The band was originally conceived as a side project. The Weiss brothers and Kleinberg were playing together in another band called The Operation (who released one album, 2001's There Is Hope for a Tree Cut Down, on Takehold Records), but Aaron wanted to start another band to experiment with new sounds. After picking up Rick Mazzotta on drums and Ray Tadeo on bass, Kleinberg and the Weiss brothers released their first EP (I Never Said That I Was Brave) in 2001 and shortly thereafter signed to Tooth & Nail Records after a show at Cornerstone Festival the same year. An even earlier six song demo EP called Blood Enough For Us All has also surfaced, apparently having been recorded in 2000.
Around this time Tadeo had moved on, Daniel Pishock picked up as the bass player, and The Operation disbanded soon afterward. mewithoutYou's debut full-length album, A→B: Life, was released in 2002. The band garnered more attention for their sophomore release, 2004's Catch for Us the Foxes, which was produced by Brad Wood (Smashing Pumpkins, Fire Theft). In December of 2004 Pishock had made a decision to retire as the bassist for the band and former Operation frontman, Greg Jehanian, was selected to replace him. In 2005, mewithoutYou won mtvU's "Left Field" award for most original artist. Their third album, Brother, Sister, again produced by Wood, was released on September 26th, 2006. Their fourth album, it's all crazy! it's all false! it's all a dream! it's alright, produced by Dan Smith of Danielson, was released May 19th, 2009. Their fifth album Ten Stories, produced again by Dan Smith of Danielson, was independently released May 15th, 2012. Their sixth LP is set to be released in 2015 on Run for Cover Records.
mewithoutYou has released videos for "January 1979" and "Paper Hanger", from Catch for Us the Foxes, with the help of Red Van Pictures this past year, and one for "Bullet to Binary" from A→B: Life. They have recently released a video for "Nice and Blue, Pt. 2" from Brother, Sister, directed by Shane Drake. A video for "The Fox, the Crow and the Cookie" from It's All Crazy! has recently been released.
mewithoutYou is:
Aaron Weiss - Lead Vocals
Michael Weiss - Guitar
Brandon Beaver - 2nd Guitar
Greg Jehanian - Bass Guitar
Richard Mazzotta - Drums
Official homepage: http://www.mewithoutyou.com
http://www.myspace.com/mewithoutyou
Carousels
mewithoutYou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wondered, "Why am I going to town?"
As I looked around
At the billboards and the stores
I thought, "Why do I look around?"
I got up and bowed
And I kissed the filthy ground
And in the first dry spot I found I laid back down
Why I was laying down
Before long I was too cold
And so I took a bus back to the station
I found a letter left by a pay phone
With no return contact
And it read like a horn blown
By some sad angel:
"Bunny, it was me
It was me who let you down"
It was the shyest attempt
I'd ever seen at conversation
If I didn't have you as my guide
I'd still wander lost in Sinai
Counting the plates of cars from out of state
(How I could jump in their path as they hurry along!)
Until you surround me
You're pretty but you're all I can see
Like a thick fog
If there was no way into God
I would never have laid in this grave of a body
For so long
St. Cyril's fair always came through
The first week of September
But it's already the 19th
And there's no sign of it yet
I have a hard time remembering
The things I should remember
And a hard time forgetting
All the things I should forget
Oh Christ, when you're ready to come back
I think I'm ready for you to come back
But if you want to stay wherever exactly it is you are
That's okay too -
It's really none of my business
And if I didn't have you as my guide
I'd still be wandering lost in Sinai
Or down by the tracks
Watching trains go by to remind me:
There are places that aren't here
I had a well but all the water left
So I'll ask for your forgiveness
With every breath
If there was no way into God
I would never have laid in this grave of a body
So long, dear
The lyrics of mewithoutYou's song Carousels tell a story of a journey into town, where the singer begins to realise his own insignificance in the grand scheme of things. As he looks around at the town's billboards and stores, he is struck with the realisation that he is unsure of his own purpose for being there. He bows down in reverence and kisses the "filthy ground", finding a dry spot to lie down and rest without worrying about his purpose for doing so. As he makes his way back to the station, he finds a letter left at a payphone, which is a shy and sad attempt at communication, stating that the author of the letter let the singer down.
Line by Line Meaning
On a bus ride into town
Wondering the purpose of this mundane activity
I wondered, "Why am I going to town?"
Questioning the reason for the journey
As I looked around
Observing the surroundings
At the billboards and the stores
Noticing the commercialism and consumerism
I thought, "Why do I look around?"
Pondering the pointless actions of modern society
I got up and bowed
Performing an act of reverence or submission
And I kissed the filthy ground
Acknowledging the existence of filth, decay and waste
And in the first dry spot I found I laid back down
Returning to the ground, embracing the dust and dirt
Without having to wonder
Avoiding the need for questioning
Why I was laying down
Accepting the futility and finality of life
Before long I was too cold
Feeling uncomfortable in one's surroundings
And so I took a bus back to the station
Leaving the location to escape the discomfort
I found a letter left by a pay phone
Discovering a communication from an unknown sender
With no return contact
Lacking the ability to respond or react
And it read like a horn blown
Receiving an unexpected or striking message
By some sad angel:
A heavenly or divine messenger with a sorrowful tone
"Bunny, it was me
An admission of guilt or fault
It was me who let you down"
Taking responsibility for a failure or disappointment
It was the shyest attempt
A meek or timid effort
I'd ever seen at conversation
An unexpected and awkward communication
If I didn't have you as my guide
Leaning on an external source for guidance
I'd still wander lost in Sinai
Feeling aimless and directionless in a barren, desert landscape
Counting the plates of cars from out of state
Seeking meaning in mundane, insignificant details
(How I could jump in their path as they hurry along!)
Ironic expression of suicidal thoughts while observing the world's busyness
Until you surround me
The influence of an all-encompassing presence
You're pretty but you're all I can see
The attractiveness and allure of the divine
Like a thick fog
A powerful and unrelenting presence
If there was no way into God
If it was impossible to connect with the divine
I would never have laid in this grave of a body
Feeling trapped or confined in one's physical form
For so long
Enduring this feeling for an extended period
St. Cyril's fair always came through
An event that was a staple of life
The first week of September
A specific time of year
But it's already the 19th
The absence or delay of a familiar occasion
And there's no sign of it yet
The frustration and confusion of an absence
I have a hard time remembering
The struggle to recall important details
The things I should remember
The importance and significance of certain memories
And a hard time forgetting
The inability to let go of past mistakes or regrets
All the things I should forget
Clinging to negative thoughts and memories
Oh Christ, when you're ready to come back
A plea for divine intervention
I think I'm ready for you to come back
Preparedness for spiritual renewal
But if you want to stay wherever exactly it is you are
Respect for God's sovereignty and free will
That's okay too -
Accepting that there may not be a clear response
It's really none of my business
Acknowledging the limits of human understanding and knowledge
And if I didn't have you as my guide
A reliance on a higher power for direction
I'd still be wandering lost in Sinai
Lacking purpose and meaning in life
Or down by the tracks
A symbol of escapism and detachment
Watching trains go by to remind me:
A metaphor for the passage of time
There are places that aren't here
A longing for spiritual transcendence
I had a well but all the water left
Having a source of sustenance but losing it
So I'll ask for your forgiveness
A desire for redemption
With every breath
A continual need for grace and mercy
If there was no way into God
Emphasizing the importance of divine connection
I would never have laid in this grave of a body
Feeling unfulfilled in the confines of physical existence
So long, dear
A bittersweet farewell
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: ANTHONY GEORGE SADLER, GAYNOR ELSBETH SADLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind