Wolf Parade released their eponymous debut EP in 2003 with only Spencer, Dan and Arlen performing on it. After Hadji joined the group, they released another independent, self-titled EP in 2004. They were signed to Sub Pop by Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse and released their first widely-distributed record, Wolf Parade EP. In September 2005 their debut album Apologies to the Queen Mary was released.
Apologies to the Queen Mary was given this name because, as in rock and roll tradition, Wolf Parade trashed the Queen Mary hotel. It was said that they trashed the hotel worse than any band before them.
Their second album, At Mount Zoomer, was released June 17, 2008, and third, Expo 86 on July 5, 2010. On November 29th 2010 Wolf Parade called an indefinite hiatus.
The haitus ended when the band released Cry Cry Cry on Oct 6, 2017.
Language
Wolf Parade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We all know
Where eyeballs float in space
We all know
We were tired, we can't sleep
It's crowded here, none of us leave
Language City don't mean a thing to me
Audiences, the same program is always on
I'd infer, it's best to avoid the law
When your wired up in seams
Shut the blinds and block out the street
Language City don't mean a thing to me
All this working
Just to tear it down
All this working
Just to tear it down
Language City is a bad, awful place
We all know
Eyeballs just float in space
We all know
We're tired, we can't sleep
It's crowded in the street
Language City don't mean a thing to me
I been here so long, my heart is a parking lot
Hollow feet rooted to the spot
But the fields beyond belief
From tower out to where I can see
Language City don't mean a thing to me
All this working
Just to tear it down
All this working
Just to tear it down
On the telephone
On the telephone
On the telephone
Someone's counting the hours
In a paper room
In a paper room
In a paper room
Somebody's counting the hours
Gotta go in through
Gotta go in through
Gotta go in through
Someone is counting the hours
The hours
The hours
The hours
Oh, the long bitter road
Let us down
Oh, the ringing telephone
There's no one around
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
Wolf Parade's song "Language City" paints a picture of a place that is both unsettling and familiar. The lyrics describe Language City as a "bad, old place" where "eyeballs float in space." The singer is tired and unable to sleep in this crowded city where everything feels the same. The city seems to lack any meaning or significance, and the people are just going through the motions of living there.
The song suggests that the people living in Language City are trapped, unable to escape the monotony of their lives. The singer advises to "avoid the law," indicating that the city may be under some kind of oppressive government. The only respite from the city seems to be the fields outside of it, which are "beyond belief." However, the singer's heart is "a parking lot," indicating that even when they leave Language City, they are unable to escape the sadness and emptiness they feel.
The recurring phrase "hang on the telephone" further emphasizes the sense of isolation and disconnection in Language City. It seems that the people living there are unable to find any meaningful connections with others, leading to an overwhelming sense of loneliness and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
Language City is a bad, old place
The city is not a good place to be and has been around for a long time.
We all know
It is common knowledge that this city is not a desirable place to be.
Where eyeballs float in space
This city is so bad that even the eyeballs seem to be floating in space.
We all know
It is common knowledge that this city is not a desirable place to be.
We were tired, we can't sleep
The people in this city are exhausted and unable to rest.
It's crowded here, none of us leave
The city is overcrowded and people feel stuck and unable to leave.
Language City don't mean a thing to me
This city does not hold any value or importance to me.
Audiences, the same program is always on
People are being fed the same things over and over again, nothing new or interesting.
I'd infer, it's best to avoid the law
It’s better to stay away from the authorities in this city.
When your wife wakes up and sees
People are trying to avoid being caught by their partners for being out in the city at night.
Shut the blinds and block out the street
People are trying to avoid looking out at the city and its darkness.
All this working, just to tear it down
The people in this city are putting in a lot of effort, but it is all being destroyed.
Language City is a bad, old place
The city is not a good place to be and has been around for a long time.
Eyeballs float in space
This city is so bad that even the eyeballs seem to be floating in space.
We all know
It is common knowledge that this city is not a desirable place to be.
We're tired, we can't sleep
The people in this city are exhausted and unable to rest.
It's crowded in the street
The city is overcrowded and people feel stuck and unable to move around easily.
Language City don't mean a thing to me
This city does not hold any value or importance to me.
I been here so long my heart is a parking lot
The singer has been in this city for so long that they no longer feel anything.
Hollow feet rooted to the spot
The people in this city are stuck in one place and unable to move forward.
But the fields are beyond belief
The outside world is glamorous and fantasized about when living in this city.
From tower out to where I can see
The outside world is visible from the towers located within the city.
On the telephone, someone's counting the hours in a paper room
People are counting the hours in the city, potentially waiting for something to change or pass.
Somebody's counting the hours
Someone is anxiously waiting for time to pass in this city.
Know I know it's true, from above this room somebody's counting the hours
The person in the room above is also counting the hours, emphasizing how widespread the feeling of anticipation is.
Oh the long bitter road let us down
The city has let the people down and has prolonged their hardship, represented by a long, bitter road.
Oh the ringing telephone, there's no one around
The ringing telephone represents communication and contact with the rest of the world, but there is no one available.
We are not at home
People in this city feel disconnected and displaced, as if they do not have a home.
Hang on the telephone
People are holding on to the possibility of communication with others outside the city.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Arlen Thompson, Dan Boeckner, Dante Decaro, Hadji Bakara, Spencer Kyle Krug
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Xayru
Language City is a bad old place
We all know
Where eyeballs float in space
We all know
We were tired, we can't sleep
It's crowded here, none of us leave
Language City don't mean a thing to me
Audiences, the same program is always on
I'd infer, it's best to avoid the law
When your wife wakes up and sees
Shut the blinds and block out the street
Language City don't mean a thing to me
All this working
Just to tear it down
All this working
Just to tear it down
Language City is a bad, old place
We all know
Eyeballs float in space
We all know
We're tired, we can't sleep
It's crowded in the street
Language City don't mean a thing to me
I been here so long my heart is a parking lot
Hollow feet rooted to the spot
But the fields are beyond belief
From tower out to where I can see
Language City don't mean a thing to me
All this working
Just to tear it down
All this working
Just to tear it down
On the telephone
On the telephone
On the telephone
Someone's counting the hours
In a paper room
In a paper room
In a paper room
Somebody's counting the hours
Know I know it's true
From above this room
Somebody's counting the hours
The hours
The hours
The houuuuurs
Oh the long bitter road
Let us down
Oh the ringing telephone
There's no one around
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
@justinc819
On the telephone
On the telephone
On the telephone
Someone's counting the hours
In a paper room
In a paper room
In a paper room
Somebody's counting the hours
Know I know it's true
From above this room
Somebody's counting the hours
The hours
The hours
The hours
Oh the long bitter road
Let us down
Oh the ringing telephone
There's no one around
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
@matthewsnyder674
This song, witnessed live, is transformative.
@LadyOneKC
This album is one of my all time faves. Never gets old.
@AndrewsArchives
Those first 3 notes are enough to send chills down my spine. Truly one of WP's best songs.
@male1456
I agree mate
@Xayru
Language City is a bad old place
We all know
Where eyeballs float in space
We all know
We were tired, we can't sleep
It's crowded here, none of us leave
Language City don't mean a thing to me
Audiences, the same program is always on
I'd infer, it's best to avoid the law
When your wife wakes up and sees
Shut the blinds and block out the street
Language City don't mean a thing to me
All this working
Just to tear it down
All this working
Just to tear it down
Language City is a bad, old place
We all know
Eyeballs float in space
We all know
We're tired, we can't sleep
It's crowded in the street
Language City don't mean a thing to me
I been here so long my heart is a parking lot
Hollow feet rooted to the spot
But the fields are beyond belief
From tower out to where I can see
Language City don't mean a thing to me
All this working
Just to tear it down
All this working
Just to tear it down
On the telephone
On the telephone
On the telephone
Someone's counting the hours
In a paper room
In a paper room
In a paper room
Somebody's counting the hours
Know I know it's true
From above this room
Somebody's counting the hours
The hours
The hours
The houuuuurs
Oh the long bitter road
Let us down
Oh the ringing telephone
There's no one around
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
We are not at home
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
Hang on the telephone
@male1456
"language city don't mean a thing to me...WE ARE NOT AT HOME!"
@wellthatisgr8er
creative aproach to pop music, different than in most pop music
@the-bottom-of-a-black-hole-.
"Wasted something simple, it's all eating crow, croutons swelling in the morning dew vs. an ant ridden banana peel."
,dan'
@Rain_Dancer134
11 years ago. Fuckin hell
@sophieauclair7667
now 15 and I share your feeling