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
Yellow Spider
mewithoutYou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To tie up tight our tattered shoes
Twisted twigs and crooked cross
A necklace for the deeply lost
Builder with the broken bricks
Mother to the baby chicks
You made this world to look so nice
I wonder what the next one's like?
Yellow spider
Yellow leaf
Yellow spider
Yellow leaf
Yellow spider
Yellow leaf
Confirms my deepest held belief
The lyrics to mewithoutYou's "Yellow Spider" are an intricate tapestry of nature imagery and philosophical contemplation. The song begins by describing the twine that was once used to tie up the singer's tattered shoes, suggesting that the natural world was once a practical tool for human survival. The "twisted twigs and crooked cross" that make up the necklace in the second line reinforce this idea of nature as a source of strength and comfort for the lost.
As the song continues, the imagery shifts to a builder with broken bricks and a mother caring for baby chicks - both examples of the resilience and nurturing qualities found in nature. The singer marvels at how the world appears at present, wondering what the next one will look like. This hints at a larger theme of impermanence and the cyclical nature of existence.
The repeated refrain of "Yellow spider, yellow leaf" serves as a kind of mantra, as the singer reflects on his deepest held belief. While it is unclear exactly what that belief is, the choice of a spider and leaf - two small, delicate natural objects - suggests a reverence for the beauty and complexity of the natural world.
Line by Line Meaning
We took the twine we used to use
We picked up the rope we once utilized
To tie up tight our tattered shoes
To secure our damaged footwear tightly
Twisted twigs and crooked cross
Bent branches and skewed crucifix
A necklace for the deeply lost
A chain for those in profound confusion
Builder with the broken bricks
A constructor using shattered pieces
Mother to the baby chicks
A mother hen tending her young
You made this world to look so nice
You created this world to be aesthetically pleasing
I wonder what the next one's like?
I'm curious about the appearance of the next world
Yellow spider
A spider colored yellow
Yellow leaf
A leaf colored yellow
Yellow spider
A spider colored yellow
Yellow leaf
A leaf colored yellow
Yellow spider
A spider colored yellow
Yellow leaf
A leaf colored yellow
Confirms my deepest held belief
Validates my long-standing conviction
Contributed by Julia L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.