She went on to record “Daily News” in 2004. This record gained her a lot of deserved attention from t.v., radio, and press. Her songs were maturing and her sound was becoming hers alone with her strong lyrics,arrangements,melodies and harmonies. You can even hear her hinting at her new found love of the Tin Pan Alley sound with it’s jazz and blues influence. Amanda was then touring the U.S., Canada, and Europe supporting many emo, hardcore, pop-rock, and punk bands all of which are name-dropper worthy. In Germany she met her friends at 2nd Records who later released “Daily News” in Europe which helped to further burgeon her fanbase. This overwhelming small taste of success was a bit much for a young solo artist who was also wearing the hat of manager, booking agent, and accountant. So when she did a tour with her long time touring friends “Jupiter Sunrise” on a 3 month long stint across the U.S., and then was asked to join their band, of course she said yes. A change was just what she thought she was looking for. For over 2 years she lived and toured with them in a vegetable oil-powered R.V., during which time they did all of Vans Warped Tour 2005 as well as many other tours. Also in 2005, Amanda again recorded with her friend Grant Capes and released “Something Borrowed, Something Blue” which was a 5 song e.p. of 3 originals and 2 covers showcasing Rogers’ indie roots and love of art-rock. This record also fulfilled Amanda’s deal with Immigrant Sun Records.
In 2006, the band called it quits. With no home and no money, Amanda had to re-evaluate what she was doing with her life. Music was the obvious and best choice and some universal power made it a possibility to start anew. She went to Los Angeles, California in April of 2007 to record another full-length record with producer Warren Huart (the Fray, Anna Nalick, Augustana) and Dan Rothchild (Tonic, Fiona Apple) and a more than stellar backing band including David Levita (Alanis Morrisette) on guitars, Dan Rothchild on bass, and Travis Mcnabb (Better than Ezra) on drums. This record would be her most upbeat and positive record to date.
“Heartwood“, Amanda’s long-awaited 6th record was released on August 8th, 2008 with friends at Expect Candy Records in Germany, and on D.I.T. Records in the U.S.
Do It Together Records is a label Amanda started to help indie artists work together to release and promote their music on their own terms. Most of 2009 was spent running a record label, touring extensively throughout Europe and the U.S. for Heartwood, Guest appearing on some friend’s records, Facilitating a worldwide artist collective called “The Notebook Collective“, Creating a sustainable clothing company called Recycle My Heart, and becoming part of a Duo called The Pleasants with Mike Matta (The Sketchy Indians). The band was born in VT where they lived in a small cabin in the woods- simply and to the fullest. They recorded their first record “Forests And Fields” with their neighbors at Mt. Hollywood Studios in Belmont, VT. This record will be out in Spring 2010. They plan on touring together throughout most of the U.S. in the spring and Europe in late summer. Amanda’s new record, Hope From The Forgotten Woods, is already in the works.
No Surprises
Amanda Rogers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A job that slowly kills you
Bruises that won't heal
You look so tired and unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us
A handshake of carbon monoxide
And no alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
Silent, silent
This is my final fit, my final bellyache with
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises please
Such a pretty house, such a pretty garden
No alarms and no surprises (let me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises (let me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises please (let me out of here)
The opening lines of Amanda Rogers's song No Surprises paints a painful picture. The landfill image brings to mind a heart that is overflowing with waste and refuse, hinting that the singer's emotions have been stuffed deep down inside until they are unmanageable. The repetitive line of "No alarms and no surprises" can be perceived as the singer's desperate plea for stability and clarity amidst chaos and confusion. The mention of a job slowly killing one also highlights a common problem in modern-day society, where people often find themselves in dead-end jobs that make them feel trapped and hopeless.
The line "Bring down the government/They don't, they don't speak for us" hints at the singer's disillusionment with modern governments and their failure to address the needs of their citizens. The singer wants more than just a career and material possessions; they want a simple life, free from the stresses and anxieties that plague modern society. The final line, "Such a pretty house, such a pretty garden," contrasts sharply with the desolate picture painted earlier, and although it can be interpreted as an idyllic setting, there is a sense that the singer is trapped and unable to leave.
Line by Line Meaning
A heart that's full up like a landfill
Feeling overwhelmed with emotions and burdens that weigh you down like trash piles in a landfill.
A job that slowly kills you
Feeling trapped in a job that drains the life out of you day by day.
Bruises that won't heal
Facing hurt and damage that continue to affect you long after the initial injury.
You look so tired and unhappy
Observing someone who appears exhausted and miserable with their current situation.
Bring down the government
Expressing a desire for change and revolution by challenging the existing political system.
They don't, they don't speak for us
Feeling unheard and unrepresented by those in power.
I'll take a quiet life
Preferring a simple and calm existence over the chaos and stress of the current situation.
A handshake of carbon monoxide
Opting for a peaceful death through carbon monoxide poisoning rather than living in constant turmoil.
And no alarms and no surprises
Seeking a life free of sudden shocks and disruptions, and desiring stability.
No alarms and no surprises
Reiterating the importance of a stable and predictable life.
No alarms and no surprises
Continuing to emphasize the need for consistency and stability.
Silent, silent
A sense of finality or resignation, accepting the fact that peace and quiet might be the ultimate solution.
This is my final fit, my final bellyache with
Acknowledging that the current state of affairs has become unbearable and expressing the desire to make a change.
Such a pretty house, such a pretty garden
Describing an idyllic scene that belies the internal turmoil and unhappiness of the individual.
No alarms and no surprises (let me out of here)
Continuing to plead for a peaceful and predictable existence and expressing the desire to be released from the current situation.
No alarms and no surprises (let me out of here)
Reiterating the desire for stability and the yearning to leave behind chaos and uncertainty.
No alarms and no surprises please (let me out of here)
Stressing the need for stability and predictability and begging to leave behind a turbulent existence.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind