McMahon announced the moniker in a blog post in July 2014, stating, "as I embark on yet another musical adventure, I will be traveling with my band to many of those same stages, this time as “Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness”. I suppose my wilderness is mostly an abstract one. Since putting Jack’s behind me, I have forced myself into strange spaces seeking new stimulus..."
The first song recorded under the moniker, 'Cecilia and the Satellite', received official radio play on the 17th July 2014. An album is expected to follow.
Black and White Movies
Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pushing shadows down the road
In this old beach town when the sun goes down
All the gray turns into gold
Got no plans, just a feeling
I'm no architect at all
There's a fan on the ceiling
Are you home tonight?
Are you laying in bed watching black and white movies
All alone tonight?
Do you ever rewind to the summer you knew me?
Black and white movies
You were out at dawn with a wet suit on
That's the picture in my mind
Now the waves still crash on the bonfire ash
That the tourists leave behind
Waves of sound, waves of static
Through the windows in my room
And the seeds that you planted
In a coffee cup that never bloom
Are you home tonight?
Are you laying in bed watching black and white movies
All alone tonight?
Do you ever rewind to the summer you knew me?
Black and white movies
Black and white movies
Are you home tonight?
Are you home tonight?
Are you home tonight?
Are you laying in bed watching black and white movies
All alone tonight?
Do you ever rewind to the summer you knew me?
Are you home?
Are you laying in bed watching black and white movies
All alone tonight?
Do you ever rewind to the summer you knew me?
Black and white movies
Watching black and white movies
Are you home tonight?
Are you home tonight?
The lyrics of "Black And White Movies" by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness are about reminiscing over a past relationship during a lazy summer in a beach town. The singer of the song is thinking about someone they used to know, wondering if they ever think of them and the memories they shared. McMahon's use of color imagery, specifically gray and gold, serves as a metaphorical representation of the bittersweet emotions that come with nostalgia. The gray represents the melancholic feeling of remembering the past, while the gold symbolizes the happiness that those memories can bring.
The lyrics also evoke a sense of loneliness and longing, with the singer unsure if the person they are thinking about is thinking of them in return. The line "Are you laying in bed watching black and white movies all alone tonight?" suggests that the person is possibly feeling the same way and seeking comfort in old movies. The use of the phrase "black and white movies" is significant as it represents a simpler time when things were less complicated, just like the summer memories being re-lived in the lyrics.
In conclusion, "Black And White Movies" depicts the beauty and pain of reminiscing about a summer romance. It portrays the feelings of melancholy, longing, and the hope of reconnecting with someone from the past.
Line by Line Meaning
As the summer came and left with the rain
The passing of summer is marked by the arrival of autumn rain.
Pushing shadows down the road
The rain brings darkness earlier in the day.
In this old beach town when the sun goes down
During nightfall in this beach town.
All the gray turns into gold
The bleakness of the town becomes beautiful under the influence of the night.
Got no plans, just a feeling
There's no commitment, only a vague intuition.
I'm no architect at all
I'm not particularly capable of creating detailed plans.
There's a fan on the ceiling
The room has a fan attached to the ceiling.
And a telephone that you should call
A phone is accessible for someone to use.
Are you home tonight?
Asking if someone is present at home.
Are you laying in bed watching black and white movies
Questioning if they're relaxing and watching old movies.
All alone tonight?
Inquiring about whether or not they're by themselves.
Do you ever rewind to the summer you knew me?
Do they ever revisit the memories of their previous relationship during that summer?
You were out at dawn with a wet suit on
A specific memory of them on the beach, possibly surfing.
That's the picture in my mind
It's an image that's permanently embedded within their memory.
Now the waves still crash on the bonfire ash
Presently, the tide still has remnants of the past bonfire.
That the tourists leave behind
Leftover bonfire from the visitors to the area.
Waves of sound, waves of static
Different types of sounds/vibrations within the room the singer is currently in.
Through the windows in my room
He's listening while in a specific room.
And the seeds that you planted
The relationship they had contributed to his life in various ways.
In a coffee cup that never bloom
Although the seeds are embedded, they never bloomed into something greater.
Are you home?
Repeat of line 9.
Watching black and white movies
Restating they might be sitting back and watching old films.
Are you home tonight?
Repeated once again, focusing on the time.
Are you home tonight?
The same question from before.
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: Andrew McMahon, Michael Viola
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheMillsy21
Doesn't get better than this. Such a heartbreaking and familiar story.
@ChristopherWalkenPUA
Still listening to this in 2017. My favorite track of the album.
@shellykrajny3515
I have loved Andrew's music since 2002. I remember going to see Something Corporate at Warped Tour and I have been following him ever since. His music makes my heart happy
@redscuti
Shelly Krajny same here!
@violabunnie
+Shelly Krajny Man...I wish I could've seen SoCo at warped tour... when they went i was too young for warped haha.
@shellykrajny3515
+kao You just made me feel so old! I'm going to see him on the 14th at the House of Blues in Cleveland! can't wait
@peng1n3
I was born in 2002 I wish I could say that's how long I listened to his music
@madeleinep.828
That outro >>>>>>>>
@TheKosovo7
He's incredible I love every song of his.
@DemonBearz
Easily one of the best pop songwriters in the last 20 years.