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.
THE WORST IN YOU
Andy Shauf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
went out in the night
took out a cigarette
then i felt for my light
in my front pocket
it was nowhere to be found
i went back in the door
i looked around for your coat
and then went looking for you
thought that i heard your laugh
come tripping[?] down the stairs
i walked carefully up
til i was almost halfway
i saw two closed doors
so i let my heart break
are you running around or just running away
why do i
always find the worst in you
do you always find the worst in me
and do i only find the worst in you
so i stood still for a while
trying to hear agin
but then from the living room
i heard you calling my name
i found you smiling
asking me where i had been
why do i
always seek the worst in you
do you always seek the worst in me
do i only seek the worst in you
The lyrics of Andy Shauf's song "The Worst in You" describe the singer leaving his home in the middle of the night, trying to process his thoughts and emotions. He takes out a cigarette but realizes he can't find his lighter. Feeling defeated, he goes back inside and takes off his shoes, hoping to find solace in his partner's company. However, he can't seem to shake off his own negativity and doubts, wondering if his partner is running away from him or running around with someone else. The singer questions himself on his tendency to always see the worst in his partner and wonders if they have the same opinion of him.
The song delves into the complexities of relationships and how they can bring out both the best and worst in people. The lyrics suggest that the singer is struggling to trust his partner and is constantly seeking the worst in them, perhaps due to their past experiences or insecurities. It highlights the importance of honest communication and self-reflection in fostering a healthy and sustainable relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
i slipped out the front door
I quietly left the house through the front door.
went out in the night
I stepped into the darkness outside.
took out a cigarette
I lit a cigarette and began to smoke it.
then i felt for my light
I searched for my lighter to light the cigarette.
in my front pocket
I looked in the pocket of my jacket.
it was nowhere to be found
But couldn't find the lighter.
i went back in the door
I went back inside the house.
kicked off both of my shoes
I took off my shoes.
i looked around for your coat
I searched for your coat in an attempt to find you.
and then went looking for you
I started searching the house for you.
thought that i heard your laugh
I believed I heard you laugh.
come tripping down the stairs
It sounded as if you were coming down the stairs.
i walked carefully up
I slowly walked up the stairs.
til i was almost halfway
I stopped when I was about halfway up the stairs.
i saw two closed doors
I saw two closed doors on either side of the hallway.
so i let my heart break
I allowed myself to feel sad and hurt.
are you running around or just running away
I wondered if you were cheating on me or avoiding me deliberately.
why do i always find the worst in you
I tend to focus on your negative qualities instead of seeing the good in you.
do you always find the worst in me
I wondered if you also tend to focus on my negative qualities.
and do i only find the worst in you
I asked myself if I'm incapable of seeing anything good in you.
so i stood still for a while
I paused for a moment to gather my thoughts.
trying to hear agin
I attempted to listen for any further sounds.
but then from the living room
Then I heard a sound from the living room.
i heard you calling my name
It was your voice calling out to me.
i found you smiling
When I entered the living room, I saw that you were smiling.
asking me where i had been
You were curious to know where I had gone.
always seek the worst in you
I tend to focus on your negative qualities instead of seeing the good in you.
do you always seek the worst in me
I wondered if you also tend to focus on my negative qualities.
do i only seek the worst in you
I asked myself if I'm incapable of seeing anything good in you.
Contributed by Ian L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tomas Krissak
I love how these songs are simple yet full of meaning and they cross in my mind with so many situations from my own life. this whole album feels like talking to a very emphatetic friend who gets me just right. I love your album. Honestly you are my most fond music discovery of 2016 and I cant get enough of all your songs.
Greetings from Slovakia. Hope you come visit and play here in Europe some day.
oNe_SoNg
Right? He's such a good story teller! I feel like I'm there even when I'm not. Though, sometimes I am. Haha 🙃
Mike C
His vocals are incredibly complex for a song? What do you mean?
Rubi Mayen
Hace más de un año conocí está grandiosa música, cuando lo escuché por primera vez pensé: "Rayos, como no lo había escuchado antes", ¡De verdad era magia!, mientras más canciones escuchaba, más me gustaba, pero mientras esto pasaba, también ocurrían cosas malas en mi vida, después de esto empecé a asociar esta música con "la mala suerte" y evité a toda costa este artista, así cada que pasaba en aleatorio en mi reproductor lo quitaba porque sentía que tendría otro de esos malos días si lo escuchaba.
Hoy por fin he decidido que no me dejaré invadir por esos sentimientos malos, que la música no era el problema, que eran cosas incontrolables que tenían que pasar y que yo también debía y debo mejorar. Así que aquí estoy invadiendome de su música nuevamente, espero tengamos una hermosa reconciliación.
Aldo Nuñ
Jeje viste lo que tente quería que vieras
Vailskibum
so good
Buff Kirkby
Who knew to find you here of all places vailskibum haha
don't worry, it'll be our little secret
GravlaxBob
Andy Shauf is one of the few best melodists still alive and this video is very good, funny, well and intently crafted.
d3rkd1zz
Winston Hacking and Andy Shauf are both amazing artists. This video is great, as is the video for The Magician.
Tenbag Banditz
Amazing sound! Absolutely love it!