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
X-Amount of Words
Blue October Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Prevent trigger intent
Now drown
High strung
Say X amount of words
You're solar, bipolar
Panic disorder
Still you try to control it
You mold, you mold
Yeah you shape to mold
Oh you're bold you're bold
But your shape is bold
You're a symptom superficial
To what they call knowing you
Minus the speed,
Could you imagine the phobia?
Your brain is faulty wiring
the reason for tiring
Keep treating the curse,
Imagine the worst
Systematic, sympathetic
Quite pathetic, apologetic, paramedic
Your heart is prosthetic
A plate of quite peculiar
On a dish of my own
A tablespoon of feather
tickle me to the bone
Give me recipes for happy
with the chemicals gone
Drinking freedom from a bottle
to the tune of belong
I'm sick of shaking
never waking
from the hell I achieve
I never knew you till you left me
with the crying disease
Another curing, reassuring
way to buckle the knees
So mistreated, I repeated
Never blessing your sneeze
Now deleted and defeated
I will stand on my own
Yeah your memory that punches me
has broken the bone
Give me recipes for sorry
I'm admitting I'm wrong
Still your memory that punches me
has broken the bone
The lyrics to Blue October's song X-Amount of Words touch upon the struggles of mental illness, and specifically highlight the burdens of bipolar disorder and panic disorder. The song describes the experience of trying to control and manage these conditions, which are often unpredictable, exhausting, and overwhelming. The repeated refrain of "Say X amount of words" seemingly refers to the difficulty of communicating or articulating one's thoughts and feelings when grappling with these issues.
The lyrics are highly evocative, painting a vivid picture of the challenges and frustrations of living with mental illness. The references to "faulty wiring" and a "prosthetic heart" speak to the way in which mental illness can fundamentally alter one's sense of self, while lines like "Give me recipes for happy with the chemicals gone" and "Drinking freedom from a bottle" suggest the temptation of self-medication and the desire for relief from the pain.
Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the complexities of mental illness, and a testament to the resilience and determination of those living with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Relapse
Falling back into old patterns and behaviors
Prevent trigger intent
Stop the impulse to behave in a harmful way when presented with a triggering situation
Now drown
Feeling overwhelmed and suffocated by one's own thoughts and emotions
High strung
Being very tense, anxious, and reactive
Say X amount of words
Trying and failing to express oneself and communicate effectively
You're solar, bipolar
Having extreme mood swings between manic and depressive states
Panic disorder
Having intense and recurring panic attacks
Seems harder and harder and harder
Feeling like controlling one's emotions and behaviors becomes increasingly difficult
Still you try to control it
Despite the difficulty, trying to maintain some control and stability in one's life
You mold, you mold
Changing and adapting to different situations and people
Yeah you shape to mold
Continuously modifying oneself to fit in with others and society's expectations
Oh you're bold you're bold
Appearing confident and strong despite internal struggles
But your shape is bold
The outer appearance doesn't necessarily match the inner turmoil one feels
You're a symptom superficial
People only see the outward expressions of mental health issues without understanding the underlying causes
To what they call knowing you
Others think they understand what one is going through but are often misguided
Minus the speed,
If not for the benefits of medication
Could you imagine the phobia?
One can't even fathom how bad the mental illness would be without proper treatment
Your brain is faulty wiring
Mental health issues are caused by a malfunctioning brain
The reason for tiring
The constant struggle to control one's thoughts and emotions is exhausting
Keep treating the curse,
Continuing to work on and manage mental health issues like they're an affliction
Imagine the worst
Thinking about the worst-case scenarios
Systematic, sympathetic
Systematic, logical thinking combined with empathy for oneself and others
Quite pathetic, apologetic, paramedic
Feeling embarrassed and sorry for one's own struggles with mental health, like seeking help from a medical professional
Your heart is prosthetic
Feeling like one's emotions aren't genuine, but rather a product of medical intervention or fake
A plate of quite peculiar
In a state of confusion and feeling like an outsider
On a dish of my own
In one's own world, separate from others
A tablespoon of feather
Small things can bring joy and happiness, like the sensation of something gentle like feathers
tickle me to the bone
Enjoying something so much it gives one a full-body sensation of pleasure
Give me recipes for happy
Actively seeking ways to achieve happiness
with the chemicals gone
Not relying on medication to feel happy
Drinking freedom from a bottle
Using alcohol or other substances to numb emotional pain and feel free
to the tune of belong
Incorporating group identity and belonging into one's method of coping with mental illness
I'm sick of shaking
Being fed up with feeling out of control
never waking
Feeling like one is living in a dream or nightmare and can't break free
from the hell I achieve
Feeling like one's life has become a living nightmare due to one's own actions or mental illness
I never knew you till you left me
Only realizing the importance of someone or something once it's gone
with the crying disease
Feeling overwhelmed with sadness and unable to stop crying due to the pain of loss or mental illness
Another curing, reassuring
Finding comfort in another coping mechanism, such as therapy or medication
way to buckle the knees
Bringing one to their breaking point emotionally
So mistreated, I repeated
Feeling like one is being punished and the cycle of negative thoughts and emotions continues
Never blessing your sneeze
Never receiving any good fortune or luck despite trying to improve one's situation
Now deleted and defeated
Feeling like one's self-worth has been erased and that they are helpless against their mental illness
I will stand on my own
Despite feeling defeated, one is determined to keep going and find strength within themselves
Yeah your memory that punches me
Thoughts and memories of someone who has hurt or abandoned one feel like physical blows
has broken the bone
The emotional pain is debilitating and feels like it has caused physical harm
Give me recipes for sorry
Trying to find a way to apologize for one's actions or mistakes
I'm admitting I'm wrong
Taking responsibility for one's actions and trying to make amends
Still your memory that punches me
The pain of memories from an ended relationship or lost loved one still feels fresh and intense
has broken the bone
The emotional pain is both intense and debilitating
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JUSTIN S 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.