Chris recorded his first album, The Swiss Army Romance, in 2000. The following year, he recorded Further Seems Forever's debut album The Moon Is Down. However, he left the band soon after the album's release, instead recording and releasing his sophomore album The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most, as well as a follow-up EP titled So Impossible.
By 2002, three other musicians had joined the band, including former Further Seems Forever band mate Jerry Castellanos and started the process of recording the band's next album. After the success of his second album, Carrabba was asked to perform on MTV Unplugged, and the subsequent release marked the first time many of the songs were recorded with a full band.
Also in 2002, the music video for "Screaming Infidelities" won the coveted MTV2 award at the MTV Video Music Awards, beating out Norah Jones, The Strokes, The Hives, Nappy Roots and Musiq. This video starred Chris in both the performance and the storyline. The video was directed by Maureen Egan and Matthew Barry.
In 2003, the band released its third album A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar. Peaking at #2 on the United States Billboard charts, the album proved to be the band's most commercially-viable album yet. In the summer of 2004, Dashboard Confessional recorded the song "Vindicated" for the film Spider-Man 2. The song was featured on the soundtrack and played over the film's end credits. Because of this, the band gained a sizable audience for their next release the following summer.
In May of 2005, Dashboard Confessional entered the studio to record their fourth album with acclaimed producer, Daniel Lanois. The album was released on June 27, 2006; its first single was "Don't Wait". Following the release of Dusk and Summer, Dashboard Confessional went on a summer tour of the U.S. with special guests Say Anything and Ben Lee, followed by a co-headlining arena tour with alternative rock band Brand New.
In 2007, the band released its follow-up to Dusk and Summer, The Shade of Poison Trees.
During an interview with Billboard posted on September 11, 2007, Carrabba stated that he is 14 tracks into what would be the band's sixth studio album. He is also unsure about when it would be recorded, but plans to have 30 tracks to draw from. It may be a concept album: "only with the last three has it become, like, 'All right, these have a continuity and there's something going on,' so I'm excited to see where that leads".
The album, titled 'Alter The Ending', was released November 10 2009 (US). A two disc version of the album is available. In this edition, the first disc consists of full band workings of the twelve tracks while the second disc features acoustic versions akin to the first two Dashboard Confessional albums.
Hands Down
Dashboard Confessional Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This air is blessed, you share with me
This night is wild, so calm and dull
These hearts, they race, from self control
Your legs are smooth as they graze mine
We're doing fine, we're doing nothing at all
My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me
So won't you kill me, so I die happy?
My heart is yours to fill or burst to break or bury
Or wear as jewelry, whichever you prefer
The words are hushed, let's not get busted
Just lay entwined here, undiscovered
Safe in here from all the stupid questions
"Hey, did you get some?" Man, that is so dumb
Stay quiet, stay near, stay close, they can't hear
So we can get some
My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me
So won't you kill me, so I die happy?
My heart is yours to fill or burst, to break or bury
Or wear as jewelry, whichever you prefer
Hands down, this is the best day I can
Ever remember, I'll always remember the sound
Of the stereo, the dim of the soft lights
The scent of your hair that you twirled in your fingers
And the time on the clock when we realized it's so late
And this walk that we shared together
The streets were wet, and the gate was locked
So I jumped it and I let you in
And you stood at your door with your hands on my waist
And you kissed me like you meant it
And I knew that you meant it
That you meant it
That you meant it
And I knew that you meant it
That you meant it
The song “Hands Down” is a romantic ballad about a night filled with stolen moments and intense emotions. In the opening lines, the singer asks his partner to take a deep breath and share the moment with him. The night is described as both wild and dull, reflecting the contradictory feelings that can arise in a relationship. The singer admires the physical closeness of his partner, describing her smooth legs grazing his own. They both savor the moment spent together, even as they try to stay quiet and hidden from the outside world.
The chorus of the song is a declaration of the intense feelings that the singer has for his partner. He hopes that her kiss might kill him, so that he can die happy. He offers his heart to her to do as she wishes, giving her the power to fill him up or break him down. The repeated refrain of “hands down” emphasizes the intensity of his feelings, suggesting that there is nobody else who can compete with his partner.
The final verse of the song is a reflection on the preciousness of the moment they have shared together. The singer remembers the details of the scene – the sound of the stereo, the soft lighting, the scent of his partner’s hair. He also notes the lateness of the hour and the fact that they are alone together. They share a kiss that is filled with meaning and passion, cementing their connection and creating a memory that will stay with the singer forever.
Overall, “Hands Down” is a powerful and emotional song about the joys and intensity of a romantic connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Breathe in for luck, breathe in so deep
Take a deep breath, hoping that it brings good luck
This air is blessed, you share with me
The air we are breathing feels special and holy
This night is wild, so calm and dull
This evening is full of potential but also restrained and uneventful
These hearts, they race, from self control
Our hearts are beating fast because we are trying to hold back our emotions
Your legs are smooth as they graze mine
The touch of your legs against mine feels lovely and soft
We're doing fine, we're doing nothing at all
We are just enjoying each other's company without any need for activity or excitement
My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me
I am extremely hopeful that your kiss is as intense and life-changing as I imagine it to be
So won't you kill me, so I die happy?
I want you to fulfill my high hopes and make me so happy that I feel like I am dying
My heart is yours to fill or burst to break or bury
You have complete control over my heart - you can either fill it with love or utterly destroy it
Or wear as jewelry, whichever you prefer
You could also choose to display my love for you as a personal adornment
The words are hushed, let's not get busted
We should be quiet and careful to not get caught doing anything we shouldn't be doing
Just lay entwined here, undiscovered
Let's just lay here together, intertwined and unseen by others
Safe in here from all the stupid questions
We are safe from the annoying and irrelevant questions that other people might ask about us
"Hey, did you get some?" Man, that is so dumb
Those kinds of questions are unnecessary and unimportant
Stay quiet, stay near, stay close, they can't hear
If we stay silent and close to each other, nobody will notice us
So we can get some
So we can have some intimate time together without anyone interrupting us
Hands down, this is the best day I can
Without a doubt, today is the best day I can recall
Ever remember, I'll always remember the sound
I'll always be able to remember the sounds of this day
Of the stereo, the dim of the soft lights
The soft music playing on the stereo, along with the dim lighting, is a pleasant memory
The scent of your hair that you twirled in your fingers
I have a clear memory of the way your hair smelled, and how you played with it
And the time on the clock when we realized it's so late
We both acknowledge that it's getting late and time is passing quickly
And this walk that we shared together
We shared a lovely walk together on this memorable day
The streets were wet, and the gate was locked
The streets were damp and we encountered a closed gate
So I jumped it and I let you in
I took the initiative to jump over the gate and let you in
And you stood at your door with your hands on my waist
I remember you standing at your door and holding onto my waist
And you kissed me like you meant it
The passionate kiss you gave me demonstrated your true feelings for me
And I knew that you meant it
I had no doubts that your kiss was genuine and heartfelt
That you meant it
It was clear that the passion between us was real
That you meant it
I was certain there was no pretense - our love was true
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Christopher Andrew Carrabba
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind