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.
T-Shirt
Apes of the State Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was this lousy t shirt and it doesn′t even fit me anymore
Yea I've been sorting through my inventory
Airing out my dirty laundry
And I got too many pieces of you taking up room in my drawers
You broke my heart and all I got
Was this lousy t shirt of a band that I don′t even care for anymore
Yeah I've been looking at old photographs
I think it's safe to say that you′re the worst outfit that I ever wore
And you don′t have an excuse for how you acted
So I don't wanna talk about it baby I′m so over it
And everything was great while it lasted
But I don't wanna hear you out
Let′s just end this beautiful disaster, right now
You broke my heart and all I got
Was this lousy t-shirt and it doesn't even fit me anymore
Yea i′ve been sorting through my inventory
Airing out my dirty laundry
And i got too many pieces of you taking up room in my drawers
You broke my heart and all I got
Was this lousy t shirt of a band that i don't even care for anymore
Yeah I've been looking at old photographs
Throwing your stuff in the trash
I think it′s safe to say that you′re the worst outfit that I ever wore
The lyrics of Apes of the State's song T-Shirt express the frustrations and disappointments of a failed relationship. The singer bemoans the fact that all they ended up with after their heartbreak was a lousy T-shirt that doesn't even fit them anymore. The T-shirt here stands as a symbol of the relationship that has fallen apart, something that once held significance and memories but has now become useless and insignificant. The singer is engaged in the process of cleaning out their physical belongings as well as their emotional baggage. They are sorting through their inventory, airing out their dirty laundry, and getting rid of the remnants of the relationship that are taking up space in their drawers.
The singer throws away old photographs and the other person's belongings, using clothing metaphors to describe this process. They refer to the person as "the worst outfit that I ever wore," suggesting that the relationship was like a terrible piece of clothing that didn't fit them well. They want to move on from this relationship, stating that they don't want to talk about it anymore and that they are so over it. The message of the song seems to be that sometimes we must let go of things that were once important to us, even if it means parting with something as seemingly insignificant as an old T-shirt.
Line by Line Meaning
You broke my heart and all I got
I gave you my love and trust, but you betrayed me and all I have to show for it is this worthless t-shirt.
Was this lousy t shirt and it doesn′t even fit me anymore
This t-shirt is a reminder of the time we spent together, but it no longer fits me just like our relationship no longer fits into my life.
Yea I've been sorting through my inventory
I have been going through my belongings, trying to let go of anything that reminds me of you and our failed relationship.
Airing out my dirty laundry
I am bringing to light all of the negative feelings and emotions I have been holding in, confronting them and trying to move past them.
And I got too many pieces of you taking up room in my drawers
I have accumulated so many things related to you that I no longer have space for them in my life and need to purge them from my space.
Yeah I've been looking at old photographs
I have been reminiscing on the past, reflecting on the moments we shared and trying to come to terms with the fact that they are now over.
Throwing your stuff in the trash
I am getting rid of all the physical objects that remind me of you, realizing that they no longer hold any value or meaning in my life.
I think it's safe to say that you′re the worst outfit that I ever wore
You were a temporary piece in my life that I wore for a short period of time, but in the end, you were not a good fit for me and left a negative impact on me.
And you don′t have an excuse for how you acted
You cannot justify or explain your actions, leaving me hurt and confused by your behavior towards me.
So I don't wanna talk about it baby I′m so over it
I no longer want to dwell on our past or go over what went wrong, as I have moved on and am ready to let go of the pain and heartache.
And everything was great while it lasted
Our relationship had its good moments, but they were fleeting and ultimately not enough to sustain a healthy and lasting connection.
But I don't wanna hear you out
I have no interest in hearing your side or trying to work things out, as I have already made the decision to move on from you.
Let′s just end this beautiful disaster, right now
Our relationship was a beautiful mess, but it is time to end it before it causes any further damage and move on to healthier and happier things.
Writer(s): April Hartman
Contributed by Vivian V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.