After forming in 2009, Broken Bells released their eponymous debut studio album, Broken Bells, in March 2010. Released to positive critical reception, Broken Bells was a success critically and commercially, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Billboard album chart, and appearing in the top 20 in Australia, Canada and Denmark. The album also appeared at #126 on the Billboard Hot 100 End-year chart for 2010. Two singles were released during the album's cycle. "The High Road", released in 2009 and featuring the Broken Bells track of the same name, peaked at #10 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, which is the highest peak by the band on the chart so far, and was certified Gold in Canada by Music Canada. "The Ghost Inside", also featuring the eponymous Broken Bells track and "Meyrin Fields", was released in 2010. The band also released an extended play during the album's cycle in 2011, entitled Meyrin Fields.
Alongside space pop, Broken Bells leans into "sparkling [and] dense" folk rock. Baroque pop flourishes feature highly, from "Mongrel Heart"'s mariachi trumpet to the Beach Boys-recalling vocals of "Your Head Is On Fire".
In addition to the standard edition of the album, a deluxe version was released, designed as a music box. When opened, it played a track titled "The Overture," which wasn't included on the album. The box also contained stickers, posters, lobby cards and a leather book.
The High Road
Broken Bells/BROKEN BELLS Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's bound to run amok
Invested enough in it anyhow
To each his own
The Garden's sorting out
She curls her lips on the bow
I don't know if I'm dead or not
To anyone
Come on and get the minimum
Before you open up your eyes
This army has so many heads
To analyze
Come on and get your overdose
Collect it at the borderline
And they want to get up in your head
'Cause they know and so do I
The high road is hard to find
A detour to your new life
Tell all of your friends goodbye
The dawn to end all nights
That's all we hoped it was
A break from the warfare in your house
To each his own
A soldier is bailing out
He curled his lips on the barrel
And I don't know if the dead can talk
To anyone
Come on and get the minimum
Before you open up your eyes
This army has so many hands
Are you one of us?
Come on and get your overdose
Collect it at the borderline
And they want to get up in your head
'Cause they know and so do I
The high road is hard to find
A detour to your new life
Tell all of your friends goodbye
It's too late to change your mind
You let loss be your guide
It's too late to change your mind
You let loss be your guide
It's too late to change your mind (it's too late to change your mind)
You let loss be your guide
It's too late to change your mind (it's too late to change your mind)
You let loss be your guide
The lyrics of "The High Road" by Broken Bells are open to interpretation, but they seem to describe someone who is struggling with addiction and is unable to find their way out. The first verse suggests a sense of waiting and uncertainty, with "we" and "she" representing perhaps the addict and their loved ones. The line "Invested enough in it anyhow" could refer to the emotional investment that the loved ones have made in the addict, or it could mean that the addict has invested so much in their addiction that they cannot give it up easily.
The second verse seems to speak more directly to addiction, with references to an "army" and an overdose. The line "And they want to get up in your head" suggests that the addiction has taken on a life of its own and is controlling the person's thoughts and actions. The chorus repeats the idea that the high road (i.e. sobriety or recovery) is difficult to find and that it requires leaving old friends and ways of life behind.
The final verse is perhaps the most poignant, describing a soldier who is dying by suicide. The lines "He curled his lips on the barrel/And I don't know if the dead can talk to anyone" suggest that the soldier is shooting himself, and that even in death he may be unable to communicate with those who love him or understand his pain. The repeated refrain "It's too late to change your mind" drives home the message that addiction and other forms of mental illness can be deadly and that intervention must happen sooner rather than later.
Line by Line Meaning
We're bound to wait all night
We have nothing to do except waiting all night for something.
She's bound to run amok
She is going to behave in a wild and uncontrolled way.
Invested enough in it anyhow
We have already put enough effort into it, regardless of the outcome.
To each his own
Everyone has their own preferences and opinions.
The Garden's sorting out
The situation is being resolved by itself, without interference.
She curls her lips on the bow
She is expressing contemptuous anger or dissatisfaction.
I don't know if I'm dead or not
I am uncertain about my current state of existence.
To anyone
It doesn't matter to anyone else but me.
Come on and get the minimum
Get the basic essentials before doing anything else.
Before you open up your eyes
Before you become aware of what's really going on.
This army has so many heads
There are many different people or opinions involved in this situation.
To analyze
To study or examine closely for better understanding.
Come on and get your overdose
Take more than you should, beyond the normal limit.
Collect it at the borderline
Obtain it from the edge or limit of what is acceptable.
And they want to get up in your head
They want to control your thoughts and manipulate you.
'Cause they know and so do I
They understand the situation, and I do too.
The high road is hard to find
It's difficult to do the right thing or make the best decision.
A detour to your new life
A different path that leads to a new beginning.
Tell all of your friends goodbye
Leave your past behind, and move on without your old friends.
The dawn to end all nights
The end of a long and dark period.
That's all we hoped it was
That's all we wanted and expected it to be.
A break from the warfare in your house
An interruption from the conflict or struggle within your home/relationships.
A soldier is bailing out
Someone is withdrawing from a difficult situation or giving up in a fight.
He curled his lips on the barrel
He expressed disdain or disgust with the weapon he's holding.
And I don't know if the dead can talk
I'm unsure if those who have passed away can communicate with the living.
It's too late to change your mind
It's impossible to alter the course of events at this stage.
You let loss be your guide
You are being lead by your previous failures or disappointments.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Brian Joseph Burton, James Russell Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Gonzo69batz
+Fuschiababe We're bound to wait all night
She's bound to run amok
Invested enough in it anyhow,
To each his own...
The Garden needs sorting out
She curls her lips on the bow
And I don't know if I'm dead or not
To anyone...
Come on and get the minimum
Before you open up your eyes,
This army has so many heads
To analyze...
Come on and get your overdose
Collect it at the borderline
And they want to get up in your head...
[Chorus:]
Cause they know and so do I
The high road is hard to find
A detour to your new life
Tell all of your friends goodbye
The dawn to end all nights
That's all we hoped it was
A break form the warfare in your house
To each his own...
A soldier is bailing out
He curled his lips on the barrel
And I don't know if the dead can talk
To anyone...
Come on and get the minimum
Before you open up your eyes
This army has so many hands
Are you one of us?
Come on and get your overdose
Collect it at the borderline
And they want to get up in your head
[Chorus:]
Cause they know and so do I
The high road is hard to find
A detour to your new life
Tell all of your friends goodbye
It's too late to change your mind
You let loss be your guide...
It's too late to change your mind
You let loss be your guide...
It's too late to change your mind
You let loss be your guide...
It's too late to change your mind
You let loss be your guide...
@joshpalmertree2256
I jammed this when it came out. Nonstop. I forgot about it My son and his mother were killed in a car accident. I was driving to Arkansas where my son caught his last fish of his 4 year life. This song came on and it made sense to me. Miss you Christian and Jen
@seikousanneh6673
im sorry for your loss it also reminds me of what and who I've lost
@LuisEduardoMonteiro8
Meus sentimentos, parceiro 🇧🇷❤️ juro que não entendo essas coisas da vida que acontece. Você não merecia isso. Um dia você os encontrará novamente 🙏🏼
@naysebtc
❤️👊
@strangewayfaringstranger
Damn, that's hard. I'm sorry.
@Pickmans_Model
Such a great tune never gets old… my deepest condolences…❤
@urbanasupernova562
I honestly cannot believe how good this song is.
@mikev8797
UrbanaSupernovA needs work
@ohraider
Your profile pic reminds me of the Canada Goose logo
@dunzodonalds
@@mikev8797 i'm on the floor