In 2005, Tokyo Police Club started by accident one day in the ordinary suburb of Newmarket when Greg, Josh, Dave, and Graham decided that they missed playing music together, their previous band having broken up several months before. The four gathered in Josh's basement, plugging in instruments and making up songs almost at random, with no goal but to recapture the magic that they felt making music together. By the time summer came, TPC had quietly begun playing shows in the Toronto area, shows at which the very few people in attendance seemed impressed by what they saw. The band seemed likely to end here, with the various members preparing to go their separate ways in the fall, when fate intervened in the form of an invitation to play the Pop Montreal festival. Packing their instruments and girlfriends into a tiny university residence room, TPC spent a week immersed in music, spending days lazily wandering the streets of Montreal and nights rehearsing loudly in the tiniest of spaces, and topping it off in style with a sold out show that saw the band play for the first time to an audience that was actually interested. A few weeks later, all four had agreed that it was time to break their mothers' hearts and pursue that most elusive of pipe dreams: a career in the music business.
The boys got straight to business, playing a series of Toronto shows, and earning a reputation for live shows that were exuberant, lively, and unrestrained. In January, the very day that Dave returned for good from university, Tokyo Police Club signed up with esteemed Toronto label Paperbag Records to release their debut EP in Canada. In April 27, 2006, A Lesson in Crime was released in Canada and U.S (February 12, 2007, UK released), and the band spent the next months on the road, bringing their optimistic brand of wide-eyed post-pop to audiences across Canada, U.S. and Europe, and making many new friends along the way.
Responding to criticisms that A Lesson in Crime is too short (16:22), Graham Wright had this to say in an interview with Ukula: "It's very quick, quick, quick, one, two, three. Some of the songs don't have a lot of space in them and the album doesn't have a whole lot of room to breathe, but I think in the case of an EP this is a really good thing."
The Smith EP came in February 14, 2007. At a July 20, 2007 stop along the tour in Omaha, Nebraska the band announced the inking of a deal with Omaha based Saddle Creek Records during their live show at the Saddle Creek owned venue The Slowdown, to release their debut LP, entitled Elephant Shell, that was released on April, 22nd 2008 to much applause.
So what exactly is Tokyo Police Club? Perhaps EYE Weekly summed it up best when they wrote "[Tokyo Police Club] are undeniably catchy and raw, marrying danceable hooks with talk of robot masters and global emergencies, providing an upbeat soundtrack to our troubled times." Personally, however, I prefer Exclaim's proclamation that "somehow, the deeply innocuous subdivisions of Newmarket, Ontario have hatched a four-headed beast of tunefulness."
All My Friends
Tokyo Police Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We go back to your house.
We check the charts,
And start to figure it out.
And if it's crowded, all the better,
because we know we're gonna be up late.
But if you're worried about the weather
That's how it starts.
And so it starts.
You switch the engine on.
We set controls for the heart of the sun,
one of the ways we show our age.
And if the sun comes up, if the sun comes up, if the sun comes up
and I still don't wanna stagger home.
Then it's the memory of our betters
that are keeping us on our feet.
You spent the first five years trying to get with the plan,
and the next five years trying to be with your friends again.
You're talking 45 turns just as fast as you can,
yeah, I know it gets tired, but it's better when we pretend.
It comes apart,
the way it does in bad films.
Except in parts,
when the moral kicks in.
Though when we're running out of the drugs
and the conversation's winding away.
I wouldn't trade one stupid decision
for another five years of lies.
You drop the first ten years just as fast as you can,
and the next ten people who are trying to be polite.
When you're blowing eighty-five days in the middle of France,
Yeah, I know it gets tired only where are your friends tonight?
And to tell the truth.
Oh, this could be the last time.
So here we go,
like a sail's force into the night
And if I made a fool, if I made a fool, if I made a fool
on the road, there's always this.
And if I'm sewn into submission,
I can still come home to this.
And with a face like a dad and a laughable stand,
you can sleep on the plane or review what you said.
When you're drunk and the kids leave impossible tasks
you think over and over, "hey, I'm finally dead."
Oh, if the trip and the plan come apart in your hand,
you look contorted on yourself your ridiculous prop.
You forgot what you meant when you read what you said,
and you always knew you were tired, but then,
where are your friends tonight?
Where are your friends tonight?
Where are your friends tonight?
If I could see all my friends tonight,
If I could see all my friends tonight,
If I could see all my friends tonight,
If I could see all my friends tonight
The song "All My Friends" by Tokyo Police Club is an introspective and somewhat nostalgic reflection on the joys and pitfalls of youthful hedonism. The song begins with the singer and their friends hanging out and checking the charts, presumably in reference to popular music, but also serves as a metaphor for trying to figure out how to navigate their lives. The singer suggests that the party will be better if more people show up, implying that they crave excitement and new experiences.
As the song progresses, the singer and their friends embark on a journey that involves getting high, staying out late, and struggling to find meaning in their lives. They mention how they are "trying to get with the plan" and "trying to be with [their] friends again," indicating that they are searching for purpose and fulfillment. But they also confess that they often pretend to be having a good time even when they are bored, tired, or disillusioned. The song's climax comes with the repeated chorus of "where are your friends tonight?" as if to suggest that despite all the adventures and misadventures they have had, the singer still longs for the sense of belonging that comes with true friendship.
Overall, "All My Friends" is a poignant and relatable meditation on the joys and sorrows of growing up, finding one's place in the world, and trying to hold onto the people that matter most.
Line by Line Meaning
That's how it starts.
The beginning of an exciting night.
We go back to your house.
Leaving the party and heading home.
We check the charts,
Consulting different plans to have a good time.
And start to figure it out.
Finalizing the plan for the night.
And if it's crowded, all the better,
The more people there are, the more fun the night will be.
because we know we're gonna be up late.
Expecting a long and exciting night.
But if you're worried about the weather
If you're concerned about the weather conditions,
then you picked the wrong place to stay.
This might not be the best place for you.
And so it starts.
The plan is now in motion.
You switch the engine on.
Starting the journey.
We set controls for the heart of the sun,
Exploring new and exciting adventures.
one of the ways we show our age.
Living in the moment and enjoying life.
And if the sun comes up,
If the night continues for an extended period.
and I still don't wanna stagger home.
Not wanting the journey to end.
Then it's the memory of our betters
Remembering the wisdom of the people who came before us.
that are keeping us on our feet.
Giving us the strength to keep going.
You spent the first five years trying to get with the plan,
Attempting to find your place in life.
and the next five years trying to be with your friends again.
Afterward, trying to rebuild relationships with old friends.
You're talking 45 turns just as fast as you can,
Speeding through life, making quick decisions.
yeah, I know it gets tired, but it's better when we pretend.
Although it can be exhausting, pretending that everything is alright.
It comes apart,
The evening falls apart.
the way it does in bad films.
Just like the predictable plot of a bad movie.
Except in parts,
Except for a few moments...
when the moral kicks in.
...when the lesson is learned.
Though when we're running out of the drugs
As the night goes on and the fun starts to fade.
and the conversation's winding away.
And the conversations start to die down.
I wouldn't trade one stupid decision
Not regretting the bad decisions made in the past.
for another five years of lies.
Because pretending for another five years is worse.
You drop the first ten years just as fast as you can,
Forgetting about the first ten years of your life.
and the next ten people who are trying to be polite.
Ignoring the next ten people who try to befriend you.
When you're blowing eighty-five days in the middle of France,
Spending a lot of time doing nothing in particular.
Yeah, I know it gets tired only where are your friends tonight?
But it gets lonely. Where are your friends when you need them?
And to tell the truth.
To be honest.
Oh, this could be the last time.
This could be the last chance to have a great night with friends.
So here we go,
Let's go!
like a sail's force into the night
Like a powerful boat sailing into the dark night.
And if I made a fool,
If I embarrassed myself tonight...
there's always this.
At least there's this memory to cherish.
And if I'm sewn into submission,
If I'm trapped and forced to accept something...
I can still come home to this.
I can always return to my happy memories with friends.
And with a face like a dad and a laughable stand,
As you get older and look like a dad, with a comical stance.
you can sleep on the plane or review what you said.
Either sleep on the plane or think over the fun moments on the journey.
When you're drunk and the kids leave impossible tasks
When you're too intoxicated to complete impossible tasks that kids do with ease.
you think over and over, "hey, I'm finally dead."
Thinking over your past and wondering if you've lived enough.
Oh, if the trip and the plan come apart in your hand,
If the plan falls apart during the journey...
you look contorted on yourself your ridiculous prop.
You might end up feeling self-conscious and ridiculous.
You forgot what you meant when you read what you said,
Forgetting the real meaning behind your words.
and you always knew you were tired, but then,
Knowing that you were always tired is not new information.
where are your friends tonight?
Where are your friends tonight? Where is everyone when you need them?
If I could see all my friends tonight,
If there was a way to see all my friends tonight...
If I could see all my friends tonight,
If I could see all my friends tonight...
If I could see all my friends tonight,
If I could see all my friends tonight...
If I could see all my friends tonight
If I could see all my friends tonight.
Contributed by Gabriel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gareth Robinson
It doesn't have to be compared to the original. That's not how good covers work. This is a good song. That's it.
Jack Tinkham
It will always be worth opening YouTube to listen to this. 11 years later and it’s still such a wonderful cover.
Chris Barbolini
I like how the original builds and this one falls. A cool contrast!
Wilo Polis
Surprisingly good cover
Marjie W.
such a great cover
Fiona Klubis
meow -- love this version more than the original... good running song
TheRanoPano
The first half was great, but the second one was way disappointing... When James Murphy sings "Were are you friends tonite?" and "If I could see all my friends tonite", it really gives the chills... it's so emotional... this version totally lacks of that feeling.
Condiment King
This song is better than the one by Franz Ferdinand, but not Even close to the original, which is the best song ever.
clackityclack9
Tokyo police club 🇯🇵👮🥪
Bryan Sims
its called "all my friends"