Their debut album, The Airing of Grievances, was released on the Troubleman Unlimited record label on April 14, 2008 to many positive reviews. The album's loud, heavily distorted guitars are influenced by shoegaze, while the lyrics and song titles are references to various books and other forms of entertainment (such as the album title, from the Seinfeld episode, "The Strike", about Festivus). The Airing of Grievances was reissued on January 20, 2009 on XL Recordings.
The band's second album, The Monitor, was released on March 9, 2010 through XL Recordings to wide critical acclaim, and was cited as one of the best indie albums of the year.
The band has a sizable list of former members, the latest of which, Amy Klein, left the band on October 24, 2011.
Upon Viewing Brueghel's "Landscape With The Fall of Icarus"
Titus Andronicus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I knew exactly who I was
But I never got my chance to be young
So when you lay me inside of a coffin
Bury me on the side of the hill
That's a good place to get some thinking done
It didn't work out the way that I planned it
They all seem to want to take it away
So it's obvious to me somebody
Somewhere must have really done a number on you
And I know because the fuckers got me too
All the pretty horses
All flowers and trees
They will all mean less than nothing
When it all has come to be
God sent me a vision of the future
In a dream on a Saturday night
And I see no reason to celebrate
For when I saw it I wept like a child
It came to me like a knife in the chest
About you and me and everyone, forever to ache and ache and ache
So Father, if it's possible
Let this cup pass me by
But if it can't without my drinking it
Then thy will be done
I never got my chance to be young
These lyrics from Titus Andronicus’s song Upon Viewing Brueghel's "Landscape With The Fall of Icarus" delve into themes of self-reflection and disappointment in the singer’s life. The opening lines suggest that the singer had a strong sense of self-awareness from a young age but never had the chance to really enjoy their youth. The image of being buried on the side of a hill is evocative of a sort of peaceful solitude, a place for reflection without the interference of others.
The second verse begins with a religious reference, God sending the singer a vision of the future that causes intense emotional pain. The lines “It came to me like a knife in the chest/About you and me and everyone, forever to ache and ache and ache” seem to suggest a feeling of hopelessness about the fate of humanity. The final two lines, a plea to God to let the singer avoid this fate if possible but to accept it if it can’t be avoided, have the feeling of a resigned acceptance of a difficult reality.
Overall, the song touches on themes of isolation, disillusionment, and existential angst, all set against the background of the painting referenced in the title. Through the singer’s introspection, we get a glimpse into a world that may not be perfect, yet one in which moments of beauty and self-discovery can still be found.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born into self-actualization
I was always aware of who I was and what I wanted to be
But I never got my chance to be young
Despite my self-awareness, I never got to experience the carefree nature of youth
So when you lay me inside of a coffin
When I am no longer alive and conscious
Bury me on the side of the hill
Place me in a location that will inspire reflection and contemplation
That's a good place to get some thinking done
Such a location is ideal for deep and introspective thought
It didn't work out the way that I planned it
Life didn't unfold as I had imagined it would
They all seem to want to take it away
Others often seek to dismantle or discredit my beliefs and values
Everything that I thought to be true
All of the core beliefs and convictions I held dear
So it's obvious to me somebody
It is clear to me that someone
Somewhere must have really done a number on you
Must have inflicted significant damage or trauma on you in the past
And I know because the fuckers got me too
I can relate to your struggle because I have experienced similar pain and hardship
All the pretty horses
All of the aesthetic beauty in the world
All flowers and trees
All of the natural beauty in the world
They will all mean less than nothing
The beauty of the world will hold no value or significance
When it all has come to be
When the world and all its life eventually fades and ceases to exist
God sent me a vision of the future
I experienced a powerful and foreboding dream or premonition of what is to come
In a dream on a Saturday night
This profound experience occurred in my sleep on a weekend day
And I see no reason to celebrate
The vision was so bleak that I feel no joy or reason to rejoice
For when I saw it I wept like a child
The vision was so emotionally devastating that it brought me to tears and left me feeling helpless
It came to me like a knife in the chest
The vision felt like it was stabbing me in the heart and causing immense pain
About you and me and everyone, forever to ache and ache and ache
The vision showed me the inherent pain and suffering that all people will endure indefinitely
So Father, if it's possible
Addressed to God or a higher power, I ask if there is any way to avoid the future I saw
Let this cup pass me by
Please spare me from the pain and difficulties to come
But if it can't without my drinking it
But if it is unavoidable or necessary for me to experience that future
Then thy will be done
I resign myself to the will of a greater power or fate, even if it will cause me great suffering
Contributed by Logan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Steven Spoerl
Faorite tune off their disc. Reallllly great stuff. That riff (especially at the end) is a killer.
Finn Udall
I grew up, or i am growing up i guess, listening to folk, punk, and indie guitar rock. This is by far the best mixture of the three i have ever heard. The guys are so cool. if you havent seen the monitor documentary yet, you have to watch it. Somehow, the second album is a lot BETTER than the first, and there's nowhere to go but up.
Gregory Rizzo
just saw them lat night, when they played this song everyone went nuts it was absolutely beautiful
Sean McKeown
these guys are just plan fuckin awesome. I hear they once called into the Best show on wfmu to have their record smashed or trashed. I'm sure it was an unequivocal smash.
mellowmorgan
oh my god i love that painting... and i love this song
Nicholas Alti
Holy shit I knew this band was rad but I wasn't aware somebody involved was a fan of Bruegel the Elder right on
matthamann
love it
NAte Maxson
such a cool band
Hunter Flynn
favorite song off their first album.
dyslexicKING
Cameo appearance by Deer Tick?!?!?! goodness me, I love this band!