In 2010, the five Wisconsinites that now make up Horseshoes & Hand Grenades found themselves in a living room in the college town of Stevens Point, WI, holding acoustic instruments and enjoying a hodgepodge of fermented beverages. Music and revelry ensued that evening and, while many of the party guests eventually bid their goodbye well into the morning hours, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades wasn’t ready to let the get-together fade. Five years later, the music still hasn’t stopped and the party is still going strong, from the mountain west to the river towns of the Midwest that the quintet calls home.
While strongly rooted in bluegrass, old-time, and folk music, the band produces a sound that draws on the vaults of music collectively and individually enjoyed throughout the course of their lives thus far. The music doesn’t lend itself well to categories or boundaries. One could probably be formed, but the boys seem to generally prefer fishing a river, or enjoying the company of friends and barley beers.
Yet with their music well-defined or not, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades has begun to form a place in the Midwest music scene, gaining recognition on both a regional and national scale. The band took 3rd place at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival’s Band Competition in 2012 and has since shared the stage with Trampled By Turtles, The Travelin’ McCourys, Railroad Earth, Merle Haggard, The Infamous Stringdusters, Yonder Mountain String Band, Marty Stuart, and many more. The group’s third full-length Middle Western was released in March of 2015. Being mostly inspired by rivers, valleys, good friends, and good drink, this five-piece is as sturdy as any Midwest riverbed and makes your toes tap from sundown to sunrise.
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Whiskey
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
when the sky turns grey looking for the old bottle of old number seven clear.
its the only thing that drys those tears.
There's fire and theres lightning Ive feel taken in.
A prisoner to this dull and aching pain.
like running from your mother its hard to run from something that you are.
it's three in the morning and im feeling blue and honey all i think about is you
and what about when the morning comes. days break and make a better dawn.
and ill drink another ill drink to the days ill drink to all the troubles i have seen.
and for another round last bottle in this river town.
I like whiskey in the morning and in the evening.
when the sky turns grey looking for the old bottle of old number seven clear.
its the only thing that drys those tears.
The lyrics to Horseshoes & Hand Grenades's song Whiskey describe the singer's reliance on whiskey to cope with the pain and hardships of life. The opening lines, "I like whiskey in the morning and in the evening, when the sky turns grey looking for the old bottle of old number seven clear," suggest a deep attachment to the drink. The lyrics imply that the singer's need for whiskey is motivated by a desire to numb the pain, as the lines "it's the only thing that drys those tears" suggest.
The second verse explores the singer's desperation to escape from the pain they're experiencing, likening it to the feeling of being a prisoner to a dull and aching pain. The lines, "like running from your mother, it's hard to run from something that you are," suggest that the pain is an inherent part of the singer's identity, and they're struggling to escape from it. Despite this, the singer cannot escape the pain and seeks refuge in whiskey once again.
The final verse expresses the singer's longing for a better future, as they imagine the potential for a "better dawn" when the morning comes. However, the lines "and ill drink another ill drink to the days ill drink to all the troubles i have seen. and for another round last bottle in this river town" suggests that the singer's reliance on whiskey may be hindering their ability to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I like whiskey in the morning and in the evening.
I enjoy drinking whiskey at all times of day, whether it is morning or night.
When the sky turns grey looking for the old bottle of old number seven clear.
When I am feeling down, I search for a specific bottle of whiskey to help ease my emotions.
It's the only thing that drys those tears.
Drinking whiskey is the only thing that can make me stop crying and feel better.
There's fire and theres lightning Ive feel taken in.
There are intense feelings inside of me, like a storm brewing with thunder and lightning.
A prisoner to this dull and aching pain.
I feel trapped by the constant, mundane pain that I am experiencing.
Like running from your mother its hard to run from something that you are.
Trying to escape a part of yourself is like trying to run away from your own mother – it is impossible.
It's three in the morning and im feeling blue and honey all i think about is you
Even in the middle of the night, my mind is filled with thoughts of someone dear to me.
And what about when the morning comes. Days break and make a better dawn.
I wonder what the future holds, but I know that each new day brings a chance for a brighter beginning.
And ill drink another ill drink to the days ill drink to all the troubles i have seen.
I will continue drinking and toasting to the difficult moments that I have experienced in my life.
And for another round last bottle in this river town.
I will end the night with one final drink, as this is the last bottle of whiskey left in this town.
Contributed by Jackson W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.