Kasher has a very close relationship with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes. They grew up in Nebraska together, went to the same Catholic high school, Creighton Prep. It is rumored that Tim taught Oberst to play guitar. In the Bright Eyes song, "Nothing Gets Crossed Out" Oberst sings, "yeah Tim I heard your album and it's better than good. When you get off tour I think we should hang and black out together." (referring to the album Black Out by The Good Life, released in 2002 on Saddle Creek Records.) Furthermore, Oberst later sang backup on the song "Staying Alive," from Cursive's 2003 effort The Ugly Organ.
Kasher temporarily disbanded Cursive after the departure of guitarist Steve Pedersen (who left to pursue a law degree at Duke University. He now leads the Saddle Creek band Criteria). He married and moved to Portland, Oregon. According to interviews, Kasher went through a bitter divorce in 2000, which led to the regrouping of Cursive, as well as providing the inspiration for The Good Life album Black Out, and Cursive's Domestica.
The Good Life was originally planned to be a solo project. Kasher wanted to experiment with different types of lyrics and melodies. He released Novena on a Nocturn on Better Looking Records. He then recruited Ryan Fox, Roger Lewis and Stephanie Drootin into the band and released Black Out, Lovers Need Lawyers EP and Album of the Year.
Kasher created a another record with Cursive which was released in August 2006, entitled Happy Hollow. In 2009, Cursive released their latest effort, 'Mama, I'm Swollen'. The Good Life, despite a near breakup in late 2005, returned to the studio to release the album, 'Help Wanted Nights' in September 2007.
Under his own name, Tim Kasher recorded a song called "Stranger Than Strangers" which was released on a compilation CD called "My Favorite Songwriters." He released the solo album 'The Game of Monogamy' in 2010, and a follow-up disc of songs from that session called 'Bigamy', in 2011.
No Harmony
Tim Kasher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And there's me and my guitar and Kentucky rye, uh huh
Maybe I should join the escapade
Instead of staring down at this blank white page, uh huh
I could take a stool at the palace bar
Flirt a little while with the bartender, uh huh
I swear to god, she knows my name
She refuses to use it
I could buy a drink for a pretty girl
Those young ones are always off shooting pool, uh huh
Oh, listen to me, Mr. Peter Pan
Them girls live in Never Never Land
I'm better off with a girl my age
A spinster or a divorcée, uh huh
Well here I am, a divorcé too
With a potbelly and a jagged tooth, uh huh
I patrol the bars with my gut sucked in
Trying to find my next victim, uh huh
It's the ugliest men think they can always do better
They've been hypnotized by the magazine covers, uh huh
I could saddle up with the town floozy
And maybe she'd be thinking the same about me, uh huh
We can march down Central Avenue
A telltale parade for self-inflated youth, uh huh
In bed we can share emotional scars
Your dead-eyed dad, my AWOL mom
It doesn't matter if you're quick or not
It's a competition of who gets who off, uh huh
The night's coming alive outside
As I scribble down these senseless rhymes, uh huh
My life is full of melody, but rarely ever harmony, uh huh
So here I am, a desperate man
At 2 a.m. with this tune in my head, uh huh
I don't need another foolish fling
As long as I got a song, uh huh
The song "No Harmony" by Tim Kasher is a reflection on the singer's life and his struggle to find peace and harmony amidst chaos. Throughout the song, the singer ruminates on his present state, expressing his desire to join the world outside and live life to the fullest, but also acknowledging that he is better off with someone his own age, perhaps a spinster or a divorcée. He goes to bars trying to find his next victim, but also notes that even the most unattractive men believe they can always do better, influenced by the false depictions of beauty on magazine covers.
The singer reflects on the fickleness of relationships, highlighting that it's a competition to see who gets who off, rather than a true connection between individuals. He realizes that his life is full of melody, but rarely ever harmony, acknowledging his inner turmoil and search for peace. The song portrays the internal struggle of the singer and how he constantly grapples with his desires and what he thinks is right.
In essence, "No Harmony" is more than just a song. It is a commentary on society's influence on the idea of a perfect relationship, the struggles of aging, and the desire for peace and stability amidst chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
The night's coming alive outside
The world is becoming more active and lively outside
And there's me and my guitar and Kentucky rye, uh huh
I am alone with my guitar and drinking Kentucky rye
Maybe I should join the escapade
Perhaps I should participate in the excitement outside
Instead of staring down at this blank white page, uh huh
Rather than remaining unproductive with a blank page in front of me
I could take a stool at the palace bar
I could sit down at the bar called Palace
Flirt a little while with the bartender, uh huh
Engage in light-hearted romance with the bartender
I swear to god, she knows my name
I am convinced that the bartender recognizes me
She refuses to use it
However, she chooses not to call me by name
To her, we're all the same, uh huh
To her, all of her customers are the same
I could buy a drink for a pretty girl
I have the option of purchasing a beverage for an attractive woman
Those young ones are always off shooting pool, uh huh
Young people are often playing pool
Oh, listen to me, Mr. Peter Pan
I am acting like a person who never wants to grow up
Them girls live in Never Never Land
Those girls live in a fantasy world, where no one ever grows old
I'm better off with a girl my age
It would be wiser for me to be with someone closer to my age
A spinster or a divorcée, uh huh
Perhaps an unmarried or divorced woman would suit me better
Well here I am, a divorcé too
I myself am divorced as well
With a potbelly and a jagged tooth, uh huh
I am not in the best physical shape, and my teeth are uneven
I patrol the bars with my gut sucked in
I frequent bars and try to keep my stomach looking trim
Trying to find my next victim, uh huh
I am seeking my next romantic conquest
It's the ugliest men think they can always do better
Ugly men often believe they can attract a more attractive partner
They've been hypnotized by the magazine covers, uh huh
They have been influenced to believe that beauty is of the utmost importance by magazine covers
I could saddle up with the town floozy
I could engage in relations with the promiscuous woman in the area
And maybe she'd be thinking the same about me, uh huh
And maybe she would also be considering me
We can march down Central Avenue
We can walk down the main street of the town
A telltale parade for self-inflated youth, uh huh
A noticeable parade of young people with high opinions of themselves
In bed we can share emotional scars
We may discuss our emotional wounds while in bed together
Your dead-eyed dad, my AWOL mom
We may discuss the issues we have with our parents
It doesn't matter if you're quick or not
It is irrelevant whether or not you finish quickly during intercourse
It's a competition of who gets who off, uh huh
It is a contest to see who can make the other person reach orgasm first
My life is full of melody, but rarely ever harmony, uh huh
My existence has a lot of music, but it does not have much consistency or peace
So here I am, a desperate man
Thus, I find myself to be a desperate individual
At 2 a.m. with this tune in my head, uh huh
It's 2 in the morning, but this melody is constantly on my mind
I don't need another foolish fling
I am not interested in another meaningless relationship
As long as I got a song, uh huh
As long as I have music
Contributed by Lillian T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ZealousAtari
I don't need another foolish fling... as long as I got a song... uh huh