It may get a little confusing, but California Wives, hailing from Chicago, … Read Full Bio ↴It may get a little confusing, but California Wives, hailing from Chicago, USA, is the newest conglomerate of new wave pop servants to hit the colorful concrete streets of the city’s music scene, and is making waves in their short existence under a moniker that would have you expecting something much different. But given that their music has been compared to the revival of legendary new wave glory - think of New Order’s synth-pop mixed with the rock elements of Prince, and back boned with guitar riffs reminiscent of The Police - Jayson Kramer (vocals, keys, guitar), Dan Zima (vocals, bass, guitar), Joe O’Connor (drums) and Hans Michel (guitar, keys) don’t mind the confusion, as long as they can help breathe new life into music genres that have been around longer than they have.

Forming in 2009, after original band members, Zima, O’Connor, and Michel, realized they needed to cover new ground, Kramer suddenly brought his love of electronic music into an already talented core of musicianship that completed the foursome, and blended all of their influences into one cohesive idea.

Fanning the flames after recording and releasing dance-pop love child, “EL 84” in early 2009, California Wives’ self-recorded 4-track EP No. 8 dropped only a few months later, reinforcing the foursome that they were on the right track with songs such as the bass-grooving “True Blue” and the vibrant pop single “Bibles & Wires.” Later that fall, the group released the synth-tastic “Twenty Three”, which became the band’s hottest single to date. Now on the verge of releasing their much anticipated September 3 EP, Affair, recorded at Gravity Studios, and mixed at Chicago’s famed Engine Music Studios -whose artists include Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Iron and Wine- Affair displays California Wives’ all-around musical dexterity that boasts flanking guitar and glimmering keys, with ever-so-clever lyricism, in tracks “Blood Red Youth”,“Guilt”, Photolights”, “Purple”, and a brand new version of “Twenty Three”.

For booking and other information, contact californiawives@gmail.com

Blood Red Youth
California Wives Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

With the television

now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth

when your information's out
and your head's full of light
and they serve you a drink
like you hope they might
and when you bring it down,
bring it down
since it's raining and fog
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth

now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth

now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red

in your blood red
in your blood red

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of California Wives's song Blood Red Youth are fairly abstract but there are a few key themes at play. The repeated phrase "now what those people did to you in your blood red youth" hints at some sort of traumatic experience in the past that is still affecting the singer. In the first verse, the "looking glass" suggests that perhaps the singer is reflecting on this past trauma, while the "hand of a liar" could be interpreted as the people who caused the trauma or as the singer blaming themselves for what happened. The second verse seems to suggest that the singer is trying to distract themselves from the trauma with vices like alcohol ("they serve you a drink like you hope they might") and television.

The chorus of the song is particularly powerful, with the repeated line "now what those people did to you in your blood red youth" sounding like a cathartic release of pent-up emotion. The use of the phrase "blood red youth" also adds to the sense of violence and trauma, as it suggests that something terrible happened to the singer at a young age. Overall, the song seems to be exploring themes of trauma, addiction, and escapism, and the lyrics are open to a range of interpretations.

Line by Line Meaning

Looking through the looking glass
Reflecting on past events

In the hand of a liar
Being deceived by someone

You well read sick offend
Others may be offended by your intelligence or knowledge

But later call men a liar
Accusing others of lying

And while you sweet talk,
Flattering others with charm

You kiss and tell who can handle
Sharing secrets only with trustworthy individuals

You keep your face well lit
Presenting a positive image of oneself

With the television
Using media as a distraction

now what those people did to you
Repeated questioning of traumatic past experiences

in your blood red youth
Referring to a young age of trauma

when your information's out
When your private information is uncovered

and your head's full of light
Feeling enlightened or hopeful

and they serve you a drink
Accepting an invitation or offering from others

like you hope they might
Expecting a favorable outcome from a situation

and when you bring it down,
Experiencing a letdown or disappointment

since it's raining and fog
Describing unfavorable weather conditions

now what those people did to you
Continued questioning of past experiences

in your blood red youth
Referring to traumatic experience(s) from young age

now what those people did to you
Asking about actions of others towards the person

in your blood red youth
Referring to traumatic event(s) from the person's youth

now what those people did to you
Reiterating questions about past events

in your blood red youth
Describing traumatic experiences at a young age

now what those people did to you
Asking about actions of others towards the person

in your blood red youth
Referring to past trauma that happened at a young age

now what those people did to you
Asking repeatedly about past events

in your blood red youth
Referring to the traumatic experiences of the person at a young age

now what those people did to you
Continuously questioning about the past

in your blood red youth
Referring to a time of traumatic event(s) at a young age

in your blood red
Referring to the traumatic events of the past

in your blood red
Reiterating that the past was traumatic

in your blood red
Describing the intensity of the past trauma

Writer(s): Jayson Frank Kramer, Hans Joseph Michel, Joseph John O'connor, Daniel Albert Zima Copyright: Vagrant Records Publishing

Contributed by Charlotte H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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TRACKS

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01Blood Red Youth4:18

PT4M18S

California Wives

02Tokyo3:51

03Marianne4:15

04The Fisher King3:58

10The New Process3:55

11Light Year4:33

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Zakertfer

5y↑1

Looking through the looking glass
In the hand of a liar
You well read sick offend
But later call men a liar
And while you sweet talk,
You sweet talk
You kiss and tell who can handle
You keep your face well lit
With the television

now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth

when your information's out
and your head's full of light
and they serve you a drink
like you hope they might
and when you bring it down,
bring it down
since it's raining and fog
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth

now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth

now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red youth
now what those people did to you
in your blood red
in your blood red
in your blood red