AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies as of September 2009.
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. Another single, "Love Like Winter", reached number four on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013.[6] Decemberunderground was followed three years later by Crash Love (2009), and then four years later by Burials (2013); both albums were also successful, peaking at number twelve and number nine, respectively, on the Billboard 200. The band's tenth and latest album, AFI (The Blood Album), was released in 2017, and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200, making it their second-highest chart position.
Red Hat
AFI Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I can be home once again
To lose ways
To sing
An odd time of death
To lose and not to win
Why must I always have to lose with an easy life
Why can't I just pretend to fall asleep
Caroline was greater for breaking down the set
Wanting to find a look
Can't remember days
The days we posses
Only the day she left
I see her in the crucifix
My mind begins to slip
My love had fallen right to a T
Then I close my eyes and the tears begin to run
The nightmare has just begun
Why must I always have to lose with an easy life
Why can't I just pretend to fall asleep
No longing goes through the night
In AFI's song Red Hat, the singer is on the sea, seeking to be home. The lyrics express a sense of loss, both of direction and in relationships. The lines "To lose ways/To sing" indicate a desire to let go of old patterns and perhaps start anew, through the act of singing - an expression of emotion and a form of release. The idea of "an odd time of death" suggests a feeling of disorientation and uncertainty, as if the singer is caught in the middle of some transition or change.
The chorus of the song repeats the question "Why must I always have to lose with an easy life / Why can't I just pretend to fall asleep", conveying a sense of frustration and weariness. The reference to Caroline, who is "greater for breaking down the set", could be interpreted as a nod to those who challenge the status quo or resist societal norms. The lines "Can't remember days / The days we possess / Only the day she left" reveal a painful memory of a past relationship, where the moments of happiness have faded into oblivion, leaving only the pain of the present.
In the final lines, the singer sees their lost love in the crucifix, a symbol of sacrifice and redemption. The reference to "fallen right to a T" could be a play on words, suggesting both the idea of falling in love and of falling to a cross. The tears that follow indicate a sense of grief and mourning, as if the singer is reliving the loss all over again.
Overall, Red Hat conveys a sense of searching, loss, and longing, while also touching on themes of rebellion and sacrifice.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm on the sea so bargain with me
I am in a difficult situation, so please try to make a deal with me
So I can be home once again
I want to return home as soon as possible
To lose ways
To forget the path ahead
To sing
To express myself through music
An odd time of death
A strange and unpredictable moment of ending
To lose and not to win
To experience failure instead of success
Why must I always have to lose with an easy life
Why do I have to face difficulties even when my life is supposedly easy?
Why can't I just pretend to fall asleep
Why can't I escape reality by pretending to sleep?
No longing goes through the night
I don't feel any desire or hope during the night
Caroline was greater for breaking down the set
Caroline achieved something great by disrupting the norm
Wanting to find a look
Searching for a distinct style or appearance
Can't remember days
Unable to recall specific memories
The days we posses
The moments we hold onto
Only the day she left
I only remember the day she left me
I see her in the crucifix
I associate her with the image of a crucified person
My mind begins to slip
I am losing control of my thoughts and emotions
My love had fallen right to a T
My love had perfectly aligned with my expectations
Then I close my eyes and the tears begin to run
I can't help but cry when I reflect on my past experiences
The nightmare has just begun
I am about to face a difficult and painful situation
Contributed by Bentley V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nicholas Cann
this is the clearest I've ever heard this song. thank you for this.
Elijah Wagers
Miss this AFI