Gibbard has been actively writing, recording and releasing music since 1994, when he graduated from Olypmic High School. He appeared as a guest on Jimmy Tamborello's (his Postal Service collaborator) Dntel album entitled Life is Full of Possibilities (2001) - Specifically, he contributed vocals to the song "(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan.". In addition, played bass for the band Pedro the Lion on their 2000 tour, and he played drums on the song 'Carparts' for The Long Winters' 2002 album, "The Worst You Can Do Is Harm." He has also released a split EP with Andrew Kenny (of American Analog Set) in the Home Series on the Post-Parlo record label on March 30, 2004. Styrofoam's 2004 album Nothing's Lost features Gibbard's vocals on the track "Couches in Alleys." Additionally, Ben contributed vocals to a song (Handle With Care) on Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis's side project Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins's album, Rabbit Fur Coat.
Gibbard will make his acting debut in the film "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men," an adaptation of David Foster Wallace's collection of short stories. Actor John Krasinski (NBC's "The Office") wrote the screenplay and directed the film.
A Hard One to Know
Ben Gibbard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You change your signals like a traffic light
'Cause you're a hard, a hard one to know.
Around your heart you've tied a fishing line,
You cast it out there just to see who'll bite
'Cause you're a hard, a hard one to know.
When I start thinkin' 'bout what you do to me.
You're like a flower garden buried in snow,
You're a hard one to know.
You give your love out like an auctioneer.
Your moves are jumpy and your words aren't clear
'Cause you're a hard, a hard one to know.
First you smother then you disengage
Your tears of joy dissolve to tears of rage
'Cause you're a hard, a hard one to know.
I toss and turn but I just can't get to sleep
When I start thinkin' 'bout what you do to me.
You drag your feet as you swing to and fro,
You're a hard one to know.
I toss and turn but I just can't get to sleep
When I start thinking 'bout what you do to me.
You're like a flower garden buried in snow,
You're a hard one to know.
And I try to love ya but you won't let me in.
You say it's ending before it can begin.
You tell to stay and then you tell me to go,
You're a hard one to know.
The lyrics of Ben Gibbard's "A Hard One To Know" revolve around the frustration and confusion that comes with being in love with someone who is constantly inconsistent and unpredictable. The singer compares their lover to a traffic light, changing signals and confusing those around them. They also liken their lover to a flower garden buried in snow, hinting at the possibility of something beautiful and worthwhile but ultimately unreachable due to the external forces surrounding it.
The singer describes the mixed signals they receive from their lover, the back-and-forth between smothering and disengaging, and the fluctuation between tears of joy and tears of rage. The metaphor of an auctioneer is introduced, suggesting that their lover gives out love to the highest bidder without any clear intentions or motives behind their actions. The repetition of the phrase "a hard one to know" highlights the frustration and difficulty that the singer experiences in trying to understand and connect with this person.
Overall, the lyrics of "A Hard One To Know" depict the emotional turmoil that comes with being in a relationship with someone who is unpredictable and inconsistent. The singer's attempts to love and understand their partner are ultimately thwarted by their ever-changing nature.
Line by Line Meaning
You call a truce and then you start a fight,
You make peace with me and then you start a conflict right after, always changing your behavior unpredictably because you are difficult to understand.
You change your signals like a traffic light
You change your thoughts and feelings erratically, just like how traffic lights change colors continuously, because you are a complicated person to figure out.
'Cause you're a hard, a hard one to know.
Your complexities make you a hard person to understand, which makes it very difficult to connect with you.
Around your heart you've tied a fishing line,
You keep your emotions in check by manipulating other people's responses to them, just like how a fisherman manipulates fish with bait on a line.
You cast it out there just to see who'll bite
You put out your emotions to see who will react, without truly showing your feelings, because you are overly cautious and difficult to read.
You give your love out like an auctioneer.
You express your love in a calculated manner, making it a transactional experience, just like how an auctioneer sells items to the highest bidder.
Your moves are jumpy and your words aren't clear
Your actions and words are abrupt and unclear, making it hard for others to understand and connect with you.
'Cause you're a hard, a hard one to know.
Your complex nature makes it difficult for others to understand you and therefore, get close to you.
First you smother then you disengage
You alternate between giving too much attention and abruptly distancing yourself, making it hard for others to understand your intentions and emotions.
Your tears of joy dissolve to tears of rage
Your emotional pendulum swings from joy to anger quickly and without reason, making it difficult for others to keep up with how you are feeling.
You drag your feet as you swing to and fro,
As you switch back and forth between emotions and actions, you are hesitant and uncommitted, making it hard for others to know how to interpret and react to you.
And I try to love ya but you won't let me in.
I attempt to connect with you emotionally, but you resist opening up to me or allowing me to understand you.
You say it's ending before it can begin.
You anticipate the end of a relationship before it even starts, making it hard to build a strong foundation of trust and closeness.
You tell to stay and then you tell me to go,
You exhibit behavior that is best described as hot and cold, pulling me in and pushing me away, making it hard for me to understand and connect with you.
'Cause you're a hard one to know.
Your inconsistent and conflicted behaviors make you a difficult person to understand and very hard to forge a meaningful relationship with.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Oscar Padula
he makes great patterns of chords
Arwen W Fonzen
I love this!!!
Scent Junkee
i love this song so much because it sounds as if he's singing about me. i never realized there was someone else like me out there. i think i may even be harder to know than this "one", though. ;)
Marian O'Boyle
this guy is great
Jersey b
Great song.
12Radius
Nice.I got one of these ft79 newer but love it.
joshthebasil
So great. So, so great.
emyaheard978
so sorry i missed him in NC... please come back!