This Detroit, MI band recorded their first Tooth and Nail full-length, A Fire So Big the Heavens Can See It, in St. Cloud, FL with James Paul Wisner, who has also produced Dashboard Confessional, Underoath, and The Academy Is. While making this CD, the band fought off small town cabin fever, was restricted to bicycle transportation, and even shared a lake with an alligator. But such ordeals are colorful stories for another time because these guys are simply thrilled (but not to death) with the finished product.
The track “To the Moon for All I Care” is one of the group’s favorite new tunes. On the surface, one might assume it is based around what Ralph Kramden always told his wife Alice on the old The Honeymooners show. But as drummer Adam McMillion explains it, this song goes far deeper than that.
“The song is about our favorite movie, Danny Deckchair, which is about this guy that’s kind of fed up with his girlfriend who is not very faithful. And his job is really boring, so he decides to attach these balloons to his fold-up deckchair and he flies away,” McMillion says. When he finally lands, he’s in a faraway town, miles from everything and everyone he knows. “He kind of gets to start his life over, and we always thought that’s just such a cool concept,” McMillion continues. In fact, this song’s main character demands at one point, “Tell me about my future ‘cause I already know my past.”
Another noteworthy song has the intriguing title of “Detroit Is Built on Secrets”. This one takes on some of the nasty rumors oftentimes spread about rock bands – even about nice guys like Search The City. “So this is what we’re up against in this city of secrets,” states its anti-gossip lyric. But even when confronted with obvious lies, this thoughtful band still finds room for a little self-examination. “In the bridge it says, “Oh my God, forgive me for who I’m not,”” McMillion elaborates. “All these rumors are going around,” he continues, “but we’re still not the people we want to be. We’re still not the people God wants us to be. It’s just a cry out; kind of a confession. We wanna be better. We realize that we’re not who we should be.”
These closely bonded band members, which also include Alex Sheldon (guitar), Jim Czech (guitar), and Josh Frost (vocals), draw artistic inspiration from many loud and noisy sources, then translate these harsher sounds into surprisingly melodic, highly emotional songs.
“We’re more influenced by hardcore music than anything else,” Frost says of Search The City’s sound. “It doesn’t show so much because we’re pretty pop-y in parts. But collectively, we all love bands like Jimmy Eat World and bands like that.” So how would they describe their unique style? “We’d probably say progressive rock or something like that,” answers Frost.
Although the group is proud of their new CD, this band is truly in their element in concert. “Live is definitely Search The City’s favorite thing to do,” McMillion says without any hesitation. “It’s a chance to release a lot of emotion. We all love what we do onstage where we’ll just look at each other and just start laughing and smiling because it’s so much fun. Playing live is definitely the best part about being in a band.”
Search The City’s original nucleus, Sheldon, Czech, and McMillion, came up with the band’s Mapquest-like moniker while seeking out other musicians to complete their final lineup. “They named it that because they were looking for all of the different members, all over different cities,” Frost explains. “That meant all over Michigan. And because I was living in Florida at the time, they just called it Search The City.”
No doubt, Search The City succeeded in getting all their geographic coordinates correct.
After the band went their separate ways and onto some side projects, Frost and Czech have announced via Facebook and AboslutePunk.com has reported that they are back together and writing a second full-length album that's due out in the spring of 2012.
Son Of A Gun
Search The City Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This was just a chance you had to take
Did I even cross your mind?
This will be the last time you cross mine
We were as thick as thieves
Just like a thief you stole the best of me
White lies and what lies in between
Whoa, for Heaven's sake I see right through you
Whoa, I've got secrets too
You're the gun and I can be your bullet you bite down on
Take your best shot 'cause you only get one
Marionette
(Are your strings tied tight for proper movement?)
Take a deep, deep breath
(I'm dying just to wrap these strings around your neck)
But I'll stitch my eyes wide open
'Cause I don't want to miss the look on your face
When I drive away
You know you're sharp
But sharp just doesn't cut it anymore
I'll show you a side of me you've never seen before
Whoa, for Heaven's sake I see right through you
Whoa, I've got secrets too
You're the gun and I can be your bullet you bite down on
Take your best shot 'cause you only get one
Well blame it all on bottoms up
And all the boys that kept filling your cup
I love the way you say
You don't remember anything
Whoa, for Heaven's sake I see right through you
Whoa, I've got secrets too
You're the gun and I can be your bullet you bite down on
Take your best shot 'cause you only get one
Whoa, for Heaven's sake I see right through you
Whoa, I've got secrets too
You're the gun and I can be your bullet you bite down on
Take your best shot 'cause you only get one
The song "Son of a Gun" is a reflection of a relationship gone wrong. It is a plea from the singer to his former friend and lover, asking her whether all their history meant nothing to her. The line, "This will be the last time you cross mine" implies that the singer is effectively done with her, not because he no longer cares, but because he needs to move on.
The chorus of the song, "Whoa, for Heaven's sake I see right through you, Whoa, I've got secrets too," showcases the fact that the singer knows the other person better than she thinks. He has seen the lies and the deceit and is tired of pretending that everything is okay. The line, "You're the gun and I can be your bullet you bite down on, Take your best shot 'cause you only get one," indicates a willingness to move on, yet also to give one last shot at this relationship.
The final verse of the song talks about the singer's intentions to leave the relationship behind. However, he also wants to see the look on her face when he drives away, which shows a willingness to feel some level of satisfaction or closure. The song ends with the chorus, once again emphasizing the singer's realization that the other person is not who he thought she was.
Line by Line Meaning
So let me get this story straight
I need to confirm the truth of this situation
This was just a chance you had to take
You took a risk - was it worth it?
Did I even cross your mind?
Did I mean anything to you?
This will be the last time you cross mine
I won't let you hurt me again
We were as thick as thieves
We were very close
Just like a thief you stole the best of me
You took advantage of my trust and hurt me deeply
White lies and what lies in between
You didn't tell me the truth and I don't know what else you're hiding
Whoa, for Heaven's sake I see right through you
I can see your true intentions and motives
Whoa, I've got secrets too
I have my own hidden motives and thoughts
You're the gun and I can be your bullet you bite down on
You have the power to hurt me, but I won't let you
Take your best shot 'cause you only get one
Do your worst and don't expect another chance
Marionette
You are controlling me and pulling my strings
(Are your strings tied tight for proper movement?)
Are you in complete control of me?
Take a deep, deep breath
Prepare yourself
(I'm dying just to wrap these strings around your neck)
I want to take back control and hurt you
But I'll stitch my eyes wide open
I won't miss what's happening
'Cause I don't want to miss the look on your face
I want to see your reaction to me leaving
When I drive away
I'm leaving you behind
You know you're sharp
You think you're clever and can outsmart me
But sharp just doesn't cut it anymore
Your tricks won't work on me again
I'll show you a side of me you've never seen before
I won't let you control me anymore
Well blame it all on bottoms up
You're using alcohol as an excuse for your behavior
And all the boys that kept filling your cup
You let other people influence your decisions
I love the way you say
You use charming words to manipulate
You don't remember anything
You refuse to take responsibility for your actions
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SARAH BLACKWOOD, KATE HOLMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind