They were joined in 1991, by Wally Ingram and Courtney Audain. Timbuk 3 recorded several albums from 1986 to 1995; their first album, Greetings From Timbuk 3, generated their only chart hit song, "The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades". The song was featured in the 1987 film, My Best Friend is a Vampire.
Also from Greetings From Timbuk 3, "Shame On You" was played during the opening scene of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, released in 1986.
The group broke up in 1995, with the ex-members going on to record other music independently.
Grand Old Party
Timbuk 3 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a new day begins
Now is the time
For confessing our sins
Maybe we ate a little too much
Or drank a little too much scotch
And I guess the entertainment
Judging from this pain in my crotch
I feel like hell today, but last night, hey
Weren't we hale and hearty?
All in all, I really got to say
It was a grand old party
We donned our disguises, ate appetizers
And talked 'til our teeth got numb
Johnny Walker ran free
'Til he crawled out the door
Then we started on rum
I guess I knew I should have refused
That one last Coke and Bacardi
But despite the mess, I must confess
It was a grand old party
Oh, my heat seeking whistles
And misguided missiles
I guess they went a little too far
When a backseat snuggle
Turned into a struggle
And it totaled my car
Now most of my friends
Will never speak to me again
But love is never saying you're sorry
At the end of the day I really got to say
It was a grand old party
Now sometimes I dream that my life is on trial
My friends and all my family are there
Load of dirty laundry are fallin' all around me
I'm hiding under my chair
If you are what you eat, I'm dead meat
Lord knows I've been naughty
In the depths of disgrace I rest my case
It was a grand old party
The song "Grand Old Party" by Timbuk 3 tells the story of a wild party that has come to an end, leaving the singer full of regret, but also with fond memories. The lyrics are written from the perspective of someone who has woken up with a hangover after a night of excessive drinking and partying. The song opens with the line "The party's over, and a new day begins", signaling the end of the night and the start of a new day, which may bring with it a sense of regret and remorse for the singer.
The next line, "Now is the time for confessing our sins", sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer reflects on the excesses of the previous night, including eating too much, drinking too much scotch and rum, and engaging in questionable behavior. Despite the pain and discomfort that the singer is experiencing, however, there is an underlying sense of nostalgia and fondness for the good times that were had. The refrain of the song, "It was a grand old party", is repeated throughout, underscoring the mixed emotions of the singer as he looks back on the night before.
The imagery in the song is vivid and evocative, with references to appetizers, Johnny Walker, and "backseat struggles" that leave the singer's car totaled. Even as the singer faces the consequences of his actions, there is a sense that the memories of the party will linger on, despite the pain and shame that they may elicit.
Line by Line Meaning
The party's over
The party has ended
And a new day begins
A new day has started
Now is the time
This is the time
For confessing our sins
To admit to what we did wrong
Maybe we ate a little too much
Perhaps we consumed too much food
Or drank a little too much scotch
Possibly we consumed too much alcohol
And I guess the entertainment
I think the activities we engaged in
Got a little out of hand
Became slightly excessive
Judging from this pain in my crotch
Looking at the physical discomfort I am experiencing
I feel like hell today, but last night, hey
I feel terrible today, but last night was fun
Weren't we hale and hearty?
Weren't we healthy and lively?
All in all, I really got to say
Overall, I have to say
It was a grand old party
The party was enjoyable
We donned our disguises, ate appetizers
We put on costumes, and consumed small snacks
And talked 'til our teeth got numb
We conversed until our mouths were tired
Johnny Walker ran free
We drank a lot of Johnny Walker whiskey
'Til he crawled out the door
Until he left the party
Then we started on rum
Then we began to drink rum
I guess I knew I should have refused
I think I should have declined to drink more
That one last Coke and Bacardi
That final mixed drink of Coke and Bacardi rum
But despite the mess, I must confess
Nonetheless, I need to admit
It was a grand old party
The party was fantastic
Oh, my heat-seeking whistles
Oh, the sounds I make when I whistle
And misguided missiles
And the things I aim for
I guess they went a little too far
Perhaps they went beyond appropriate limits
When a backseat snuggle
When an intimate moment in the backseat of a car
Turned into a struggle
Became a physical altercation
And it totaled my car
And it caused severe damage to my automobile
Now most of my friends
Now, the majority of my acquaintances
Will never speak to me again
Will no longer communicate with me
But love is never saying you're sorry
True love never requires an apology
At the end of the day I really got to say
When it's all said and done, I must say
It was a grand old party
The party was fantastic
Now sometimes I dream that my life is on trial
I occasionally have nightmares where I'm being judged
My friends and all my family are there
My loved ones are present in the nightmare
Loads of dirty laundry are falling all around me
Numerous shameful secrets are being revealed about me
I'm hiding under my chair
I'm trying to conceal myself from the embarrassment
If you are what you eat, I'm dead meat
If you become what you consume, then I'm in trouble
Lord knows I've been naughty
God knows I've been mischievous
In the depths of disgrace I rest my case
I can't defend myself because I'm too ashamed
It was a grand old party
The party was fantastic
Contributed by Julia Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.