They were among the second wave of groups to emerge from The Elephant 6 Recording Company and the group has a style that is typical of many Elephant 6 bands due to their interest in combining musical experimentation with the basic tenets of pop i.e. catchy melodies and sing-along choruses. The band’s style has been influenced by conventional indie pop, psychedelic music, vaudeville and music hall on their earlier releases and by afrobeat, funk, krautrock and reggae on their recent releases.
The band’s style has been known to change between albums. At first, the band embraced a more simple, quirky, lo-fi indie pop sound, which occasionally bordered on twee pop. The band was created by Kevin Barnes and named after a failed romance with a woman from Montreal, though the story changes in various interviews. Barnes was the only member of the “group” prior to his relocation to Athens, Georgia. There, he met Derek Almstead, later of Circulatory System, M Coast, Elf Power etc., and Bryan Poole, who also performs as The Late B.P. Helium.
Together, they recorded their first album, Cherry Peel, as well as The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit’s Flower and The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy.
A number of singles and a re-release of The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit’s Flower occurred before the release of the band’s third album, The Gay Parade in 1999. With contributions from several members of the Elephant Six collective at the time, it also featured artwork from Kevin’s brother David Barnes, who would continue to do artwork for future albums.
This album marked that the band had moved to a fuller sound, which is also found on its follow-up, Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse. These two albums contain more narrative lyrics, as opposed to the rather personal lyrical matter of those preceding it, and often imitating the style of old 1950s radio plays.
After production on The Gay Parade began in 1998, Poole left the band to focus on his duties with Elf Power, another Elephant Six band from Athens. Barnes also recruited Jamey Huggins and Dottie Alexander, who had been performing together as Lightning Bug vs. Firefly, to play various instruments. Derek moved from drums to bass. The band was joined soon after by Marshmallow Coast’s Andy Gonzales.
Following the release of The Gay Parade, the band signed with Kindercore Records, who would release a number of singles and compilations. It wasn’t until 2001 that Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse would be released as a new album with original material. The album again featured contributions from across the Elephant 6 spectrum.
In 2002, Aldhils Arboretum was released, with a slightly different sound than its predecessors, as the songs were more directly structured. This album marks the beginning of the change in of Montreal’s sound, with more danceable rhythms than ever before, especially on the album’s closer, “Death Dance Of The Omipapas and Sons For You”. A successful tour ensued, including of Montreal’s first trip to the UK, along with a tour-only EP.
Kindercore Records would fold shortly after the release of Arboretum, and of Montreal’s status was also threatened. Kevin got married, and Andy and Derek left the band. Barnes, being uncomfortable with the unrest, as well as some divisions within the band, took to writing and performing their 2004 album Satanic Panic in the Attic mostly by himself. Released by Polyvinyl Records, it became one of their more successful efforts to that point. The 2004 tour saw The Late B.P. Helium (Bryan Poole) rejoin the band, with some bass played by Kevin’s partner Nina Barnes. The album marked a shift to something more electronic with traditional structures, to be further advanced in later albums and new songs. In their most recent releases and concerts, the band has fully embraced a sort of techno-pop glam image, with little of their previous incarnations surfacing. This style is featured in singles such as Disconnect the Dots. The style would continue to evolve into 2005’s The Sunlandic Twins, which was even more a Barnes solo effort. Recorded in Athens, with the exception of one track recorded in Norway, it was a much more pronounced electronic album. The album became a success, mostly due to the singles “So Begins Our Alabee” and the MTV clip for “Wraith Pinned to the Mist (and Other Games)”.
The band released several collections of singles in early 2006. Barnes recorded most of the band’s 2007 release, Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, by himself while living in Norway and Athens, Georgia. The switch to autobiographical themes of suicide, depression and isolation of the album was a direct product of his troubled personal life during that period.
of Montreal released Skeletal Lamping on October 21, 2008 followed by False Priest on September 14, 2010, Paralytic Stalks on February 7, 2012, and Lousy with Sylvianbriar on October 8, 2013. Aureate Gloom is scheduled for release by Polyvinyl Records on March 3, 2015.
Lyrically, their style has changed dramatically throughout the years. In the beginning, many songs were narratives of personal or humorous situations, such as “Tim, I Wish You Were Born A Girl”, from Cherry Peel. This style, however, changed with The Gay Parade, where many songs involve small narratives surrounding invented characters (in songs such as “Jacques Lamure”, “The Autobiographical Grandpa”, “Mimi Merlot” and “Rose Robert”). Others act as extracts from fictional conversations (“Advice From a Divorced Gentleman to His Bachelor Friend Considering Marriage” and “Good Morning Mr. Edminton” as examples). With Aldhils Arboretum came a slight return to the previous writing style, except following more poppy, classical lyrical structures (such as the use of choruses, which are generally absent in the Gay Parade/Coquelicot years). This style continued throughout Satanic Panic and The Sunlandic Twins to some extent. On the album Hissing Fauna: Are You The Destroyer? the lyrics are much more personal than previously used, with songs detailing emotions within the speaker.
Another unique quality of the band is the fusion of ostensibly gloomy lyrics with bouncy, upbeat melodies and hooks. On Aldhils Arboretum, for example, the lyrics for tracks like “Doing Nothing” and “Old People in the Cemetery” focus on apathy, loneliness or death while being contrasted with cheerful instrumentation. Another example of this tendency is shown in their choice of covers; for example, Yoko Ono’s “I Felt Like Smashing my Head Through a Clear Glass Window” from The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit’s Flower.
True to the style of most Elephant 6 recording artists, of Montreal’s members have been in a variety of side projects and other bands:
The band itself has performed as the backing band for Marshmallow Coast on record and on tour.
My First Keyboard was the pseudonym used by Dottie Alexander to release the song “The You I Created” on the Kindercore singles club. of Montreal acted as her backing band.
My Darling
of Montreal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your charms have become less charming
Your sweetness decreases everyday
My dear darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
Now I'm lost, I don't know a gentle way to say
That our life together is over and its best that you find someone new
Because my darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
I seem to recall some vague memory of feeling happy, when we were young and in love.
But that was a long time ago.
Now I'm lost, Never in a million years what I have dreamt that about you I'd become indifferent.
But sweetheart, incredibly it's true, that your cutie pie has forgotten what he saw in you.
Please don't think that I'm being impulsive or careless
And that I'm not miserable too, but I just can't continue this lie I'm lost.
I wish this had a happy ending
I wish there was something I could do
But, my darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
I've forgotten what I saw in you.
The lyrics of "My Darling I've Forgotten" by of Montreal express the singer's feelings of falling out of love with their partner. The first verse starts with the admission that they have lost interest in their partner and cannot remember the qualities that initially attracted them. The second verse is the singer's attempt to break up with their partner gently, telling them to move on and find someone who is a better match. The third verse is a reminiscence of happier times, but the singer acknowledges that those memories are from a long time ago and do not reflect their current emotions. Finally, the singer asks of their partner to not view their decision as impulsive and reveals their wish for a happy ending, but ultimately reaffirms their decision to leave because they have forgotten what they saw in the relationship.
The song's melancholic tone, combined with its catchy melody, creates a bittersweet feeling that captures the emotional complexity of a romantic breakup. The lyrics are honest and relatable, speaking to the common experience of realizing that love can fade, and that even happy memories cannot always sustain a relationship. Overall, "My Darling I've Forgotten" is a poignant reminder that love can change and that letting go can be difficult but necessary.
Line by Line Meaning
I've lost, and don't remember what I saw in you
Your attractive qualities have faded from my memory and I can no longer recall why I was drawn to you.
Your charms have become less charming
The appealing and desirable qualities that you once possessed are no longer present or have lost their effect on me.
Your sweetness decreases everyday
As time goes on, your endearing nature and kindness are becoming less and less apparent to me.
My dear darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
My fondness for you has dissipated and I cannot remember what made me fall in love with you in the first place.
Now I'm lost, I don't know a gentle way to say
I am struggling to find a delicate and tactful manner to express what I need to say given the emotions involved.
That our life together is over and its best that you find someone new
Our relationship has come to an end and it would be beneficial for you to seek a new partner.
Because my darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
My feelings towards you have diminished so much that I cannot recall the characteristics that initially attracted me to you.
I seem to recall some vague memory of feeling happy, when we were young and in love.
There are hazy recollections of joy and contentment from the time when we first fell in love.
But that was a long time ago.
Those positive emotions are in the distant past and have since faded away.
Now I'm lost, Never in a million years what I have dreamt that about you I'd become indifferent.
I never would have expected to become apathetic towards you, yet here we are.
But sweetheart, incredibly it's true, that your cutie pie has forgotten what he saw in you.
My dear, it may be hard to believe, but my affection for you has disappeared entirely and I cannot remember the reasons behind my attraction to you.
Please don't think that I'm being impulsive or careless
I want you to understand that my decision has not been made hastily or recklessly.
And that I'm not miserable too, but I just can't continue this lie I'm lost.
Although it saddens me as well, I cannot continue to deceive myself and pretend that our relationship is still functioning.
I wish this had a happy ending
I deeply regret that our situation has resulted in such an unhappy outcome.
I wish there was something I could do
I would like nothing more than to remedy the situation or find a way to rekindle our love, but unfortunately that is not possible.
But, my darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
Ultimately, my loss of affection for you cannot be changed and I cannot remember what qualities initially attracted me to you.
I've forgotten what I saw in you.
My feelings towards you have drastically changed and I cannot recall the reasons behind my previous admiration for you.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KEVIN BARNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
thecrackfox69
I've lost, and don't remember what I saw in you
Your charms have become less charming
Your sweetness decreases everyday
My dear darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
Now I'm lost, I don't know a gentle way to say
that our life together is over and its best that you find someone new
because my darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
I seem to recall some vague memory of feeling happy, when we were young and in love.
But that was a long time ago.
Now I'm lost, Never in a million years what I have dreampt that about you I'd become indifferent.
But sweetheart, incredibly it's true.... that your cutie pie has forgotten what he saw in you.
Please don't think that I'm being impulsive or careless and that I'm not misserable too, but I just can't continue this lie
I'm lost.
I wish this had a happy ending
I wish there was something I could do
But, my darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
I've forgotten what I saw in you.
thecrackfox69
I've lost, and don't remember what I saw in you
Your charms have become less charming
Your sweetness decreases everyday
My dear darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
Now I'm lost, I don't know a gentle way to say
that our life together is over and its best that you find someone new
because my darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
I seem to recall some vague memory of feeling happy, when we were young and in love.
But that was a long time ago.
Now I'm lost, Never in a million years what I have dreampt that about you I'd become indifferent.
But sweetheart, incredibly it's true.... that your cutie pie has forgotten what he saw in you.
Please don't think that I'm being impulsive or careless and that I'm not misserable too, but I just can't continue this lie
I'm lost.
I wish this had a happy ending
I wish there was something I could do
But, my darling, I've forgotten what I saw in you.
I've forgotten what I saw in you.
Adaptive Ape Hybrid
Hits just right. Makes me forget my regrets and remember that I'm not the only one who suffers. The kind of sad that makes me grin and smile.
HITHEREAWESOME
honest & very straightforward i might need to bawl my eyes out
-HOWTOCINEMA -
this is my favorite love song and just thinking of it makes me wanna burst 🥺 i love you kevin
Dimitris Stergiou
Wish I could find the chords for this one, such a beautiful track
Adaptive Ape Hybrid
I believe it was Barnes or BP Helium who said this entire album was played on a highly out of tune guitar and that it would be very unlikely for anyone, them included, to recreate the sounds on this album
Jesus Ruiz
It’s on ultimate guitar.
Mogley
Who could dislike this song? Probably ppl who got linked it in lieu of a proper breakup.
Merson Pin
The Best song for a break up
A G
:')