Following a few scattered independent releases, done mostly on homemade CDs with hand-drawn art, VanGaalen released Infiniheart in 2004 on Canadian independent label Flemish Eye. Being a collection of songs selected from recordings made in his bedroom/makeshift studio, it was picked up in 2005 by indie label Sub Pop. In late 2005, the album was re-released with a bonus six-song EP entitled Green Beans.
On 22 August 2006, VanGaalen's second album, Skelliconnection, was released in the U.S. on Sub Pop and in Canada on Flemish Eye. The album comprised of new songs as well as tracks previously released on his earlier independent recordings and features exclusive artwork and videos made by VanGaalen. The album was named on the shortlist for the 2007 Polaris Music Prize.
VanGaalen's third studio album, Soft Airplane, was released 9 September 2008.
In 2009, VanGaalen released a full-length album "Snow Blindness is Crystal Antz" under the alias Black Mold.
In 2015, VanGaalen collaborated with Seth Smith of the indie rock band Dog Day on the album Seed of Dorzon.
Chad VanGaalen's Light Information, his sixth record on Sub Pop, was released on 8 September 2017.
As a visual artist, VanGaalen is known for his illustration and animation work. He has animated music videos for folks like J Mascis, Guster, and Holy Fuck.
Blood Machine
Chad VanGaalen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Buried deep underground
People had their hearts plugged in
To a giant machine that can circulate blood
Please, please, please
That's all they can say is
Please, please, please
From the blood machine
One of them explained to me
How they used to be free
Before the machines got built
And before there were laws regulating free will
Please, please, please
That's all they can say is
Please, please, please
Help us escape
From the blood machine
'Cause if one of us unplugs, everybody does
You gotta switch the thing off from the inside
They'll kill us all
They had cities built there
Buried deep underground
People had their hearts plugged in
To a giant machine that can circulate blood
Please, please, please
That's all they can say is
Please, please, please
Help us escape
From the blood machine
The song "Blood Machine" by Chad VanGaalen features lyrics that describe a dystopian world in which people's hearts are connected to a giant machine underground that circulates their blood. The people in this world are trapped and unable to escape without help from the outside. The repeated pleas of "Please, please, please" reinforce the desperate situation of the people, who are completely dependent on the blood machine to survive.
However, there is a glimmer of hope in the song, as one person explains to the singer that they used to be free before the machines were built and laws regulating free will were put in place. The idea of losing freedom and control is a recurring theme in dystopian literature, and this song speaks to the fear of being trapped in a system that we have no control over.
The lines, "'Cause if one of us unplugs, everybody does / You gotta switch the thing off from the inside / They'll kill us all" suggest that there is a possibility of escape, but it will require a coordinated effort from within. Despite the bleak situation, the song ends on a note of defiance, with the repeated plea for help to escape from the blood machine.
Line by Line Meaning
They had cities built there
A description of the setting of the scenario which is having cities built underground.
Buried deep underground
Justifying how the cities were made, they were dug deep into the ground.
People had their hearts plugged in
The people seemed to have been connected to something and the mention of hearts suggests that it has a strong sentimental significance.
To a giant machine that can circulate blood
The machine has a very significant purpose and that is to circulate blood and this explains why the hearts were plugged in.
Please, please, please
An urgent plea to help them escape from the blood machine; the usage of multiple 'please' suggests the desperation and struggle of the people trying to escape.
That's all they can say is
Their situation is helpless and hopeless that they can only say one thing, please help them.
Help us escape
The people are asking for help to escape the situation they're stuck in.
From the blood machine
A specific detail of what they are trying to escape from.
One of them explained to me
The scene changes and someone is now explaining the situation to the artist.
How they used to be free
There was a time when the people were free before they got stuck in the blood machine.
Before the machines got built
Clearly stating that they lived a life before the blood machine was built.
And before there were laws regulating free will
The machine may have been built due to regulations that restricted their free will.
Cause if one of us unplugs, everybody does
One person unplugging from the machine would have a domino effect on everyone connected to it.
You gotta switch the thing off from the inside
To stop the machine from hurting people, someone will have to go to the source, infiltrate it, and stop the machine from the inside.
They'll kill us all
They need to switch off the machine from the inside, otherwise everyone is at risk of dying from it.
Lyrics © Fintage House Publishing
Written by: CHAD VANGAALEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind