April’s first release, “All I Did This Summer Was Go to Rehab (2014),” can be self-described as equal parts cringey and genius. It documents her first ever experiments in song writing and sobriety after uprooting her life in New Jersey to start over post-rehab in Lancaster, PA. A short EP of songs, “Things I Never Meant to Tell You” followed in 2015 featuring songs that would later be worked into the full band known as “Apes of the State.” 2016 brought the band’s first recording, “This City Isn’t Big Enough” which was a far leap both instrumentally and quality wise from the lofi solo bedroom recordings. Their second full length album, “Pipe Dream” was released in November of 2019. “Pipe Dream” features a more dynamic sound, with the band introducing the use of percussion and electric guitar on some of the tracks.
Their sound is very lyrical, influenced by storyteller singer/songwriters such as Paul Baribeau and Everyone Except Me. Apes of the State takes the simplicity and straightforward, emotional writing style of these influences and combines it with the drive and power of a full acoustic band. Their sound is under constant evolution but is deeply rooted in punk rock, folk, and bluegrass. As a band, they are driven by DIY ethics with a goal of helping as many people as possible with their music. They sing songs about whatever makes them feel things, like love, heartbreak, student loan debt, regret, and overcoming addiction.
They have performed across the US anywhere and everywhere, from basements, backyards, and living rooms to the Warped Tour and TEDx stages. The members are also heavily involved in activism for people recovering from substance use disorder and promoting harm reduction at their shows. In 2016, April and Dan founded an organization called Second Chance to Play which aims to help individuals in rehabs and in recovery communities participate in the music scene of their hometown Lancaster.
Strangers
Apes of the State Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About some things
Like all the lovely friends I made in rehab
That I'll never see again
Cause some of them are dead
And all the people that I′ve met
In bar bathrooms and in checkout lines that I'll never see again
But in that moment
Just having conversations
Cause sometimes the people who don't know the things
You′ve done are the only ones who will bother talking to you
Sometimes strangers are the best people to tell your secrets to
Cause they don′t know you
You know lately I've been thinking about things I′ve lost
Like my mind, my heart, your baby blue eyes
And lately I've been wondering about things that haven′t happened yet
Like if I'll ever feel that way again
But the past already happened so I
Can′t spend today digging through that shit
And the future hasn't happened yet
So there's no sense in worrying about it
Just living in this moment
And today I wish that I could put new glasses on your
Eyes so you could see the world the way I do through mine
Cause then maybe you wouldn′t wanna die you
Wouldn′t have to stick a needle in your arm
Just to survive
Cause I see myself in every single part of you and I made it through
So I can't just sit back and watch you throw away your life
And I don′t give a shit if I'm the last
Person on this earth who believes in you
I will show you how beautiful it is to be
Alive
And I will love you til you love yourself
And I will sing until I love myself
In the song "Strangers" by Apes of the State, the singer reflects on their past and present experiences with life and the people they meet. They start off by talking about the friends they made while in rehab who are no longer with them due to death, and the people they met in bars and stores whom they will probably never see again.
Despite being strangers, the singer reflects on how easy it was to form a connection and have conversations with these people, perhaps because they didn't know about their past or the things they've done. This leads them to the realization that sometimes strangers can be the best people to confide in and tell their secrets to.
The singer then shifts to their personal losses and concerns about the future. They recognize that dwelling on the past is futile as it has already happened, and worrying about the future only adds unnecessary stress. The only thing that matters is the present moment and making the most out of it.
The chorus of the song is a message of hope and love to someone the singer cares about deeply but who is struggling with addiction and self-harm. They want to help this person see the beauty of life and the world, and love the person until they learn to love themselves.
Overall, "Strangers" is a introspective and thought-provoking song that speaks to the beauty of human connection and the power of love and redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
You know lately I′ve been thinking
Reflecting on recent thoughts and experiences
About some things
Pondering various subjects and emotions
Like all the lovely friends I made in rehab
Recalling past friendships formed during addiction recovery
That I'll never see again
Realizing that some of these friends have passed away or moved on from rehab
Cause some of them are dead
Acknowledging the tragic loss of some rehab friends
And all the people that I′ve met
Thinking about everyone encountered in life
In bar bathrooms and in checkout lines that I'll never see again
Remembering brief moments of connection with strangers during everyday activities
But in that moment
Recognizing the power of temporary friendships
It was like we were best friends
Feeling a quick bond despite being strangers
Just having conversations
Enjoying the simple pleasure of talking with someone new
Cause sometimes the people who don't know the things
Realizing that strangers may offer a fresh perspective due to not knowing everything about you
You′ve done are the only ones who will bother talking to you
Feeling like only strangers will listen and engage in conversation without judgment
Sometimes strangers are the best people to tell your secrets to
Believing that strangers can be the best confidants for personal matters
Cause they don′t know you
Reasoning that strangers lack preconceived notions or opinions about oneself
You know lately I've been thinking about things I′ve lost
Reflecting on past losses and struggles
Like my mind, my heart, your baby blue eyes
Specifically mentioning physical and emotional losses
And lately I've been wondering about things that haven′t happened yet
Contemplating future possibilities
Like if I'll ever feel that way again
Questioning the likelihood of re-experiencing certain emotions
But the past already happened so I
Recognizing that the past is unchangeable
Can′t spend today digging through that shit
Deciding against dwelling or revisiting past struggles
And the future hasn't happened yet
Acknowledging that the future is uncertain
So there's no sense in worrying about it
Concluding that worrying about the future is unproductive
Just living in this moment
Choosing to focus on the present moment rather than past or future
And today I wish that I could put new glasses on your
Expressing a desire to change someone's perspective
Eyes so you could see the world the way I do through mine
Wishing to share a positive outlook with someone struggling
Cause then maybe you wouldn′t wanna die you
Believing that a different outlook could help someone avoid self-destructive behavior
Wouldn′t have to stick a needle in your arm
Referring to drug addiction and harm reduction
Just to survive
Implying that addiction is a means of coping
Cause I see myself in every single part of you and I made it through
Identifying with someone's struggles and relating to their experiences
So I can't just sit back and watch you throw away your life
Motivated to help someone improve their life and avoid destructive behavior
And I don′t give a shit if I'm the last
Not caring about others' opinions or involvement
Person on this earth who believes in you
Being a source of support and encouragement for someone who may not have others in their corner
I will show you how beautiful it is to be
Promising to share the beauty and joy of life with someone
Alive
Valuing life and finding reasons to live
And I will love you til you love yourself
Expressing unconditional love and support for someone on their journey of self-acceptance and growth
And I will sing until I love myself
Stating a personal goal to find self-love and confidence through creativity and expression
Writer(s): Apes Of The State
Contributed by Nora P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ApesoftheState
thank you !
Lyrics
You know lately I've been thinking
About some things
Like all the lovely friends I made in rehab
That I'll never see again
CAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE DEAD
And all the people that I've met
In bar bathrooms and in checkout lines that I'll never see again
But in that moment
IT WAS LIKE WE WERE BEST FRIENDS
Just having conversations
Cause sometimes the people who don't know the things you've done are the only ones who will bother talking to you
Sometimes strangers are the best people to tell your secrets to
Cause they don't know you
You know lately I've been thinking about things I've lost
Like my mind, my heart, your baby blue eyes
And lately I've been wondering about things that haven't happened yet
Like if I'll ever feel that way again
But the past already happened so I can't spend today digging through that shit
And the future hasn't happened yet
So there's no sense in worrying about it
Just living in this moment
And today I wish that I could put new glasses on your eyes so you could see the world the way I do through mine
Cause then maybe you wouldn't wanna die you wouldn't have to stick a needle in your arm
JUST TO SURVIVE
Cause I see myself in every single part of you and I made it through
So I can't just sit back and watch you throw away your life
And I don't give a shit if I'm the last person on this earth who believes in you
I will show you how beautiful it is to be
ALIVE
And I will love you til you love yourself
And I will sing until I love myself
@christiannalikos2566
You know lately I've been thinking
About some things
Like all the lovely friends I made in rehab
That I'll never see again
Cause some of them are dead
And all the people that I've met
In bar bathrooms and in checkout lines that I'll never see again
But in that moment
It was like we were best friends
Just having conversations
Cause sometimes the people who don't know the things you've done are the only ones who will bother talking to you
Sometimes strangers are the best people to tell your secrets to
Cause they don't know you
You know lately I've been thinking about things I've lost
Like my mind, my heart, your baby blue eyes
And lately I've been wondering about things that haven't happened yet
Like if I'll ever feel that way again
But the past already happened so I can't spend today digging through that shit
And the future hasn't happened yet
So there's no sense in worrying about it
Just living in this moment
And today I wish that I could put new glasses on your eyes so you could see the world the way I do through mine
Cause then maybe you wouldn't wanna die you wouldn't have to stick a needle in your arm
Just to survive
Cause I see myself in every single part of you and I made it through
So I can't just sit back and watch you throw away your life
And I don't give a shit if I'm the last person on this earth who believes in you
I will show you how beautiful it is to be
Alive
And I will love you til you love yourself
And I will sing until I love myself
@quillbit9221
Several years out of rehab, few years being actually clean, and man do I just feel this whole thing in my bones every single day. I can count on my fingers people I consider close friends now, but I've lost count of all my dead friends and fellow homeless junkies from way back when. Now, gods, I fight so damn hard to keep these kids off the same path as me, and pretending to love myself for their sake is sometimes so exhausting
@purrrevil
uhm okay xD
@QueerChica
Just know that some people from far afield (Madrid, in this case) see you, love you and respect you x
@wednesdaymonroe
This is the only thing getting me through my shitty day ♡
@gettinghighonthedownload9416
This song left me speechless.
@jacey8779
Lately I’ve been thinking bout how I don’t have any friends. And how I wish I had someone to love me so much that I would love myself. The strangers that I meet will hold my secrets true …unlike “ a friend” would. ❤️ this song is golden. It hits my heart every time. ❤️ Thankyou April~
@bunnybopbunnybop
Loving these songs the album pipe dream in particular though Pretty new to folk punk and this band but definitely loving it.
@MrJoeRosa
I need the lyrics for this song. its so amazing!
@ApesoftheState
thank you !
Lyrics
You know lately I've been thinking
About some things
Like all the lovely friends I made in rehab
That I'll never see again
CAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE DEAD
And all the people that I've met
In bar bathrooms and in checkout lines that I'll never see again
But in that moment
IT WAS LIKE WE WERE BEST FRIENDS
Just having conversations
Cause sometimes the people who don't know the things you've done are the only ones who will bother talking to you
Sometimes strangers are the best people to tell your secrets to
Cause they don't know you
You know lately I've been thinking about things I've lost
Like my mind, my heart, your baby blue eyes
And lately I've been wondering about things that haven't happened yet
Like if I'll ever feel that way again
But the past already happened so I can't spend today digging through that shit
And the future hasn't happened yet
So there's no sense in worrying about it
Just living in this moment
And today I wish that I could put new glasses on your eyes so you could see the world the way I do through mine
Cause then maybe you wouldn't wanna die you wouldn't have to stick a needle in your arm
JUST TO SURVIVE
Cause I see myself in every single part of you and I made it through
So I can't just sit back and watch you throw away your life
And I don't give a shit if I'm the last person on this earth who believes in you
I will show you how beautiful it is to be
ALIVE
And I will love you til you love yourself
And I will sing until I love myself
@turttell2736
I can’t stop singing this thank you for writing this