The lineup of the Los Angeles, California, indie-pop quartet that dog. repr… Read Full Bio ↴The lineup of the Los Angeles, California, indie-pop quartet that dog. represented the flowering of a second generation of musical luminaries: singer/guitarist Anna Waronker was the daughter of famed producer and Warner Bros. head Lenny Waronker, while violinist Petra Haden and her sister bassist Rachel Haden were two of the triplet daughters born to jazz titan Charlie Haden. Friends since high school, the trio first began playing music together in Waronker's bedroom in the early 1990s, with original drummer Maya Rudolph on board until she had to move away for college. Rudolph was replaced by drummer Tony Maxwell in 1992, that dog. issued their debut double seven-inch on the tiny Magnatone Records, quickly becoming a staple of the L.A. club circuit; a flurry of label interest followed, and the group signed with DGC in 1993. that dog.’s self-titled debut LP appeared in 1994; an energetic and quirky punk-pop effort highlighted by sunny harmonies and the intriguing use of violin and cello, the record became a college radio hit, and the light-hearted video for the lead single “Old Timer” even garnered some MTV airplay. The follow-up, Totally Crushed Out!, was issued a year later; a concept album wittily exploring the teen angst of unrequited love (packaged to recall a Sweet Valley High romance novel), the record marked a significant maturity in Waronker’s songwriting, evidenced by tracks like “Ms. Wrong” and “He's Kissing Christian.” A planned Waronker solo project was scheduled to follow, but instead her more pop-oriented material became the basis for the third that dog. record; co-produced by Brad Wood, the stellar Retreat from the Sun appeared in 1997. The band’s breakup was announced that September.

The band reunited in 2017, minus Petra. The reformed group released Old LP in 2019, with original drummer Maya Rudolph rejoining the group as a background vocalist.

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Being With You
that dog. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I sit with emptiness waiting for your call
Will you still love me after the fall
An open phone line, but I still hit your walls
And it's just like being with you.
The cold rejection, that we can see the
Our whole reflection, that I can't believe
We'll say it's over, but won't feel relief
It's just like being with you

It's just like being with you.

You know what you
Need to do
And I know what's right for me
And you know what you
Need to do
And I know what's right for me

A happy birthday I will wish you
The swollen memory, so we must choose
A tearful goodbye but we can't lose
It's just like being with you.

It's just like being with you.
You know what you need to do and I know what's right for me

Overall Meaning

The song "Being With You" by that dog. explores the complicated emotions that come with being in a relationship that is on the brink of falling apart. The lyrics depict the singer waiting for their partner's call but feeling the weight of the impending end of the relationship. The line "An open phone line, but I still hit your walls" suggests that despite their efforts to connect, there are barriers in the way. The repetition of the line "It's just like being with you" throughout the song underscores the cyclical and frustrating nature of the relationship.

The chorus of the song, which states "You know what you need to do and I know what's right for me," reinforces the idea that sometimes the best thing for both parties is to let go. The singer expresses a sense of ambivalence - on the one hand, they know it's time to move on, but on the other hand, they can't help feeling nostalgic and hesitant to let go of what they once had. The final lines - "A happy birthday I will wish you / The swollen memory, so we must choose / A tearful goodbye but we can't lose" - are poignant and bittersweet. The singer recognizes that the relationship is strained and that they have to make the difficult decision to say goodbye, but there is still an element of love and fondness there.

Line by Line Meaning

I sit with emptiness waiting for your call
I feel lonely and hopeless, waiting and hoping for you to contact me.

Will you still love me after the fall
I worry that our relationship will not survive any disagreements or struggles that may occur.

An open phone line, but I still hit your walls
Although we have the ability to communicate, I still feel like I am not able to connect with you emotionally.

And it's just like being with you.
The constant heartache and frustration I feel is not any different than the pain I experience when I am actually in your presence.

The cold rejection, that we can see the
We are both aware of the distance and coldness between us due to the rejection and lack of affection.

Our whole reflection, that I can't believe
I am in disbelief that our relationship has become a mirror image of disappointment and negativity.

We'll say it's over, but won't feel relief
Even if we decide to end things, we will not feel any sense of relief or closure.

It's just like being with you
No matter what happens or how we try to move on, the emotions and pain are still present and feel the same as they did when we were together.

You know what you Need to do And I know what's right for me
We both have our own paths and decisions to make regarding our lives and relationship.

A happy birthday I will wish you
Even though things may not be going well between us, I still want to extend kind wishes on your birthday.

The swollen memory, so we must choose
The past memories and experiences we shared may make it difficult to decide what to do moving forward.

A tearful goodbye but we can't lose
Saying goodbye to each other is emotional and difficult, but we cannot continue on a path that is not right for us.

It's just like being with you
No matter what the outcome, the pain and emotions associated with our relationship will remain the same.

It's just like being with you.
The hurt and heartache of our relationship will continue, even if we are physically apart.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CATHERINE ROSEANNE DENNIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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