Fidatevi is Ben Weasel's first solo album, and is the most daring, mature a… Read Full Bio ↴Fidatevi is Ben Weasel's first solo album, and is the most daring, mature and expressive musical work he has done. "Fidatevi" has two meanings: trust in oneself and trust between people. Ben's incredible brand of punk rock songwriting is this time focused into is also a personal and positive album - more introspective than anything Ben has previously done. Noting that the album was meant as a series of "Notes to Self," influenced partly by his interest in Buddhism, Ben says, "The music was inspired by whatever goes on in my head that creates tunes. The lyrics are based on experiences or insights gained by practicing secular sitting meditation, as well as ideas I came across and personalized through the study of the works of authors as diverse as Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Henry David Thoreau, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Pema Chodron, Ralph Waldo Emerson and others." This album features the great tunes of one of punk's masters as well as lyrics which illustrate introspection and reflection. Keeping it in the extended Screeching Weasel/Lookout!/Panic Button family, Matt from Teen Idols played the drums, Dan Vapid (SCREECHING WEASEL/ SLUDGEWORTH/ MOPES /METHADONES) added guitar and bass and sang backing vocals, and Mass Giorgini produced. Fidatevi was recorded at Acme Studio in Chicago.

Strangers
Ben Weasel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Found a message in the sand
It read 'just do the best you can'
This world's not how I planned
You're on your own

No one can hear you
They're just talking all the time
There's the world, and you're outside

Your home's hard to find
Your home's hard to find

Worn down by strangers
All you need's a friend
You've been worn down by strangers
This is not the end

Guess it's hard to settle down
When love's been spread all around the town
I'm no stranger to this room
My highs just serve to bring me down
I hope to change now
From a sorry state of mind
I had hoped for heart to heart
My heart's hard to find
My heart's hard to find

Worn down by strangers
All you need's a friend
You've been worn down by strangers
This is not the end
(This is not the end)

Worn down by strangers
All you need's a friend
You've been worn down by strangers
All you need's a friend
By strangers
By strangers
By strangers

(This is not the end)

(This is not the end)
This is the end

Overall Meaning

In Ben Weasel's song Strangers, the opening line portrays a message found in the sand that encourages the recipient to simply do their best. The following lines express frustration with the world that is not what was planned, and a sense of being on their own. The chorus highlights the feeling of loneliness and isolation, with the thought that nobody can hear you and that you are outside the world. The line "Your home's hard to find" encapsulates the sense of displacement and disconnection that the lyrics convey.

The second verse talks about the difficulty of settling down and finding love in a small town where love is "spread all around." Despite the reference to personal experience in "this room," the highs only serve to bring the writer down. The hope for change in the verse is contrasted with the final chorus, which leaves the listener with the notion that the person has been worn down by strangers and simply needs a friend.

Line by Line Meaning

Found a message in the sand
We found a piece of advice in a place where it was unexpected

It read 'just do the best you can'
The advice was to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves

This world's not how I planned
Life is unpredictable and doesn't always go according to our plans

You're on your own
Ultimately, we have to navigate our own path in life

No one can hear you
Sometimes we feel isolated and unheard

They're just talking all the time
People may be around, but they're often focused on their own thoughts and opinions

There's the world, and you're outside
It can feel like we're on the outside looking in on the world around us

Your home's hard to find
It can be difficult to feel like we belong somewhere

Worn down by strangers
Dealing with the pressures and expectations of strangers can be overwhelming and tiring

All you need's a friend
Having a supportive friend can make all the difference when we feel worn down by life

Guess it's hard to settle down
It can be hard to feel content when there's so much uncertainty in life

When love's been spread all around the town
If our heart has been broken, we can struggle to find a sense of home and belonging

I'm no stranger to this room
The feelings of isolation and detachment are familiar

My highs just serve to bring me down
Even our moments of happiness can be followed by feelings of sadness and emptiness

I hope to change now
We can strive to make changes and improve our circumstances

From a sorry state of mind
If we want to change things, we need to start by changing our mindset

I had hoped for heart to heart
We want to be able to connect with others and share our feelings openly

My heart's hard to find
However, sometimes we struggle to access our own emotions and find it hard to make meaningful connections with others

By strangers
Our struggles can be perpetuated by the pressure and expectations of others

(This is not the end)
Even though things may feel hard now, there's still hope for the future

This is the end
However, we may need to accept that some things have come to an end in order to move forward

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: ADAM LYONS, NATHAN LYONS, TIMOTHY VOETEN, JOHN HUERTO, THOMAS DAVIES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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