Dear Miss Lonelyhearts, which features the rollicking, energetic single "Miracle Mile," is Cold War Kids' first release with former Modest Mouse and Murder City Devils guitarist Dann Gallucci, who also handled its production alongside Lars Stalfors.
"We were shaken up, ready to let certain songs go further than before by trying new styles and arrangements, while keeping others sparse and caring more about the finished product and less about how we got there," explains frontman Nathan Willet about the ten-track album, which was recorded at the band's private studio in San Pedro, CA.
Cold War Kids are from Los Angeles, CA.
Hospital Beds
Cold War Kids Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some just whine and complain
In bed at the hospital
Coming and going
Asleep and awake
In bed at the hospital
Of how you ended up here
I've heard it all in the hospital
Nurses are fussin'
Doctors on tour
Somewhere in India
I got one friend
Laying across from me
I did not choose him
He did not choose me
We got no chance of recovery
Sharing hospital, joy and misery
The joy and misery, the joy and misery
Put out the fire boys, don't stop don't stop
Put out the fire on us
Put out the fire boys, don't stop don't stop
Put out the fire on us
Bring your buckets by the dozens
Bring your nieces and your cousins
Come put out the fire on us
Vietnam fishing trips
Italian opera
Vietnam fishing trips
Italian opera
I got one friend laying across from me
I did not choose him, he did not choose me
We've got no chance of recovery
Sharing hospital joy and misery
The joy and misery
The joy and misery
The joy, the joy, the joy, misery
Put out the fire boys, don't stop don't stop
Put out the fire on us
Put out the fire boys, don't stop don't stop
Put out the fire on us
Bring your buckets by the dozens
Bring your nieces and your cousins
Come put out the fire on us
The lyrics to Cold War Kids' song "Hospital Beds" paint a vivid picture of what it's like to be stuck in a hospital, with nothing to do and nowhere to go. The opening line sets the tone, as the singer laments that "there's nothing to do here." He observes that some of the other patients "just whine and complain," while he himself is "in bed at the hospital." The refrain "In bed at the hospital" is repeated several times throughout the song, underscoring the sense of confinement and powerlessness.
The lyrics go on to describe a number of different experiences that the singer is having while he's stuck in the hospital. He talks about coming and going, being asleep and awake, and hearing others tell their stories of how they ended up there. There are nurses and doctors bustling about, and even a reference to a doctor who's on tour somewhere in India. The singer has one friend in the hospital with him, but it's clear that they're both in a hopeless situation. They "got no chance of recovery," and are simply sharing in the "hospital joy and misery."
Despite the bleakness of the subject matter, there's a sense of urgency and defiance in the song's final lines. The repeated refrain "Put out the fire boys, don't stop don't stop, put out the fire on us" seems to suggest that the singer and his friend are fighting for survival and pleading for help. The idea that people should "Bring your buckets by the dozens, bring your nieces and your cousins" is a call to arms, a reminder that we all need to come together in order to put out the fires that threaten to engulf us.
Line by Line Meaning
There's nothing to do here
The hospital is a dull and lifeless place.
Some just whine and complain
Many patients do nothing but complain about their situation.
In bed at the hospital
Patients are stuck in their beds while receiving treatment.
Coming and going
People are constantly entering and leaving the hospital.
Asleep and awake
Patients alternate between sleeping and being awake depending on their treatment schedule.
In bed at the hospital
Patients spend a lot of time resting in their hospital beds.
Tell me the story
The singer is asking a patient how they ended up in the hospital.
Of how you ended up here
The singer wants to hear the patient's story about how they ended up in the hospital.
I've heard it all in the hospital
The singer has heard many similar stories from other patients in the hospital.
Nurses are fussin'
The nurses are busy taking care of patients.
Doctors on tour
The doctors are busy with other patients or gone on rounds.
Somewhere in India
The singer is using this phrase to express how distant and far away the doctors seem.
I got one friend
The singer has one other patient in the room with them.
Laying across from me
The other patient is in a bed across from the singer.
He did not choose me
The two patients did not choose to be roommates.
We got no chance of recovery
The patients believe they have no chance of getting better.
Sharing hospital, joy and misery
The patients are sharing a hospital experience that is both sad and depressing yet still has moments of human connection.
Put out the fire boys, don't stop don't stop
The fire is a metaphor for the patients' suffering and they want the staff to do everything they can to help them recover.
Put out the fire on us
The singer is asking the staff to help them recover and reduce their suffering.
Bring your buckets by the dozens
The singer is asking for help from anyone who can offer it.
Bring your nieces and your cousins
The singer is asking for help from anyone and everyone, even extended family members.
Come put out the fire on us
The singer reiterates that he wants the hospital staff and everyone else to do their best to help the patients recover.
Vietnam fishing trips
This phrase is used to describe the randomness of thoughts that come to mind while stuck in a hospital bed.
Italian opera
This phrase is another example of the randomness of thoughts the singer has while in the hospital.
The joy and misery
Life in the hospital involves both positive and negative experiences, hence the mix of joy and misery.
The joy, the joy, the joy, misery
The hospital experience is primarily one of suffering, with brief moments of happiness or joy scattered throughout.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Jonathan Bo Russell, Matthew Cole Aveiro, Matthew Scott Maust, Nathan Andrew Willett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nikosnikolas1205
There's nothing to do here
Some just whine and complain
In bed at the hospital
Coming and going
Asleep and awake
In bed at the hospital
Tell me the story
Of how you ended up here
I've heard it all in the hospital
Nurses are fussin'
Doctors on tour
Somewhere in India
I got one friend
Laying across from me
I did not choose him
He did not choose me
We got no chance of recovery
Sharing hospital, joy and misery
The joy and misery, the joy and misery
Put out the fire boys, don't stop don't stop
Put out the fire on us
Put out the fire boys, don't stop don't stop
Put out the fire on us
Bring your buckets by the dozens
Bring your nieces and your cousins
Come put out the fire on us
Vietnam fishing trips
Italian opera
Vietnam fishing trips
Italian opera
I got one friend laying across from me
I did not choose him, he did not choose me
We've got no chance of recovery
Sharing hospital joy and misery
The joy and misery
The joy and misery
The joy, the joy, the joy, misery
Put out the fire boys, don't stop don't stop
Put out the fire on us
Put out the fire boys, don't stop don't stop
Put out the fire on us
Bring your buckets by the dozens
Bring your nieces and your cousins
Come put out the fire on us
@johnmcgahon9917
I remember listening to this song as a 17 year year old in 2008, stills hits the same in 2023!
@ChelseaAusen-dd7te
Dude literally me too ... For a long time I couldn't bring myself to listen to this song without balling like a baby. I'm really glad I started listening to it again.
@Numptyspooon
I find myself In hospital beds more than I'd like to. This song always come to mind, helps me get through things.
@BigShree
still there?
@Numptyspooon
@@BigShree Back in 2014 I was battling demons and eating disorders galore. Self harm and hospital bedd were my standard. I can safely say that I’m happily married with a 1 year old and now haven’t been at my worst in 2 years. It’s not ideal, and I have my days/weeks. But its better. And those hospital beds? There. But the fires are nearly out.
@345345345rtrt
Whole album takes me bad. Sorry to hear about your distress.
@jakelemons5760
Yep. I'm in the E.R. right now.
@shadowpupp3t81
https://youtu.be/mzOU7PfKjg4
@AlexBerish
I haven't heard this song in a good 6 years but it just came up on an old playlist I rediscovered today.
I'm really happy I found this band again tonight.
@littlebignuts02
love it when this happens ;) re enjoy Bro :)