagued by self-doubt and fear. He walks around with a smile that is never quite sure of itself, always too tall, always out of place. He's planning a future of failures, trapped in a cycle of phone calls from strip clubs and bail bonds.
The chorus of the song, "There's a light left on, there's a pace to our direction, there's a movie still of a heart I'd like to mention," is a hopeful reminder that there's always a glimmer of hope, even in the darkest of times. The singer struggles to find redemption, but the song suggests that there's still a chance for him to turn his life around.
The final verse of the song reinforces this idea, as the singer is left with only a few things: a signed Slayer t-shirt, and a car up on blocks in his mother's backyard. These trinkets represent his past, but also his potential for growth and progress. The song ends on a note of ambiguity: "where do I go for a pardon?" It's up to the listener to decide whether the singer will find the redemption he seeks, or whether he's doomed to repeat the cycle of failure and pain.
Overall, "History to the Defeated" is a powerful meditation on the human condition, and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in a chaotic world.
Line by Line Meaning
There's blood in the sink and he's plunging his wrists in
The singer is self-harming by cutting his wrists and bleeding into a sink.
A hangover halo is washing away
The singer is feeling the after-effects of drinking too much alcohol while attempting to escape his problems.
Mechanic-school dropout stares into the mirror
The singer is a mechanic-school dropout who feels lost and uncertain of his future.
Stands up in his derelict daydreams
The artist takes solace in his daydreams as he struggles to cope with his reality.
Always too tall, always walked around wearing
The artist is physically tall and imposing but emotionally unsure of himself.
A smile that was never quite sure of itself
The singer's smile is hesitant and reflects his lack of confidence.
Planning a future of failures inflicted
The singer is resigned to a future of disappointment and failure, likely due to his past mistakes.
In phone calls from strip clubs and bail bonds
The artist's future likely involves contacting people in seedy places for help, such as strip clubs and bail bonds.
Don't give me that look, I looked harder than most did
The artist feels judged and defends himself by saying that he has tried harder than others.
Let details like sharp nails punch holes in my shoes
The artist has been beaten down by life and the small details are causing him great pain.
Soft-traced to frown as I put the receiver down
The singer is sad and disappointed with the outcome of a phone call he just had.
Where do I go for a pardon?
The artist is seeking forgiveness for his past mistakes and is unsure where to turn.
We're listing what's left
The singer and those in similar situations are taking stock of what little they have left.
A signed Slayer t-shirt
One of the few possessions the singer has left is a t-shirt signed by the band Slayer.
A car up on blocks in his mother's backyard
The singer's mother has a car on blocks in her backyard, representing stagnation and lack of progress in the singer's life.
There's a light left on
Despite the artist's struggles, there is still hope for a better future.
There's a pace to our direction
The artist and others like him are moving forward, however slowly, towards a better life.
There's a movie still
The singer has memories of a better time, perhaps represented by a movie he once watched.
Of a heart I'd like to mention
The singer is nostalgic for a time when he had a more positive outlook on life and had dreams for the future.
Lyrics © MOTHERSHIP MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: John K Samson, Stephen Carroll, Jason Tait, John P. Sutton
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.