Developed over a two-month period of stream-of-consciousness recording in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Luke Temple’s self-titled debut under his new moniker Here We Go Magic is a remarkable departure from his signature singer-songwriter material. Luke recorded the album at home using analog synths, a cassette 4-track, and his trusty SM-57 mic, coloring the sound with warmth and creating textures you want to wrap yourself in.
-From "Tell All Your Friends"
Later in 2009 Temple expanded the project into a fully fledged band with keyboardist Kristina Lieberson , guitarist Michael Bloch , bass guitarist Jennifer Turner and drummer Peter Hale. The second album Pigeons was recorded surrounded by mountains in Catskills, New York in the fall of 2009 and was released by Secretly Canadian on June 8, 2010
- From Collector Songfacts,
How Do I Know
Here We Go Magic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I sure like your bread
The way that you tucker and straighten your bed
But how do I know if I love you?
How do I know if I know you?
When you come out clean from the shower
You squeak to the touch and you smell like a flower
How do I know if I know you?
Some men die in a fall
Not trusting their nose to show them the way
Some men die in a fall
The sun ain't no keeper in the pit of that day
How do I know if I love you?
When all these things come and go?
You can't stand them together in some neat little row
So how do I know, how do I know, how do I know?
How do I know if I know you?
When the light in your house isn't on?
I thought I heard movement but maybe I'm wrong
So how do I know if I know you?
How do I know if I love you?
When you've drawn the imaginary line
The way that you walk in two steps behind
How do I know if I love you?
(How do I know, how do I know, how do I know?)
The lyrics of the How Do I Know song by Here We Go Magic seem to be about uncertainty and the difficulty of making sense of love. The song is primarily composed of a series of questions, each one posing a different dilemma for the singer as he struggles to understand and articulate his feelings. Despite the upbeat melody, the lyrics are tinged with a sense of frustration and insecurity, as the singer struggles to figure out exactly what he feels for his lover.
The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer wonders aloud, "how do I know if I love you?" - a question that seems to be at the heart of the whole track. The following lines seem almost comical, as the singer lists a series of physical attributes that he finds appealing about his partner - including their bread-making skills and their ability to straighten their bed. These details are juxtaposed with genuine confusion, as the singer admits he doesn't know if these things really mean he loves his partner.
The second verse switches to a more sensory focus, as the singer describes how his partner smells after a shower and how they feel to the touch. He seems to be searching for some kind of external sign that he truly knows and loves his partner. The third verse takes a more philosophical turn, as the singer compares his confusion to the fatal mistakes made by explorers who couldn't trust their senses to guide them. Finally, the song ends with an amplified repetition of the earlier questions, emphasizing the singer's ongoing struggle to make sense of his feelings.
Overall, the lyrics of How Do I Know seem to be an honest and relatable exploration of the difficulties of understanding love. The singer seems to be grappling with a sense of uncertainty and insecurity, as he tries to navigate his emotions and figure out what he really feels for his partner.
Line by Line Meaning
How do I know if I love you?
I'm unsure if my feelings for you qualify as love.
When I sure like your bread
I do appreciate the things you do for me, like baking bread.
The way that you tucker and straighten your bed
I admire your attention to detail and cleanliness when tucking in and straightening your bed.
But how do I know if I love you?
Despite appreciating these gestures, I'm still unsure if what I feel for you is love.
When you come out clean from the shower
I notice how fresh and clean you smell after your shower.
You squeak to the touch and you smell like a flower
Your skin feels smooth and soft, and you have a pleasant floral scent.
How do I know if I know you?
I'm uncertain if I really know you well enough to love you.
Some men die in a fall
Some men die when they don't trust their instincts to guide them.
Not trusting their nose to show them the way
They ignore their intuition and sense of smell to guide them in the right direction.
The sun ain't no keeper in the pit of that day
In difficult times, relying on external factors like sunlight won't necessarily provide clarity or guidance.
When all these things come and go?
Although there are things I appreciate about you, they don't seem constant or reliable enough to determine if I truly love you.
You can't stand them together in some neat little row
These things don't fit together perfectly or logically in a way that would make me certain of my feelings.
When the light in your house isn't on?
When I can't see or know what's happening in your life, it's hard for me to know you well enough to love you.
I thought I heard movement but maybe I'm wrong
Even when I think I might know what's going on with you, I'm not always right.
When you've drawn the imaginary line
Sometimes there are boundaries or distances you put between us, making it difficult for me to know if I love you.
The way that you walk in two steps behind
Your actions or ways of being can create physical or emotional distance between us, further complicating my ability to know if I love you.
(How do I know, how do I know, how do I know?)
Throughout the song, I'm questioning and reflecting on my feelings, still unsure of whether or not they qualify as love.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jennifer Turner, Kristina Lieberson, Luke Temple Breneman, Michael Chaim Bloch, Peter Hale
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind