Album: The Criminal Record (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Paris" is one of the band's most up-for-interpretation and poetic songs. Many think the song being about a hard breakup, but their multi-instrumentalist Clarissa says the song was originally intended to be a love song, explaining to the Backstory Song podcast the band wanted to amplify this theme by putting in lines like, "I've never been to Paris, but you can draw me like one of your French girls," referring to the beautiful love story in the movie Titanic. After the song came, the band took two trips to Paris.
  • The song's vibe-y rhythmic feel sets it apart from most of their recordings. The lyrics flow over from one phrase into the next, adding to the longing feeling. The way Bonanza and Roy harmonize over Clarissa add a feeling of mystery to this piece. The band also plays around with the timing, adding different gaps in the music, and having a steady vocal-breath percussion to keep the song flowing.
  • The music video for "Paris" was directed by Ryan McDonough and released in December 2016. It shows the band exploring different parts of New York City and Coney Island. The playfulness and ease seen in the video adds to the effortless feel of the song.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"They're Playing My Song

With the band in danger of being dropped from their label, Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith co-wrote the song that started their trek from horror show curiosity to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Punk Photography of Chris Stein

The Punk Photography of Chris SteinSong Writing

Chris Stein of Blondie shares photos and stories from his book about the New York City punk scene.

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.