The three were subsequently joined by Steve LaFolette (bass & vocals), Pat Noel (keyboards & guitar), Steve St. Cin (drums), and Ana Pitchon, who toured as Beulah in 1998, before recording When Your Heartstrings Break. Bill Evans (keyboards) then joined the band to play live. Steve St. Cin left the band to be replaced by Danny Sullivan, before The Coast is Never Clear was released in 2000. Bill Evans and Steve LaFolette then left, to be replaced by Pat Abernathy and Eli Crews respectively. Beulah went on to record 2003's Yoko, then toured North America and Europe before a goodbye show on August 5th 2004, in New York.
A DVD, A Good Band is Easy to Kill was released in 2005 and features documentary footage from Beulah's 2003 tour.
Silver Lining
Beulah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was my first girl
She left me a scar
So I have her still
She's not young
But she's not old yet
We share the same sun
You want it
Silver lining shining for you
You got it
Dark cloud always waiting for you
Weightless
You're tumbling through space
I remember her voice
But not her face
Floating
But she's always near
She wants to stay
But she can't stay here
You want it
Silver lining shining for you
You got it
Dark cloud always waiting for you
Frozen
In window displays
Where did you hide
All those days we'd waste?
Fading
But I see her still
She'll always be
My punk rock girl
The song "Silver Lining" by Beulah is a nostalgic and bittersweet reflection on the singer's past love for punk rock music. Beginning with the image of punk rock as the singer's "first girl," the following line, "she left me a scar / so I have her still," suggests a complex relationship with music - one that may have hurt the singer, but has also left an indelible mark on them. The lyrics then move into a meditation on time: "she's not young / but she's not old yet / we share the same sun / but hers never sets." This metaphor of the sun serves to illustrate the enduring nature of the singer's connection with punk rock, and the idea that even though they may have grown older and moved on from that phase of their life, it still shines as a constant presence for them.
The chorus provides a stark juxtaposition - the desire for a "silver lining shining for you" (which could be interpreted as hope or positivity), while also acknowledging the reality of a "dark cloud always waiting for you." This internal tension is echoed in the verses that describe the singer "weightless" and "tumbling through space," recalling a sense of disorientation and uncertainty that they may have felt during that time period. However, as the song progresses, the music becomes a source of comfort and stability, bringing back memories of a voice (presumably a punk rock musician or song) that the singer can still recall, even if they no longer picture the singer's face.
The final lines of the song bring everything full circle, with the image of punk rock as a window display that the singer is frozen in, unable to move forward. But despite this stasis, the final line emphasizes the ongoing presence of punk rock in their life: "she'll always be / my punk rock girl." Overall, "Silver Lining" is a powerful and evocative ode to music as not just a passing interest, but a formative and essential part of one's identity.
Line by Line Meaning
Punk rock
The singer's first love or passion was the punk rock music genre.
Was my first girl
The singer refers to punk rock as their first love as if it were a person they were in a relationship with.
She left me a scar
Although the singer loved punk rock, it left them with a lasting negative experience.
So I have her still
The artist still remembers and feels the impact of that negative experience with punk rock.
She's not young
The punk rock genre has been around for a while and is not new anymore.
But she's not old yet
Punk rock is still alive and relevant today.
We share the same sun
Despite the singer's negative experience, they and punk rock still live in the same world.
But hers never sets
Punk rock never burns out or loses its edge.
You want it
The following verses address the listener's desire for something positive.
Silver lining shining for you
The listener desires a positive outcome or possibility amidst negative circumstances.
You got it
The following verses address the contrasting negative aspect of life.
Dark cloud always waiting for you
Negative experiences or circumstances are ever-present and are always looming over people's lives.
Weightless
The singer feels free or unburdened by negative experience.
You're tumbling through space
The singer is adrift in the vastness of life with no direction yet still unencumbered.
I remember her voice
The singer remembers and cherishes punk rock's music despite negative experiences.
But not her face
The artist is unable to keep hold of the negative experiences of punk rock and has moved on.
Floating
The artist is still in a state of weightlessness from the freedom of the negative experience of punk rock.
But she's always near
Despite the singer's efforts to move on, they still enjoy and remember being a part of the punk rock genre.
She wants to stay
The punk rock genre is still a part of the singer's identity and they wish it could last.
But she can't stay here
The artist has moved on from the negative experiences but still longs for the freedom and enjoyment they felt in punk rock.
Frozen
A metaphorical depiction of stagnation or being stuck in negative experiences.
In window displays
The artist associates negative experiences with something that is static or unchanging.
Where did you hide
The singer hasn't been able to move past the negative experiences yet still searches for a positive silver lining.
All those days we'd waste?
The artist sees negative experiences as a waste of time and can't let go of the desire for positivity.
Fading
The negative experiences of punk rock are becoming more distant and less relevant to the singer.
But I see her still
Despite fading memories, the singer will always remember and appreciate punk rock's music.
She'll always be
Punk rock will always hold a special place in the singer's heart and identity.
My punk rock girl
The artist still describes punk rock as if it were a person they were in a relationship with.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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