Have you ever heard someone speak the words "Death Cab for Cutie"?

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Because I have not.

I was reading Spin today, and the words "Death Cab for Cutie" appeared on a page, as they do so often these days.

I realized that although I am familiar with this band, I know their story, and they were on the cover of every magazine including Popular Mechanics in September, I've never actually heard anyone - including myself - say their name out loud.

I thought about it, and a few things came to mind:

- I live in a mid-sized city (Amarillo, TX) where I am sure there is a healthy number of people who have heard of Death Cab for Cutie. But, like me, they don't have any friends who they think have heard of Death Cab for Cutie. So they never mention them.

- This is all about the Internet. Thanks to its immediacy, trends and tastes are immediatelly disseminated. So I know Death Cab for Cutie has a new album that a lot of people are talking about (for better or worse), even if I don't know anyone whom I talk to in person who listens to them. I have several friends in college who I speak with online, and we talk about this band sometimes, but again, that is text, not spoken.

- I have also never heard their name spoken on TV, radio or satellite, which is odd given my rate of media consumption and Death Cab for Cutie's current status as somewhat of an "it" band.

- This isn't about Death Cab for Cutie. I am merely a casual and new fan of their music. It just struck me as amusingly notable that a band who is at their (to date) peak of popularity is a band whose name I have read a billion times, but I have never heard spoken. I don't even want to say it aloud to myself for the first time, because I fear a jinx.

- The name of the band, if typed many times, is kind of gay.

- This is not the most random, esoteric and pointless post you have ever read here. I guarantee it.

― Justin, Sunday, 2 October 2005 01:20 (twenty years ago)

People, when mentioning them, tend to just say "Death Cab." Unless they are former members of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, in which case they just go on about themselves for a few minutes.

― nabiscothingy, Sunday, 2 October 2005 01:25 (twenty years ago)

There are many artists and albums which I know of and might have but I do not know how to pronounce. I can't think off the top of my head who or what they are but it pops up once in awhile in conversation. I have always been like this. It's one of the downsides of being a reader with a hermit lifestyle or making certain hobbies internet and magazine exclusive.

― Cunga (Cunga), Sunday, 2 October 2005 01:27 (twenty years ago)

Only once: I was in a record store and the clerk exclaimed that he was "tired of Death Cab for Cutie coming out of my asshole" apparently due to too many magazine articles on them.

― Mike Dixn (Mike Dixon), Sunday, 2 October 2005 01:27 (twenty years ago)

One hopes, Mike.

― Justin, Sunday, 2 October 2005 01:32 (twenty years ago)

nabisco: I figured those in the know call them Death Cab. But I have never heard that vocalized either. I typed their full name out repeatedly to emphasize (to myself) how odd it is that the name looks so familiar but sounds (in my head) so very odd and foreign.

― Justin, Sunday, 2 October 2005 01:37 (twenty years ago)

The other weekend I was with in a pub with a mate who told me that Death Cab For Cutie have sold more of their latest album than Mariah Carey has of hers.

Probably about the only time I've ever had a conversation about them.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Sunday, 2 October 2005 01:41 (twenty years ago)

WATCH "THE OC" & hear many shameless references to Death Cab.

― salexander (salexander), Sunday, 2 October 2005 02:23 (twenty years ago)

This seems to be an appropriate time to ask: Why are they called "Death Cab for Cutie"?

― late adopter, Sunday, 2 October 2005 04:18 (twenty years ago)

boy george/culture club sang "crime time".is it from a book/movie.

― retroman, Sunday, 2 October 2005 04:25 (twenty years ago)

i hate these fucking guys

― gear (gear), Sunday, 2 October 2005 04:41 (twenty years ago)

My friend loves them and repeatedly goes "Death Caaaaaabbbbbbbbb!!" whenever anything remotely connected to the band comes into conversation.

"The best thing about the O.C. is.... Death CAAABBBBBBB!!" He does it to annoy me mostly cause I can't stand them. But yeah, I get what you mean Justin - Death Cab for Cutie sounds hilarious when spoken aloud, I actually don't think I've heard the whole name said out loud, usually just Death Cab.

― Roz (Roz), Sunday, 2 October 2005 04:43 (twenty years ago)

if they were just called "death" i'd give em more leeway. unfortunately they added "cab for cutie", which sounds like something a white baseball-capped bro would say when arranging clandestine transport for a roofie'd high school girl.

― gear (gear), Sunday, 2 October 2005 04:47 (twenty years ago)

Conjecture: in 10 years, ilxors will view these guys as the 00s version of that sweet soft sound that in past decades was given by champs like Bread and Fleetwood Mac...or maybe Anne Murray or Air Supply.

or are they the 00s Steely Dan?

"only time will tell what will stand the test of time"

in any case, in the present their new stuff is dulllllll

― sal mineo, Sunday, 2 October 2005 04:48 (twenty years ago)

They are the 00's Care Bears.

― a picture of a fat girl hugging Rick Perry, awesome (Matt Chesnut), Sunday, 2 October 2005 04:50 (twenty years ago)

http://mandie1986.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/e_applejack.gif

― gear (gear), Sunday, 2 October 2005 04:52 (twenty years ago)

Nabisco hinted at the origin of the name above: it's the name of a Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band song (which appeared in Magical Mystery Tour).

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 2 October 2005 05:57 (twenty years ago)

I've heard the name plenty, but I have a lot of corny indie fuxxor friends. (Actually, I kinda like the band myself.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 2 October 2005 05:58 (twenty years ago)

Nabisco hinted at the origin of the name above: it's the name of a Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band song (which appeared in Magical Mystery Tour).
-- jaymc (jmcunnin...), October 2nd, 2005.
what inpired bonzo ?

― retroman, Sunday, 2 October 2005 05:59 (twenty years ago)

I agree with Justin: his original point is good. Unlike him, however, I don't talk about this band on the www either, or know about them or hear their records.

Who are "Death Cab for Cutie"?

― the pinefox, Sunday, 2 October 2005 07:28 (twenty years ago)

The name is still more popular than 'Raped Ape'

― M Mingus, Sunday, 2 October 2005 09:41 (twenty years ago)

They died in a taxi for someone called Cutie & some would say they died before they hit the recording studio.

― salexander (salexander), Sunday, 2 October 2005 09:58 (twenty years ago)

DOA in other words.

― salexander (salexander), Sunday, 2 October 2005 09:59 (twenty years ago)

Death Cab for Cutie coming out of my asshole

this would be a better name. imagine working at Amoeba or Tower: "er where is Death Cab for Cutie Coming Out of My Asshole?

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Sunday, 2 October 2005 10:50 (twenty years ago)

haha.

Another band I can think of where they're probably more discussed on the Internet than anywhere else is Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! I have never heard anyone say this out loud. And really how do you say, "Hey have you heard of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah?" ("Yeah!").

...

― Roz (Roz), Sunday, 2 October 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

yes (to that), but DCFC have like five albums out and the singer was in the Postal Service whose hit has been used on a trillion adverts. I'm very surprised people haven't heard of them.

― kyle (akmonday), Sunday, 2 October 2005 16:24 (twenty years ago)

Well the point (as you may realize) isn't that people haven't heard of them.

The point is that loads of people have heard of them, but most of our familiarity with Death Cab (and Clap Your Hands, and the Decemberists, et. al.) comes from the Internet.

So even though we know them, and may like them, many of us (outside Manhattan :)) have never had an actual conversation about them with a real live person.

― Justin, Sunday, 2 October 2005 16:47 (twenty years ago)

Don't slander NYC as having terrible taste in music. Slander the people who come here for CMJ. I want them to go back to their terrible indie lives elsewhere.

― ~~~~ DODONGO DISLIKES SMOKE ~~~~ (ex machina), Sunday, 2 October 2005 16:54 (twenty years ago)

Clap Your Hands Say Meh, more like.

― 5678, Sunday, 2 October 2005 16:58 (twenty years ago)

5678 wins.

― jonnyl, Sunday, 2 October 2005 16:59 (twenty years ago)

Someone just said it to me yesterday in reference to an album that was playing, so yes. I didn't think the music was very interesting.

― dar1a g (daria g), Sunday, 2 October 2005 17:18 (twenty years ago)

way to overanalyze some stupid coincidence. truth is you just probably don't get out all that much...

― Brett G. (Brett G.), Sunday, 2 October 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

I was at your mom's house last night, but "Death Cab for Cutie" wasn't what she was saying.

― Justin, Sunday, 2 October 2005 17:31 (twenty years ago)

The other weekend I was with in a pub with a mate who told me that Death Cab For Cutie have sold more of their latest album than Mariah Carey has of hers.
Probably about the only time I've ever had a conversation about them.

-- James Mitchell (jxmitchel...), October 2nd, 2005.

No way is that true.

― deej.., Sunday, 2 October 2005 20:51 (twenty years ago)

about mariah, i mean.

― deej.., Sunday, 2 October 2005 20:51 (twenty years ago)

The point is that loads of people have heard of them, but most of our familiarity with Death Cab (and Clap Your Hands, and the Decemberists, et. al.) comes from the Internet.

don't be too sure about that.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Sunday, 2 October 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)

http://www.mtv.com/bands/az/death_cab_for_cutie/news.jhtml

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Sunday, 2 October 2005 21:41 (twenty years ago)

don't be too sure about that.

Um, okay.

Where does most familiarity with the aforementioned bands come from? Do they come visit you at work? You went to finishing school together? They call you up with tour dates?

― Justin, Sunday, 2 October 2005 21:48 (twenty years ago)

watch one TV

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Monday, 3 October 2005 05:55 (twenty years ago)

http://www.ndec.net/Photos/TV%20one.jpg

― gear (gear), Monday, 3 October 2005 05:59 (twenty years ago)

That night Cutie called a cab.
Baby, don't do it
She left her East Side room so drab.
Baby, don't do it
She went out alone in town
Knowing it would make her lover frown.
Death cab for Cutie
Death cab for Cutie
Someone's going to make you pay your fare.
The cab was racing through the night.
Baby, don't do it
His eyes, they were keeping Cutie in sight.
Baby, don't do it
When he saw Cutie it gave him a thrill
Don't you know that baby cabs can kill?
Death cab for Cutie
Death cab for Cutie
Someone's going to make you pay your fare.

Cutie, don't you play with fate.
Don't you leave your love alone.
If you go out on this date
His heart will turn to stone.
Bad girl Cutie, what have you done?
Baby, don't do it
Slipping, sliding down on Highway 31.
Baby, don't do it
The traffic lights change from green to red.
They tried to stop but they both wound up dead.
Death cab for Cutie
Death cab for Cutie
Someone's going to make you pay your fare.
Someone's going to make you pay your fare.
Someone's going to make you pay your fare
Someone's going to make you pay your fare.

― Chriddof (Chriddof), Monday, 3 October 2005 08:44 (twenty years ago)

"Someone's going to make you pay your fare"

Xpost, amazingly enough

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 3 October 2005 08:47 (twenty years ago)

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