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."
In a Cave
Tokyo Police Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Swapping out passport photos
I walked west to the setting sun
Every single step I grow another second young
All my hair grows in
Wrinkles leave my skin
But still don't fade
I don't know who else to ask
Sitting in the dark holding an empty glass
Stained my teeth with more red wine
I'm a romantic, but never pearly white
All my hair grows in
Wrinkles leave my skin
But still don't fade
I'll be back again when the tide is in some day
Elephant shell
You're my cave and I've been hiding out
Will you tell me a little bit about
A bit about yourself?
Elephant shell
You're my cave and I've been hiding out
Will you tell me a little bit about
A bit about yourself?
The song "In a Cave" by Tokyo Police Club explores themes of youth, time, self-discovery, and identity. The singer throws darts at a spinning globe and swaps out passport photos, suggesting a desire to explore and travel. Walking west towards the setting sun, symbolizes the pursuit of time and a desire to stay young, taking every step to become a second younger. The contemplation of the relationship between aging and personal growth, as expressed in the lyrics, "All my hair grows in/ Wrinkles leave my skin/ But still don't fade" suggests a longing for the truth, and the need to find familiarity within oneself.
The chorus, "I'll be back again when the tide is in some day", is a metaphorical expression of the cyclical nature of life. The phrase "when the tide is in" relates to the movement of the oceans being guided by the push and pull of the moon. It is a cyclical process, and it signifies that the singer will never stop exploring and coming back.
The final verse takes on a different tone from the previous verses. The singer addresses an "Elephant shell" that symbolizes a safe haven or comfort zone, expressing the need to know more about the shell's history as well as inquiring about their own identity. The song's ending suggests a desire to understand oneself and the world, all while maintaining a sense of curiosity and wonder.
Line by Line Meaning
I threw darts at a spinning globe
I randomly picked a location to travel to
Swapping out passport photos
I changed my appearance to avoid detection
I walked west to the setting sun
I went towards the end of the day, towards the end of my life
Every single step I grow another second young
I feel younger with each step I take
All my hair grows in
My hair is growing back
Wrinkles leave my skin
My skin is becoming smoother
But still don't fade
I'm still here, even though I thought I'd be gone by now
I'll be back again when the tide is in some day
I'll return to see what the tide has brought in
I don't know who else to ask
I have no one else to turn to
Sitting in the dark holding an empty glass
I'm alone and drinking to forget
Stained my teeth with more red wine
I'm trying to numb the pain
I'm a romantic, but never pearly white
I believe in love, but I'm flawed and imperfect
Elephant shell
I'm hiding in a big, safe place
You're my cave and I've been hiding out
I feel protected and secure in my hiding spot
Will you tell me a little bit about
I want to know more about this safe space
A bit about yourself?
Tell me what you are, and why I feel safe in you
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DAVID THOMAS MONKS, GRAHAM FRASER WRIGHT, GREGORY JARRETT ALSOP, JOSHUA G HOOK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@markobuenrostro8977
Man.. takes me back to my freshman year of high school. Time goes by so quickly
@bl00d5h0ck
Bro, LITERALLY same lol
@virens_
When I first watched this video, I didn't realize the impact TPC (and Balloonshop) would have on my life. But like 15 years later and here I am, thinking about this song, thinking about the important life moments this music has been in and around, and just realizing how formative this all was. Really thankful for this song & video and how much it influenced me.
@lvfismf
This is one of those songs you can listen to over and over and never get sick of.
@noorajohn6926
Hi! this comment is to take you back 14 years, down memory lane!
@krayzeejoey
"elephant shell .. ur my cave and i've been hiding out" i looove when it gets to that part! ;]
@thatoneguythatslegit
Hi it's been 14 years and I hope you still love that part!
@TrevorFitz
I really don't understand how this song isn't more popular!
@TheScienceguy77
I don't understand why TPC isn't more popular.
@i-_-am-_-g1467
Crazy this is was released so long ago makes me feel so old