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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To Keep Me
that dog. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's time to shut off.
It's time to turn down.
It's time to get lost.
I must turn me around.

To lessen the pain.
To broaden the truth.
To dispose of no gain.

I haven't the proof.

To keep me from falling back.
To keep me from letting go.
To keep me from holding onto myself.

The era has ended.
The time has come.
It will be so splendid.
We've only just begun.

To keep me from falling back.

To keep me of letting go.
To teach me from holding onto myself.

Overall Meaning

The song "To Keep Me" by that dog. seems to be about the need to let go of negative thoughts and experiences in order to move forward in life. The lyrics suggest a need to shut off, turn down, and get lost in order to avoid the pain of holding onto past mistakes or regrets. The singer acknowledges that they haven't yet found proof of what they need to let go of, but they are still searching for a way to lessen the pain and broaden their understanding of the truth.

The repetition of the phrase "To keep me from falling back" suggests a sense of vulnerability and the need for support in order to move forward in life. The singer seems to be searching for something to hold onto, whether that be a person or a belief system, to help them let go of the past and embrace the present. The final stanza suggests a sense of hope and optimism for the future, and a belief that with the right support and mindset, anything is possible.

Overall, the song is a reflection on the challenges of letting go of the past and moving forward in life. It reminds us that change is difficult, but with the right mindset and support, we can overcome even our biggest obstacles and achieve our dreams.

Line by Line Meaning

It's time to shut off.
It's time to stop thinking about everything and let go of the stresses of life.

It's time to turn down.
It's time to slow down and relax.

It's time to get lost.
It's time to not worry about where you're going or what you're doing and just be in the moment.

I must turn me around.
I need to change my mindset and direction in life.

To lessen the pain.
To make things easier and less painful.

To broaden the truth.
To understand the reality of the situation more completely.

To dispose of no gain.
To get rid of anything that is not valuable or helpful to me.

I haven't the proof.
I don't have any concrete evidence or justification for my actions or beliefs.

To keep me from falling back.
To prevent me from regressing to old habits or negative behaviors.

To keep me from letting go.
To help me hold on and stay grounded during difficult times.

To keep me from holding onto myself.
To encourage me to let go of my ego and self-absorption.