Current members of Blue October include Justin Furstenfeld (lead vocals), Ryan Delahoussaye (violin/viola, mandolin, keyboards, and vocals), Jeremy Furstenfeld (drums, percussion), Matt Noveskey (bass guitar) and Will Knaak (guitar).
Popularized by their platinum-certified album Foiled (2006), which features the hit singles “Hate Me” and “Into the Ocean,” the group has continued to evolve… shifting from a far more pensive sound to one that is more optimistic and reflective of lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Justin Furstenfeld’s transformation—which will also be the focus of his soon-to-be-released documentary film, I Want It.
Once known for their stormy dynamic and self-destructive tendencies, Blue October couldn’t be more distinct from the band it once was, which is why their latest studio album, I Hope You’re Happy, looks to push the envelope even further with a whole new approach. Justin Furstenfeld is quoted as saying "I think Blue October should never be limited to the instruments we have in the band. I’m always about bringing in whoever can play what’s best for the song in. I’m also a huge fan of Peter Gabriel, and if you were to him all you can have is a guitarist a bassist and a drummer, he’d go “what?!” That’s how I feel. We took all the tools we had gotten from working all these kinds of people over the twenty-year span and made a really good album and we’re super proud of it. It’s nice and colorful and positive and universally themed. It’s something you can really sink your teeth into and not get sick of. You can always discover little new secrets about it along the way."
Their latest album, I Hope You're Happy, was released on August 17, 2018 on the band's own Up/Down Records label and was produced by Justin Furstenfeld and engineer Eric Holtz.
Previous band members have included Liz Mulally, Brant Coulter, Dwayne Casey, Piper Dagnino, Julian Mandrake, CB Hudson and Matthew Ostrander.
Blue October has an official site www.blueoctober.com/.
For the British band, please see Blue October UK
01 You make me smile
Blue October Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the end
When touching the edge of her skin
(Edge of her skin)
Once so hard to speak now so easy to play around
Catching your eye you know
That eye that slapped you in your face
Well, how do you say I was hypnotized
Hypnotized
My words, they pour
Like children to the playground
Children to the playground
You make me smile
Some kind of light at the end
Stoned, forgetful, and then
I'm drinking what used to be sin and touching the edge of her skin
Could you be the one that's not afraid to look me in the eye?
I swear I would collapse if I would tell how I think you fell
From the sky
My words, they pour
Like children to the playground
Children to the playground
You make me smile
Some kind of light at the end
Stoned, forgetful, and then
I'm drinking what used to be sin and touching the edge of her skin
There's some kind of light at the end
Stoned, forgetful, and then
I'm drinking what used to be sin and touching the edge of her skin
It's the feeling I get
My palms with sweat
Like some kind of daydream I'll never forget
I'm stuck in this spin
Why does it begin
By touching the edge of her skin
It's the feeling I get
My palms with sweat
Like some kind of daydream I'll never forget
I'm stuck in this spin
Why does it begin
By touching the edge of her skin
There's some kind of light at the end
Stoned, forgetful, and then
I'm drinking what used to be sin and touching the edge of her skin
There's some kind of light at the end
Stoned, forgetful, and then
I'm drinking what used to be sin and touching the edge of her skin
Wow, oh, wow, oh, wow, oh, oh, oh, ah
Wow, oh, wow, oh, wow, oh, oh
Wow, oh, wow, oh, wow, oh, oh, oh, ah
Wow, oh, wow, oh, wow, oh, oh
The lyrics to Blue October's song "You make me smile" depict a love-struck narrator who's been mesmerized by someone who brings a ray of light into his life. He describes the feeling of touching the edge of her skin and being hypnotized by her presence. He finds it easy to be around her, and his words flow out effortlessly when he's with her. The song is an ode to the butterflies and excitement that come with falling in love, while also acknowledging the fear and hesitance that may accompany it.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase, "You make me smile," emphasizing the joy and happiness the singer feels when he's with this person. He describes feeling like he's in a daydream that he'll never forget, and his palms sweat with anticipation.
Overall, the lyrics are poetic and romantic, expressing the passion and intensity of falling in love. They capture the giddiness and nervousness that come with being enamored with someone, making "You make me smile" a relatable and catchy tune.
Line by Line Meaning
Some kind of light
At the end
I'm touching
The edge of her skin
The singer feels a glimmer of hope and excitement, as they are on the brink of physical intimacy with another person.
Once so hard to speak
Now so easy to play around
Catching your eye you know
That eye that slapped you in your face
And called you a puppy
Well how do you say
I was hypnotized
Hypnotized
The singer is amazed by the sudden change in their relationship with the other person. They used to struggle to communicate, but now they are playful with each other. When the other person first caught their eye, they were taken aback and felt humiliated, but now they are completely entranced by them.
My words, they pour
Like children to the playground
Children to the playground
You make me smile
The singer feels a flood of words coming out of them whenever they are around the other person, as though they are kids running to a playground. The other person makes them happy and brings a smile to their face.
There's some kind of light at the end
Stoned, forgetful, and then
I'm drinking what used to be sin
And touching the edge of her skin
The artist feels a sense of anticipation and intoxication as they approach physical intimacy with the other person. They are drinking alcohol and feel reckless, but also excited and alive.
And could you be the one that's not afraid
To look me in the eyes
I swear I would collapse
If I would tell how I think you fell
From the sky
The artist wonders if the other person is the only one who can truly see them, and if they are in love with them. They feel like they would crumble if they were to admit how deeply they care for the other person.
It's the feeling I get
My palms with sweat
Like some kind of daydream
I'll never forget
I'm stuck in this spin
Why does it begin
By touching the edge of her skin
The singer is overwhelmed by the intensity of their feelings for the other person. They feel like they are caught in a dream that they never want to wake up from, and that they will always remember this moment. They don't understand why their love for the other person began with a simple touch, but they know that it is real.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JUSTIN S FURSTENFELD, WILLIAM MATTHEW NOVESKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BlizzardBeaches
on Congratulations
Spent many nights in 2006 crying myself to sleep listening to this song from Blue October's Foiled album. Although different than the interpreted mean, It helped me realize that often times a relationship is dead long before it's over.