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
I Laugh at Myself
Blue October Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the world for thinking that things could actually change.
Just like the old me you knew once before who
Almost destroyed and lost everything to this same damn thing.
I'm once again in my head, I'm way over my head
And I can't seem to find a place to put all this pain.
My hope is a fraud and I can't talk to God
I believed in the good of the world and now I'm just ashamed.
I want to drink 'cause I'm mad and I'm angry but I swore, I promised my wife that I wouldn't drink again.
There were so many chances I had that I wasted as time went on by that were never to be seen again.
And I never felt bad or guilty about moving on with my life but I could never move on from you in the end.
So I fight for love, come on break my heart.
In "I Laugh at Myself", Blue October's lead singer, Justin Furstenfeld, reflects on his past mistakes and struggles with addiction, regret, and his relationship with God. The opening lines, "This is the part where I laugh at myself and the world for thinking that things could actually change," suggest a sense of defeatism and a realization that change is not as easy as one may hope. The repetition of the phrase "the same damn thing" highlights the cyclical nature of his struggles with addiction and the frustration that comes with it.
Furstenfeld's admission that he's "once again in [his] head" and "way over [his] head" suggests a sense of overwhelm and being stuck in his own thoughts. His inability to find relief from his pain and his questioning of his belief in the good of the world also illustrates the extent of his despair. He further reveals his inner turmoil by acknowledging his desire to drink and the promises he made to his wife not to do so. The line, "And I never felt bad or guilty about moving on with my life but I could never move on from you in the end," suggests that his addiction caused him to miss out on opportunities and caused pain in his relationships. The final line, "So I fight for love, come on break my heart," speaks to his determination to fight for what he wants, even if it results in pain.
Overall, "I Laugh at Myself" is a deeply introspective song that touches on themes of addiction, regret, and the struggle to find hope and meaning in one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the part where I laugh at myself
I acknowledge my mistakes and understand the humor in my own misfortune.
And the world for thinking that things could actually change.
I am amused by the idea that anything in this world could truly change for the better.
Just like the old me you knew once before who Almost destroyed and lost everything to this same damn thing.
I have a history of self-destructive behavior that has caused me to lose everything I held dear.
I'm once again in my head, I'm way over my head And I can't seem to find a place to put all this pain.
My thoughts are consuming me and I feel overwhelmed by the pain I am experiencing.
My hope is a fraud and I can't talk to God I believed in the good of the world and now I'm just ashamed.
I no longer believe in the goodness of the world and I feel shame for once having such a naive perspective.
I want to drink 'cause I'm mad and I'm angry but I swore, I promised my wife that I wouldn't drink again.
Though I feel the urge to cope with alcohol, I have promised my wife that I would not drink again.
There were so many chances I had that I wasted as time went on by that were never to be seen again.
I've missed countless opportunities throughout my life as time passed by, and they have been lost forever.
And I never felt bad or guilty about moving on with my life but I could never move on from you in the end.
I don't feel bad about moving forward in my life, but I haven't been able to let go of someone from my past.
So I fight for love, come on break my heart.
I am willing to fight for love, even if it means risking heartbreak once again.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Justin Furstenfeld
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.