Wednesday, December 19, 2007

January 1979 :: mewithoutyou

Today's post is going to take us into realms of music as of yet unexplored by this particular music blog. Mainly music my father doesn't actually consider music. I wouldn't consider it screamo, but you can judge yourself. I would say their music falls more under the indie-rock genre.

I've been a fan of mewithoutyou since my first year of college. I'll be upfront about it, they don't write a lot of optimistic and happy music. I listen to them more often when I'm not in a particularly happy mood, which may or may not always be a good idea. I think I probably listened to them the most in the period of time when I stopped going to church, which is a little ironic because most of their songs have religious undertones. Though that could have also been part of why I was listening to them so much. This particular song, January 1979, is one of my favorites. Other favorites are "tie me up ! untie me!," "gentleman," and "four word letter pt.2" if you happened to be interested in my favorite mewithoutyou tunes.

Yes, I know the music video is a little weird, but it was the best quality recording I could find on the internet. And the video is rather similar to their live shows. For the record, I've seen them perform while Aaron, the lead vocalist, is wearing that lovely red union suit.



January, 1979.
Saw a terrible crash and i couldn’t help but laugh,
As my ear pressed against the past like a glass on a wall of a house in a photograph.
My forehead no longer sweet with holy kisses worthy of your fiery lips.
I was floating in a peaceful sea 'rescued' by a sinking ship.

If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall.
If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall.
If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall.
If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall.

You watch me like a ten car highway wreck with detached, vulgar curiosity.
This looking down at the tops of the hats of us passers-by from your 7th floor balcony.
From such a height you missed creatures too small for sight carry on covert conversations.
And the misguided insects crown me their grasshopper king with a dance of celebration.

After years with their crown on my head, I've grown overfed, unconcerned and comfortably numb.
Kept busy indulging in the pleasures of the wealthy.
(Someone make me afraid of what I’ve become!)
At the first sign of possible sorrow, I turned my heels and ran.
(Oh, I’ll never learn.)
My life is a cup of sugar I’ve borrowed before time began and forgot to return.

It was a matter of time--I always said I could see so now I’m going blind.
It was a matter of time--I always said I could see so now I’m going blind.
It was a matter of time--I always said I could see so now I’m going blind.
It was a matter of miserable time-- but I heard somewhere there was a cure for useless eyes?

2 comments:

B said...

That was great! I'd never heard of them, I will check them out.

Anonymous said...

if you are interested, i could burn you copies of their first two cds. I don't have their third one.