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."
Gone
Tokyo Police Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gone to the coast where I let my hair down
(Down)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach where I let my ship sail
(Sail)
Gone to the coast
(Ooh)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach where I let my ship sail
(Ooh)
'Cause I don't know what I want
I don't know what to think with both the curtains drawn
And I don't know about you
Tell me something that I'm supposed to do
Runners don't run to me, runners don't say the same old things
Races don't bother me, races don't say the same old things
But you always do
Gone to the coast
Gone to the coast where I let my hair down
(Down)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach where I let my ship sail
(Sail)
Gone to the coast
Gone to the coast where I let my hair down
(Down)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach where I let my ship sail
(Sail)
'Cause I don't know what I want
I don't know what to think with both the curtains drawn
And I don't know about you
Tell me something that I'm supposed to do
To do
The lyrics to Tokyo Police Club's song "Gone" speak of escaping to the coast where one can let their hair down and let their ship sail. The beach serves as a place of respite, where one can escape the confusion and indecision they are currently facing. The singer is seeking clarity and direction, as they admit to not knowing what they want and being unsure of what to think with both the curtains drawn. They appeal to the listener, asking for guidance and advice on what they are supposed to do.
The song highlights the need for a change of scenery and a break from routine in order to gain perspective and find peace. The beach serves as a symbol of this need for detachment from daily challenges and the search for clarity. The repetition of the lyrics "Gone to the coast" and "Out on the beach" emphasize the importance of this place of escape, where the singer seeks solace.
Overall, "Gone" is a song about seeking clarity and rediscovering oneself in a place of detachment and peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Gone to the coast
I have traveled to the coastal region
Gone to the coast where I let my hair down
I have gone to the coastal area where I can relax and unwind
(Down)
Out on the beach
I am currently at the beach
Out on the beach where I let my ship sail
I am at the beach, where I allow myself to let go of any burdens and let my desires guide me
(Sail)
Gone to the coast
I have traveled to the coastal region
Gone to the coast where I let my hair down
I have gone to the coastal area where I can relax and unwind
(Ooh)
Out on the beach
I am currently at the beach
Out on the beach where I let my ship sail
I am at the beach, where I allow myself to let go of any burdens and let my desires guide me
(Ooh)
'Cause I don't know what I want
I am unsure about my desires and what I want in life
I don't know what to think with both the curtains drawn
I am uncertain about my thoughts and emotions, even in a private setting
And I don't know about you
I am unsure about your thoughts and feelings as well
Tell me something that I'm supposed to do
Please provide me with guidance or direction
Runners don't run to me, runners don't say the same old things
I don't attract people who are constantly seeking or chasing after something, as they have nothing new to bring to the table
Races don't bother me, races don't say the same old things
I am not affected by people who are constantly competing, as their actions or words are repetitive
But you always do
However, you are an exception to this pattern, and I am impacted by your actions or words
Gone to the coast
I have traveled to the coastal region
Gone to the coast where I let my hair down
I have gone to the coastal area where I can relax and unwind
(Down)
Out on the beach
I am currently at the beach
Out on the beach where I let my ship sail
I am at the beach, where I allow myself to let go of any burdens and let my desires guide me
(Sail)
Gone to the coast
I have traveled to the coastal region
Gone to the coast where I let my hair down
I have gone to the coastal area where I can relax and unwind
(Down)
Out on the beach
I am currently at the beach
Out on the beach where I let my ship sail
I am at the beach, where I allow myself to let go of any burdens and let my desires guide me
(Sail)
'Cause I don't know what I want
I am unsure about my desires and what I want in life
I don't know what to think with both the curtains drawn
I am uncertain about my thoughts and emotions, even in a private setting
And I don't know about you
I am unsure about your thoughts and feelings as well
Tell me something that I'm supposed to do
Please provide me with guidance or direction
To do
I need direction or purpose to move forward in life
Lyrics © SADAIC LATIN COPYRIGHTS, INC.
Written by: DAVID THOMAS MONKS, GRAHAM FRASER WRIGHT, GREGORY JARRETT ALSOP, JOSHUA G HOOK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Erik
[Chorus]
Gone to the coast
Gone to the coast
Where I let my hair down (down)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach
Where I let my ship sail (sail)
Gone to the coast
Gone to the coast
Where I let my hair down (ooh)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach
Where I let my ship sail (ooh)
[Verse 1]
'Cause I don't know what I want
I don't know what to think with both the curtains drawn
I don't know about you
Tell me something that I'm supposed to do
[Verse 2]
Runners don't run to me
Runners don't say the same old things
Racers don't bother me
Racers don't say the same old things
But you always do
[Chorus]
Gone to the coast
Gone to the coast
Where I let my hair down (down)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach
Where I let my ship sail (sail)
[Interlude]
[Chorus]
Ooh, gone to the coast
Gone to the coast
Where I let my hair down (down)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach
Where I let my ship sail (sail)
[Verse 1]
'Cause I don't know what I want
I don't know what to think with both the curtains drawn
But I don't know about you
Tell me something that I'm supposed to do (to do)
steve f
Dude ive been listening to Tokyo Police Club for almost four years they are amazing i still love the sound of there music:)
Erik
[Chorus]
Gone to the coast
Gone to the coast
Where I let my hair down (down)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach
Where I let my ship sail (sail)
Gone to the coast
Gone to the coast
Where I let my hair down (ooh)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach
Where I let my ship sail (ooh)
[Verse 1]
'Cause I don't know what I want
I don't know what to think with both the curtains drawn
I don't know about you
Tell me something that I'm supposed to do
[Verse 2]
Runners don't run to me
Runners don't say the same old things
Racers don't bother me
Racers don't say the same old things
But you always do
[Chorus]
Gone to the coast
Gone to the coast
Where I let my hair down (down)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach
Where I let my ship sail (sail)
[Interlude]
[Chorus]
Ooh, gone to the coast
Gone to the coast
Where I let my hair down (down)
Out on the beach
Out on the beach
Where I let my ship sail (sail)
[Verse 1]
'Cause I don't know what I want
I don't know what to think with both the curtains drawn
But I don't know about you
Tell me something that I'm supposed to do (to do)
Claudia Marcelo López
If my life had soundtrack, this song would definitely make it into the playlist.
Caroline Sylvester
I seriously love this song soooooooooooo much.
Doug Campbell
this is one of my fav songs from them.
Kacey Gambin
i love it (: awesomely original band a lesson in crime is pretty epic, but champ is catching up :D
Null Nullify
Oh man this song makes me so happy. I want to get something implanted in my ear that only plays this song over and over, so I can be happy all the time.
SuperToofer
This whole album is summer worthy haha :)
intimatelyrearranged
comparing their albums... a lesson in crime was like... a really cute and loveable little kid, elephant shell was that kid's awkward teen years (but still fantastic, just a little unsure at times), and CHAMP a grown up, and incredibly satisfying individual, blossomed into something i'm sure more and more people will begin to appreciate... but i'll always remember that really loveable kid ;)
jhalls17
When are they going to release this as a single? The damn radio needs to play it this summer!