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.
Harvey Milk Shit On The Table
Crywank Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll hurt anyone I try to adore
I may be stretched out over your floor
But I want to open your mind and not your jaw
Did I make it too easy to hurt me?
Did I make it too easy to hurt me?
Did I make it too easy to hurt me?
They say that it happens
They say that nothing can be done
But how could I listen
When I was so in love?
I became your helpline
You'd tell me the things that he'd do
You'd fall apart over him
And I'd fall apart over you
Did I make it too easy to hurt me?
Did I make it too easy to hurt me?
Did I make it too easy to hurt me?
Because you didn't seem to struggle at all
The opening lines of the song "Harvey Milk Shit On The Table" by Crywank expresses the singer's inability to form a healthy relationship with others. The comparison to a cat who hasn't learned to use its claws suggests that the singer may have the capacity to cause harm unwittingly. The next line "I'll hurt anyone I try to adore" demonstrates the pain that the singer feels when they try to love someone.
The singer's vulnerability is highlighted in the next line, "I may be stretched out over your floor." This imagery paints the picture of a person who has given their all to someone, but it is not reciprocated. However, the singer's motive is not to be physically intimate with their lover, as "I want to open your mind and not your jaw." This reinforces the idea that the singer is looking for a deeper connection in a relationship.
The chorus of the song, "Did I make it too easy to hurt me?" is a rhetorical question that the singer asks themselves. The line is repeated three times, and each repetition emphasizes the burden of the singer's vulnerability. The final line, "Because you didn't seem to struggle at all," suggests that the singer's trust was taken for granted, and their vulnerability was not valued.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a cat who's not yet used to its claws
I am inexperienced in relationships and do not know my own strength. I may accidentally hurt those I try to love.
I'll hurt anyone I try to adore
Because of my lack of experience, I might unintentionally harm the people I care about.
I may be stretched out over your floor
I might appear vulnerable and submissive in front of you, however, I want to challenge your mindset and not be at your mercy.
But I want to open your mind and not your jaw
I desire to make you think about the world differently, and not just engage in physical intimacy.
Did I make it too easy to hurt me?
I question myself if I allowed myself to become too fragile, which made it effortless for you to cause me pain.
Because you didn't seem to struggle at all
It appears that you did not make any effort while causing me distress, which makes me question my naivety.
They say that it happens
Some people say that heartbreak is an inevitable part of life.
They say that nothing can be done
Some people believe that one cannot avoid heartbreak, regardless of how hard they try.
But how could I listen
Although others said that heartbreak is inevitable, I couldn't accept that fact.
When I was so in love?
I was deeply in love with you and couldn't imagine anything bad happening to us.
I became your helpline
You sought my comfort and advice with the struggles you faced in your relationship.
You'd tell me the things that he'd do
You confided in me about your partner's behavior that bothered you.
You'd fall apart over him
Your emotions would get the best of you when it came to dealing with your partner.
And I'd fall apart over you
I was so invested in you and your relationship that it devastated me to see you hurting.
Contributed by Layla T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.