Have you ever had the experience of hearing a song that impacted you the minute you heard? You know that feeling like the words sung are about you and your experience, if now then you are missing out. I’ve been lucky to have experienced this phenomenon on more than one occasion. Bands from The Rolling Stones and Beatles to Social Distortion and The Bouncing Souls and everything in between have had this effect on me. I could go on and on about every song and band that have had this impact on me; unfortunately, that would be an arduous task that would take up the space of a few novels and an enormous amount of time that I just don’t have at the moment.
Instead I’m choosing to focus on the one band that has had the most impact on me in terms of their music, lyrics, and message. Of course if you know a bit about my musical tastes you’ll know doubt know that my tastes are of the punk rock variety as well as music that is more of the honest, truthful, non-commercial sort. Long story short, you’ll never hear me singing along to Nickel Back, Taylor Swift, or the Jonas Brothers. You can add the formulaic, uninspired music known as Emo, Screamo, grind-core, basically the music with band members who all look interchangeable; long bangs, blonde streaks, tight girly pants, way too small tee shirts, music with a neo-metal tinge and the crème de la crème - cookie monster vocals.
“But Mary I’ve found the sound and this heart keeps pouring it out and the glory hasn’t come and it’s probably gonna fade like a tattoo that hides the shame…”
Of course I’m talking about The Gaslight Anthem. I discovered them in August of 2008 and it’s been a love affair, obsession ever since. One that I’m proud to admit; in fact, you can ask any number of people who know me about how I’ve pushed them and talked about them to no end. Some people know honest, true and good music when they hear it – and get The Gaslight Anthem and become almost as obsessed as I am. Others, well to each their own I guess – you can’t account for taste or lack there of.
So I could string together adjective after adjective about how much they kick ass, rule, rock the hell out. Instead I’ll attempt to provide the proof in the songs and lyrics themselves.
“And then I heard it like a shot from my skull to my brain. I felt my finger- tips tingle and it started to rain. When the walls of my bedroom were trembling around me…”
The title of this particular blog as well as the above quote are from the song title “I’da Called You Woody, Joe” of the album Sink or Swim. Now from what I know this song is a tribute of sorts to the late Joe Strummer of The Clash fame. From reading the lyrics it’s about the feeling and impact that The Clash had on Brian Fallon (the singer of The Gaslight Anthem.)
Now I think that anyone who is into rock music can attest to the feeling of sitting in your room, having your ear phones on, driving your car and hearing a band or song that just hits you like a tonne of bricks. Now I can recall the first time that I heard The Gaslight Anthem – it was less a tonne of brick and more like being steamrolled – as the first time I heard them as at work in my cubicle. But the same overall impact – just being blown away by what I was hearing.
If you have not heard this song I suggest that you go out and buy the album, look it up on i-tunes, or perhaps youtube it. If you’re a fan of punk rock, not emo or the garbage that is considered punk rock/alternative music nowadays, I defy you to keep still when you hear this song. At the very least you’ll be tapping your feet.
You know that feeling of being young, broken hearted, feeling like you’re alone. Okay maybe we’ve not all felt this but to some of us this feeling is all too familiar. The Gaslight Anthem captures this feeling perfectly with “I’da Called You Wood, Joe.” In particular, the chorus of this particular song, which is as, follows:
“And this was the sound of the very last gang in town. As heard by my wild young heart, like directions on cold dark night; saying let it out, let it out, let it out you’re doing alright. And I heard in his chain gang soul that it wasn’t just the same sad song. Saying let it out, let it out, let it out you’re doing alright.”
Now if you’re lucky, or perhaps unlucky, you’ll have had the pleasure of hearing me sing along (yell?) out this chorus. In all honesty, if you love a good rock song, then I cannot fathom how anyone cannot just get the overwhelming urge to get up and yell at the top of their lungs to this song. The music, the lyrics are perfect – they bring me back to those times when all that mattered was your favorite band, the beer in your hand, mending your broken heart and that very moment; nothing less, nothing more.
“And I carried these songs like a comfort where ever I’d go. And they was there when my summers was high and there when she left me alone; saying my soul is hard to find.”
It’s odd how the very feeling that Brain had listening to The Clash was my very story. I discovered The Gaslight Anthem during the summer of 2008. I really thought that summer was going to be my summer; when things all feel together. After a year and a half of aching for a particular gal I finally got the courage to act on my feelings, I was training at Grace Barra and noticing the difference in my Jiu Jitsu, I had a steady job that I liked and had kept for a few years, my mother was getting better. Yeah things were looking pretty spectacular – I was going to finally shine, my turn to be the star of the play we call life. But as most things in life, this string of good luck was only fleeting. And really The Gaslight Anthem came into my life when “my summers was high and there when she left me alone.” In short I’ll always remember the summer of 2008 as the summer of ‘disappointment’ but also the summer I discovered The Gaslight Anthem. If nothing else I can look back at that and someday see that the summer of 2008 was not so bad because The Gaslight Anthem and their healing sounds came into my life.
“I’m famous now for all these rock-n-roll songs and even if that’s a lie, she should have given me a try.”
Ahh, unrequited love, broken hearts, Saturday night’s alone waiting for a that phone call that will never come, the one that got away. It’s safe to say that a full encyclopedia’s worth space could be dedicated to all the songs written about the subject and or along similar themes. I must confess that I am a sucker for a good broken hearted song; in fact it does not necessarily have to be good – as I sheepishly admit to being a fan of cheesy 80’s heavy metal ballads.
However, it takes more than some cheesy lines and worn out clichés to truly make a memorable and timeless song on topic that has been done to death; flogging a dead horse would be putting it mildly. But every once in awhile you come across a band that gets it right the perfect music, perfect lyrics, perfect! The Gaslight Anthem hits it dead on with their track entitled “Here’s looking at you, Kid” off of the album The ’59 Sound.
I can vividly remember the first time I heard this particular song. I was stuck in cubicle hell in the midst of my summer of discontent (lord did I just commit that to writing?) Have you ever had the pleasure of having a song bring you tears? Well, I was fortunate enough to avoid having that happen at work but it was close. If you have not heard this song I suggest going to my lone blog for April 2009, as I was able to embed a youtube clip of the song in that particular blog. Once you hear it you’ll know why and if you’ve read my April blog you’ll know who brought the sadness and whose name can be input in place of that names mentioned in this particular track. If not that’s cool to.
The song is essentially about 3 gals (Gale, Jane, Anna) who’ve broken the singer’s heart and did not see what they had in front of them; letting a good thing get away for what at the time, seemed like the flashier choice. What I like about the song is that is not intended as a malicious rant against the ones who played the roll of the “cold hearted bitch.” Instead it’s just, in my interpretation, a final ‘sigh’ and ‘good-bye’ to the gals done via song. I believe that most of us have had at least one of those “I wish I was want you wanted but I’m not and that’s the worst feeling in the world” encounters. I know I have and I think that’s why this song resonates with me as much as it does.
Although the song as whole is about as strong as a song can be there are a couple of stand out moments within this particular song both lyrically and musically. I’ll attempt to describe and convey them to you.
The first instance occurs approximately 28 seconds into the song with the following lines:
“When we were kids on the field on the first day of school, I would have been her fool. And I would have sang out your name in those old high school halls. You tell that Gale if she calls.”
This particular part of the song always gets me. I guess it’s because I finally met someone who made me feel like singing out loud for, who I would followed to the ends of time and back again, who I would have gladly been a fool for. But of course as with most things in life what seems too good to be true is most likely too good to be true; an illusion if you will. A huge disappointment in a life filled with disappointment.
“And tell her I spent every night of my youth on the floor; bleeding out from all these wounds. And I would have gotten her right out of that town she despises. You tell that Jane’y if she writes.”
When you’re aching for the one person that will never be yours thoughts seem to run in and out of your head over and over. What was wrong with me, why could she not see in me what others see, why would she want to stay where she is when we could see the world together? You know, just basically killing yourself wondering what you could have done to win them over and take a chance you.
“You remind Anna if she asks why? That a thief stole my heart while she was making up her mind. I heard she lives in Brooklyn with the cool and goes crazy over that New York scene on 7th avenue. But I used to wait in the diner a million nights without her, praying she won’t cancel again tonight.”
Hmm, probably summing up everything that is song is about – waiting for someone who’ll never show up, never call, never see what they’re missing out on. I can relate to being stuck on someone who just not seem to know what she wants; who seems to be falling for the supposed “cool” fad, life, people.
Waiting alone in diner, well in my case a coffee shop, waiting for someone to show up – hoping they won’t cancel, stand me up, bring a sister or friend along if they do show, or not bothering to even acknowledge you’d asked them out then contacting you a week later like nothing ever happened.
One thing to also point out in this song is the “look what you could have had” factor. Exemplified by the following opening lines to the first two first verses.
“You can tell Gale if she call’s, that I’m famous now for all these rock and roll songs and even if that’s a lie, she should have given me a try.”
“You can tell Jane if she writes, that I’m drunk off all these stars and crazy Hollywood nights. That’s total deceit but she should have married me.”
To me this is what I find myself doing – hoping that I’m more that I really am. That I’m someone who is loving life, forgotten all about her because my life is so great, that my dreams are coming true. But really none of that would be true because I’m still stuck here, still longing for her, still waiting for that phone call, text or e-mail that never comes.
Look at me; I have money, a great job, I’m traveling, I’m a Jiu Jitsu star. But really I’m not anything of note; just the same old Andre. While she’s off living her life I cannot get over the part of my life that had her in it. And I could lie about all my accomplishments but it would not make one single iota’s difference. I’ll never be what she wants – even less so as the days go by. I just get older, more in debt, yet still chasing pots of gold that seem so distant and empty sometimes.
I really could go on and on about The Gaslight Anthem and I will post other stuff about them. Like my fantastic trip through the Rocky Mountains – braving November weather – to see them open for 3 other bands last year. Or the amazing night they played in Calgary where I got to forget life for awhile and hang with good friends. I’ve got so much to say about them. But save some for later dates is what I say. If I’ve tweaked your interest go out look them up, buy their album, they are playing in Calgary on September 07, 2009. At the very least youtube them and find out why they mean so much to me. Find out why they are not just another band and why all their sad songs are not just the same old sad songs. I’ve got nothing but time so I’ll end with:
“No it’s hard to tell you this, no it’s hard to tell you this. Here’s looking at you kid.”
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