Crywank started in 2009 with Jay Clayton attempting to do some folk-punk influenced acoustic music with no previous experience playing guitar. The first album "James is going to die soon" was inspired by a painful break up. Jay stated that "I wrote these songs out of frustration and sadness and they ended up making me feel a lot better, I hope they have a similar effect on you".
In 2012 Crywank released their second album 'Narcissist On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown'. Described as "a collection of paranoid songs mostly about me trying to understand my own sadness along with the concept of sadness as a whole. It was fueled by self help books and pot."
In late 2012 Dan Watson joined Crywank on percussion, and in early 2013 they released tour demos for their third album 'Tomorrow Is Nearly Yesterday And Everyday Is Stupid' which was released in October 2013.
In 2016 Jay and Dan began couch surfing to afford to be able to tour as much as possible. Over the next four years they performed over 500 shows in over 30 countries and released four albums.
Crywank announced their breakup following a world tour in 2019, alongside the album ‘fist me til your hand comes out my mouth’’ a huge departure in sound and the first release to include songwriting from Dan and explained the tense relationship between Jay and Dan that had developed over the years on the road.
Their breakup tour was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic and the North American and European dates had to be rescheduled numerous times. During this time Jay was in a house fire, which led to the release of a solo Crywank album ‘Just Popping In To Say Hi’ that was written and recorded over three days.
Between 2022-2023 Crywank managed to continue their final tour and performed 100 shows in the USA and over 50 shows in the UK and Ireland, often with bass player Jules Noel (AKA Guard Petal). In 2024 it was announced that Crywank will no longer be breaking up and Jules would be joining the band.
The name Crywank comes from reclaiming a cruel nickname given to Jay during a period of depression. Jay has since said that if they knew how popular the band would have become they probably would’ve chosen a different name.
Blood
Crywank Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, the blood; it will not dry
So instead we are trained
To just roll our eyes
The blood; it will not dry
Oh, the blood; it will not dry
So instead we are trained
To just roll our eyes
This is not a call for guilt
This is just a request for respect
The blood may not be on our hands
But we sleep in their beds
Oh we sleep in their beds
Oh we sleep in their beds
We are told not to live in the past
But some things must not be forgotten
We can outlast, but what′s done is cast
And privileges are ill-gotten
Privileges are ill-gotten
And privileges are ill-gotten
The blood; it will not dry
Oh, the blood; it does not dry
So instead we are trained
To just roll our eyes
The opening lines of Crywank's song Blood paint a vivid picture of the pervasive nature of violence and the lasting impact it has on the psyche. The repetition of the line "the blood; it will not dry" emphasizes the persistence of trauma and the fact that it cannot be easily forgotten or swept under the rug. The artist goes on to suggest that society is conditioned to dismiss or trivialize the significance of such violence both as a coping mechanism and as a means of absolving themselves from responsibility. The line "so instead we are trained to just roll our eyes" evokes the notion that we have become desensitized to atrocities and are no longer even acknowledging them, let alone actively working to prevent them.
Despite acknowledging that the guilt for the violent acts committed may not necessarily be our own, the artist urges for compassion and empathy towards victims of violence. The sentiment behind the line "This is not a call for guilt / This is just a request for respect" is that we shouldn't feel guilty for what has happened, but we should still have the basic human decency to acknowledge the pain and suffering of others. The line "But we sleep in their beds" adds to this idea of connection to the victims and the responsibility that comes with it. It could be interpreted as a metaphor for how we are all interconnected and the consequences of violence inevitably seep into all areas of our lives.
The final lines of the song "The blood; it will not dry / So instead we are trained to just roll our eyes" are a true testament to the message of this powerful song. As a society, we must acknowledge the dark legacy of violence that we live with, and must proactively work towards preventing any further trauma. Rolling our eyes simply will not suffice.
Line by Line Meaning
The blood; it will not dry
The pain and hurt caused by past events will never truly fade away.
Oh, the blood; it will not dry
Reinforcing the idea that the impact of past events will always affect us.
So instead we are trained
Over time we learn to cope with our pain in a certain way.
To just roll our eyes
We may dismiss our anguish or ignore the pain of others simply to avoid the discomfort.
This is not a call for guilt
The song is not intended to make anyone feel guilty for past wrongdoings.
This is just a request for respect
Rather, it is a plea for compassion and understanding towards those who have been affected by past events.
The blood may not be on our hands
We may feel that we are not personally responsible for the pain of others.
But we sleep in their beds
But we are still affected by the aftermath of past events in our daily lives.
We are told not to live in the past
Society encourages us to move forward and forget about past traumas.
But some things must not be forgotten
However, the song argues that certain events and their impact can never be erased from memory and must not be ignored.
We can outlast, but what's done is cast
We may be able to endure the pain, but the damage and its effects cannot be undone.
And privileges are ill-gotten
Furthermore, the song suggests that certain privileges and benefits we enjoy today come at the expense of others.
The blood; it will not dry
Repeating the opening line to emphasize the lasting impact of past events.
Oh, the blood; it does not dry
Strengthening the idea that the wounds caused by past traumas remain fresh and raw.
So instead we are trained
Reiterating the point that society conditions us to deal with our emotions in a certain way to avoid the pain of the past.
To just roll our eyes
Concluding with an expression of frustration with the way society handles pain and trauma; we are left with nothing but indifference and dismissal as coping mechanisms.
Writer(s): James William Clayton
Contributed by Hailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.