Live Band Members, Jack Antonoff – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, samples
Evan Smith – keyboards, synthesizers, saxophone, vocals
Mikey Hart – bass, guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, piano, vocals
Sean Hutchinson – drums, sampling pad, synthesizers, backing vocals
Mike Riddleberger – drums, sampling pad, backing vocals
Bleachers' debut album Strange Desire was released July 10, 2014, from RCA Records. Variance Magazine called the single "Rollercoaster" a "brilliant summer anthem." Bleachers went on their debut Come Alive! tour, which features Night Terrors of 1927 and Joywave as opening acts, from March to April 2015. From there, they went on the Strange Desire World Tour from July to November of that same year. They juggled this with the Charli and Jack Do America Tour, a tour co-headlined by Bleachers and Charli XCX.
Bleachers' second album Gone Now was released June 2, 2017. Its lead single "Don't Take the Money" has been described by Atwood Magazine as "an epic uplifting pop-rock anthem ultimately about how when love is real, its worth everything that comes along with it". In celebration of the album release, he brought his childhood bedroom on tour with him. He had it dismantled and rebuilt inside of a portable trailer. During May and June concerts, fans could enter the "moving, living art exhibit" and listen to the album prior to its official release. Antonoff explained in a press release, saying "when I thought about where this album was coming from and what it’s kissing goodbye I thought of this room. I wished I could play the album for people who care about Bleachers in this space that it is coming from and leaving." The band was on its Gone Now Era: Part 1 tour from September to November 2017. The tour featured Tove Stryke, Bishop Briggs, and Tangerine as openers.
In September 2017, Bleachers performed on MTV Unplugged at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The live session was later released as an album, also entitled MTV Unplugged. The album features 11 tracks from both Gone Now and Strange Desire and was released November 10, 2017. Antonoff produced the soundtrack of Love, Simon, released on March 16, 2018. He contributed five songs, with four being credited to Bleachers—"Alfie's Song (Not So Typical Love Song)", "Rollercoaster", "Keeping a Secret", and "Wild Heart"— and one credited to his real name, a duet with MØ titled "Never Fall in Love". Throughout 2019, Bleachers released the third volume of Terrible Thrills in a series of four vinyl records, each featuring covers of songs from Gone Now by female artists as well as new demos by Bleachers.
In late 2019, Antonoff began recording the third Bleachers album. During this time the band embarked on a three-day "mini-tour" called the "I Love Making This Album but I'm Also Losing My Mind in Here & Need to Come Out and Play" Tour. On January 6, 2020, Antonoff announced on Twitter that a new Bleachers album would come within the year. In May, Bleachers was featured on Carly Rae Jepsen's song "Comeback" which was the first official release of the band in nearly two years. On the Bleachers Twitter account, a song called "Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night" has been teased for months, and starting on November 14, 2020, a phone tree was set up for fans to call to hear clips from the song.
On November 16, 2020, Bleachers released the first two singles from Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night, "45" and "Chinatown", the latter featuring Bruce Springsteen. The same day it was announced that the album will be released in 2021. "Stop Making This Hurt", the third single, was released on May 18, 2021. Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night is scheduled for release on July 30.
Alma Mater
Bleachers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Test, test, test)
(Maybe, like, some of Jack's newer stuff)
(One, two, one, two, one, two)
She's my alma mater
Chasing lines all night
Smoking me outta sight
Threw her t-shirt down the pike
Screaming, "Fuck Balenciaga"
Right past the Wawa
Threw on "Heartattack and Vine"
As she alligator cries
Lana (I'll make it darker)
2003, sad all the time
(C'mon) point the headlights, flicker dear
Drive by the old house, go for a beer
We're on the green or the movie theatre
You're a movie to me, the way you move around me
She's my alma mater
Summer's getting hotter
Threw her t-shirt down the pike
Some dreams, I wake up thinkin' 'bout
Some dreams are meant to die
Kill Your Idols in the street outside in daylight
'Cause if we walk, we'll get high tonight
Shoulder to the wheel tonight
Joke about blowing town tonight
Until we drive past my alma mater
She's my alma mater
Chasing lines all night
Smoking me outta sight
Well, summer's getting hotter
Threw her t-shirt down the pike
(Screaming) "Fuck Balenciaga"
Right past the Wawa
Threw on "Heartattack and Vine"
As she alligator cries
Lana (I'll make it darker)
"Bleachers" is a project led by musician Jack Antonoff, and their song "Alma Mater" is a nostalgic and introspective exploration of youthful rebellion, lost dreams, and the allure of the past. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a rebellious, free-spirited girl who serves as the singer's alma mater – a metaphorical representation of their shared past and their connection to it.
The song begins with the line "She's my alma mater," indicating that the girl represents a significant part of the singer's personal history or formative experiences. As the lyrics unfold, we see that this girl engages in reckless behavior, "chasing lines all night" and being a source of excitement and escapism for the singer. The references to smoking and throwing t-shirts demonstrate a carefree and non-conformist attitude.
The chorus introduces the theme of nostalgia, with the singer reflecting on driving past their old house and going for a beer, highlighting the yearning to revisit familiar places and moments. The line "You're a movie to me, the way you move around me" suggests that this girl is like a captivating character in a movie, exerting a magnetic pull on the singer, keeping them intrigued and enthralled.
The second verse delves deeper into the dreams and aspirations that have faded away. The mention of waking up thinking about certain dreams and acknowledging that some dreams are meant to die reflects the realization that not all aspirations can be realized. The line "Kill Your Idols in the street outside in daylight" conveys a sense of disillusionment with former idols or inspirations and the need to confront reality.
Despite the acknowledgement of lost dreams, there is also a sense of determination and a desire to escape. The lines about getting high, joking about leaving town, and driving past the singer's alma mater suggest a longing for new experiences and the possibility of reinvention.
In conclusion, "Alma Mater" by Bleachers explores themes of nostalgia, rebellion, lost dreams, and the allure of the past. The singer's alma mater, embodied by a rebellious girl, represents their shared history and connection to their formative years. Through vivid imagery and introspective lyrics, the song captures the complexities of youthful experiences and the desire to break free from the past.
Line by Line Meaning
(Baby, I want ya)
I desire you
(Test, test, test)
Testing, confirming
(Maybe, like, some of Jack's newer stuff)
Possibly interested in Jack's recent work
(One, two, one, two, one, two)
Counting, preparing
She's my alma mater
She holds sentimental value like a college or university
Chasing lines all night
Seeking thrills or indulging in risky behavior
Smoking me outta sight
Overwhelming me or surpassing my expectations
Well, summer's getting hotter
The season is becoming more intense or eventful
Threw her t-shirt down the pike
Tossed her shirt aside with disregard
Screaming, 'Fuck Balenciaga'
Expressing frustration or defiance towards the Balenciaga brand
Right past the Wawa
Passing by a Wawa convenience store or location
Threw on 'Heartattack and Vine'
Played the song 'Heartattack and Vine' by Tom Waits
As she alligator cries
Crying intensely or passionately
Lana (I'll make it darker)
Referencing Lana Del Rey while expressing a desire for a more melancholic tone
2003, sad all the time
Emphasizing a year and a consistent feeling of sadness
(C'mon) point the headlights, flicker dear
Directing the headlights to flicker or flash
Drive by the old house, go for a beer
Passing by the previous residence and stopping for a drink
We're on the green or the movie theatre
Located on the golf course or at the cinema
You're a movie to me, the way you move around me
Perceiving the person as captivating or enchanting, like a film
Some dreams, I wake up thinkin' 'bout
Certain aspirations that frequently occupy my thoughts upon awakening
Some dreams are meant to die
Certain dreams are destined to fade or fail
Kill Your Idols in the street outside in daylight
Destroying or overcoming cherished figures or inspirations openly and boldly
'Cause if we walk, we'll get high tonight
Implying that staying in motion or being active will result in a pleasurable experience
Shoulder to the wheel tonight
Facing challenges or difficulties head-on tonight
Joke about blowing town tonight
Playfully discussing leaving or escaping the current location
Until we drive past my alma mater
Continuing onward until we pass the place that holds sentimental value to me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elizabeth Grant, Jack Michael Antonoff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind