Their name was inspired by an awkward conversation with a U-Haul employee who was inspecting a van that the band had rented. The U-haul employee, attempting to make polite conversation, asked the three bespectacled band members if they were brothers. They said no. He asked if they were scientists, as they looked like they could be the kind of people who wear lab coats. They told him that they were musicians, not scientists. To this day, they regret telling the truth. They are not named after the Cap'n Jazz song which bears the name.
They are a franchise of Art Rock band, Art Brut. In fact, they are Art Brut 47.
The band formed while its members attended the Claremont Colleges. Murray and Cain attended Pomona College; Michael Tapper attended Harvey Mudd College.
The band has released three self-made EPs (Bitching!, Safety, Fun, and Learning (In That Order) and In Action). Their debut LP, With Love And Squalor was on Virgin Records, the first three singles of which were "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt", "The Great Escape" and "It's A Hit". The album takes its name from the J.D. Salinger short story "For Esme - With Love and Squalor". They have since released LP Crap Attack, which is a collection of B-Sides, covers and other rarities, and their full follow-up album, Brain Thrust Mastery which debuted in the UK on March 17,2008 reached number 11 at the UK Album charts.
On the 1st November 2007, NME reported that Michael Tapper has left We Are Scientists under amicable circumstances, and on September 18, 2007, the band announced on their website that Max Hart, a keyboardist and guitarist who has played live with them before, has joined the band temporarily. As they put it: "There's no easy answer as to how long Max will stick around. Maybe we'll grow to hate his sanctimonious ways, which for now tickle us so. Maybe he'll grow to hate our open-minded, funny, refreshing, handsome ways, thus achieving what psychologists and bookies long ago labeled impossible."
And to make things even more exciting for the band, We Are Scientists is featured in the soundtrack of the 2008 film Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, which Bishop Allen - at the time featuring former We Are Scientists drummer Michael Tapper - appears in a cameo.
According to Keith Murray's Wikipedia he was nominated for World's Sexiest Vegetarian 2007 and is predicted that he will be the new face of Louis Vuitton's spring/summer '09 collection.
The Band's 3rd effort, Barbara, was released in June of 2010 and features ex-Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows.
Dinosaur
We Are Scientists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But who could predict the force of the throw?
It helps to pretend to not care at all
The truth is that I could not want it more
Soon they will come and pass us by
A shift in tone and rise in tide
To learn to swim or learn to die
The bigger the break the harder the fall
The hits in this case are too close to call
The stress and the strain are starting to show
This all has to end and I oughta know
Soon they will come and pass us by
A shift in tone and rise in tide
To learn to swim or learn to die
To cast a stone or cast aside
Soon they will come and pass us by
A shift in tone and rise in tide
To learn to swim or learn to die
Are choices I have been left with
It's natural selection
It's natural selection
It's natural selection
Hey I suggest that we just stop
These lyrics to We Are Scientists' song "Dinosaur" convey a sense of inevitability and an acceptance of one's fate. The first two lines set the tone for the entire song, with the singer admitting that things must come to an end. However, the force with which this end will come cannot be predicted. The singer then reveals that they are pretending not to care about the situation when in reality they couldn't want it more.
The chorus of the song adds to this sense of inevitability, with the singer describing a shift in tone and a rise in tide that will come and pass them all by. The choice that the singer has been left with is to learn to swim or learn to die, which is a metaphor for the choice between fighting against the inevitable or succumbing to it.
The second verse brings up the idea of the bigger the break, the harder the fall. The hits in this case are too close to call, which means that the singer cannot predict the outcome of the situation. The stress and strain of this circumstance are also starting to show, further emphasizing the inevitability of the situation.
Overall, "Dinosaur" is a contemplative song about accepting the end of something and choosing how to handle it.
Line by Line Meaning
This all has to end and I oughta know
I know that this relationship has to end.
But who could predict the force of the throw?
However, it's hard to predict how difficult it will be to let go.
It helps to pretend to not care at all
Pretending not to care makes it easier to handle the situation.
The truth is that I could not want it more
Despite trying to act indifferent, I actually want this relationship to continue.
Soon they will come and pass us by
Events will occur and time will keep moving forward.
A shift in tone and rise in tide
Things will change and it will be difficult to keep up.
To learn to swim or learn to die
Adapting to these changes is like learning to swim or risk drowning.
Are choices I have been left with
These are my only options in the face of change.
The bigger the break the harder the fall
The more significant the change, the more challenging it will be to cope.
The hits in this case are too close to call
It's unclear how intense the changes will be, making it hard to prepare for them.
The stress and the strain are starting to show
I'm beginning to feel the pressure and strain of the situation.
To cast a stone or cast aside
I need to decide if I should try to fight for the relationship or just let it go completely.
It's natural selection
This is a natural process of growth and change.
Hey I suggest that we just stop
I'm suggesting that we end things before it becomes too painful for both of us.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CHRISTOPHER CAIN, KEITH MURRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fr3sht1lld3ff
Just listened to this song last night and I cant get enough haha Time to check out their other tracks ^_^
@IamSalvatore
YOU HAVE JUST BEEN BESTED
@ACleverName17
probobly my new favorite song
@holsam123
@HenroFilms This *is so awesome live
@HenroFilms
this would be so awesome live
@TheyCallMeLadyLame
could you upload the rest of the album? many thanks :)
@seaweedsmoke
We Are Scientists FTW
@IamSalvatore
If I remember right, the rest of the album IS uploaded, by various others. I don't have much reason to upload songs that are already here, although I will take a look (later) to see if there are any missing videos.
@BLARGHALT
This song's title is factual. Raptors make excellent biochemists.