Known for honest, self-reflective songs as well as captivating lyrical works of fiction and an intimate live show, Shauf is considered one of the most intriguing emerging songwriters around.
His release, The Bearer of Bad News, explores themes of uncertainty, curiosity and spirituality. “I think spirituality is a part of life whether you are religious or not, even if you’re just superstitious. You can’t really get away from the fact that we don’t know everything.” The unsettling stories told on The Bearer of Bad News came as Shauf wrote both at home and on the road. Musically, the record took shape in a modest home studio in his parents’ basement in Regina, Canada, where Shauf spent 4 years recording and producing each song himself. “Spending all this time allowed me a lot of freedom in the ways I arranged the songs. I could work on a drum part for a whole day, or play piano for 2 hours without figuring anything out and be okay with that.”
Bearer is 11 songs built from the sounds of a weathered piano, the warm tone of his guitar’s aged strings, and a clarinet. Shauf is one-of-a-kind voice and dark, literate storytelling.
Alexander All Alone
Andy Shauf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
smoking a cigarette
the last pack he'd ever buy
at least that's what he said
he stood up to stretch his back
and fell down to the ground
alexander all alone
cried out for his wife to call the ambulance
alexander all alone
felt them check his pulse
he heard them pronounce him dead
hell is found inside of me
and nothing else will set me free
if hell is found inside of me
then open me up and spit me out
alexander wondered why
no life flashed before his eyes
why his soul did not depart
why he found no peace of mind
would it take a little while
was it the same for everyone
alexander realized
that hell is found inside of me
and nothing else will set me free
if hell is found inside of me
then open me up and spit me out
In this song, Andy Shauf recounts the story of a man named Alexander who tragically dies from smoking the last pack of cigarettes he would ever buy. Alexander was smoking a cigarette, and as he stood up to stretch his back, he suddenly fell to the ground. The neighbor who caught a glimpse of him quickly called for an ambulance, but when they arrived, it was too late, and Alexander was already dead.
After Alexander's death, the singer reflects on the inner turmoil that Alexander must have been experiencing. He muses about the possibility that Alexander, like himself, may have felt a sense of torment and despair within himself that he could not escape. The singer expresses his own torment as he repeats, "hell is found inside of me, and nothing else will set me free." He wonders why Alexander did not experience a sense of peace or have his life flash before his eyes as he was passing away, and considers whether or not everyone has the same experience when they die.
The song's melancholic tone and reflective lyrics are a commentary on the struggles of life and the inevitability of death. It speaks to the idea that despite our best efforts to find meaning and happiness, ultimately, we are all alone in our struggles and cannot escape the internal demons that plague us.
Line by Line Meaning
alexander all alone
A man named Alexander is alone
smoking a cigarette
He's smoking a cigarette
the last pack he'd ever buy
He said it's the last pack he'll buy
at least that's what he said
It's what he claimed
he stood up to stretch his back
He stood and stretched to loosen up his back
and fell down to the ground
But he lost his footing and fell to the ground
alexander all alone
Alexander is still alone
til the neighbor caught a glimpse
Until his neighbor saw him
cried out for his wife to call the ambulance
Yelled for his wife to summon the ambulance
alexander all alone
Alexander remains alone
felt them check his pulse
He sensed them checking his pulse
he heard them pronounce him dead
He heard them declare him deceased
hell is found inside of me
The singer claims to have hell within themselves
and nothing else will set me free
They don't believe anything else can liberate them
if hell is found inside of me
If the singer really has hell within them
then open me up and spit me out
They ask to be opened up and discarded if that's the case
alexander wondered why
Alexander pondered
no life flashed before his eyes
Why he didn't see his life flash before his eyes
why his soul did not depart
Why his soul didn't leave his body
why he found no peace of mind
Why he didn't feel peaceful
would it take a little while
Is it going to take some time
was it the same for everyone
Does everyone experience the same thing
alexander realized
Alexander came to an understanding
that hell is found inside of me
He believes he has hell within him
and nothing else will set me free
Nothing else can set him free
if hell is found inside of me
If his self-imposed hell exists
then open me up and spit me out
He requests to be opened up and discarded if that's the case
Writer(s): Andy Shauf
Contributed by Jack H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@chrisburnett3575
Alexander all alone
smoking a cigarette
the last pack he’d ever buy
at least that’s what he said
he stood up to stretch his back
and fell down to the ground
Alexander all alone
til the neighbour caught a glimpse
cried out for his wife
to call the ambulance
Alexander all alone
felt them check his pulse
he heard them pronounce him dead
hell is found inside of me
and nothing else will set me free
if hell is found inside of me
then open me up and spill me out
Alexander wondered why
no life flashed before his eyes
why his soul did not depart
why he found no peace of mind
would it take a little while?
was it the same for everyone?
Alexander realized
that hell is found inside of me
and nothing else will set me free
if hell is found inside of me
then open me up and spill me out
@marlymedia
I’m still obsessed with this album.
@trenthobson2756
Amen
@kelbale
Same
@prettyhamburger6462
I love how his diction is unclear so when i finally get around to reading the lyrics it adds a whole new layer to the experience! What a great surprise
@garrettgreene336
I do the same exact thing, I paint a picture on what I think I'm hearing until I read the lyrics.
@bigcrier
That’s word
@markpadden4504
This entire album is gold.
@ronniebillhicks
this is one of the best 'VERSE TO BRIDGE/CHORUS" parts I've ever heard'!!!,.....this dudes about to blow up'!!!!!!
@ghoulswinnfield4692
It's really good, but not a lot beats "America" by simon and garfunkel in that respect
@ronniebillhicks
@GhoulsWinnfield here's the recipe: high pitch smooth voice, acoustic ramblings, and talking about cigarettes,...... Hahahaha