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.
Thomas Saunders Gang Chant
Crywank Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I die a little inside
I'm not ready for this
No, not this time
She's my lucky charm but I'm a stranger again
I'm making you unamused and losing old friends
If I thought that this could get any better
I would'a waited, I would'a waited here
I would'a waited here
But
Our hearts don't race they beat in time
And the rest of our organs sing
"You are mine, you are mine, you are mine."
Our hearts don't race they beat in time
And the rest of our organs sing
"You are mine, you are mine tonight."
Don't
Look at me that way
i'm just tryna come to terms with everything that's new
And I know it's so weak
But
I've rid of myself, oh
Our hearts don't race they beat in time
And the rest of our organs sing
"You are mine, you are mine, you are mine."
Our hearts don't race they beat in time
And the rest of our organs sing
"You are mine, you are mine tonight"
My name is Casablanca
And I'm practically alone
I'd like to say
I gave you away
But we both know you were stole
By a stone
The lyrics of Crywank's song "Thomas Saunders Gang Chant" are a reflection of the singer's internal struggle as they navigate a new romantic relationship. The opening line of "She shakes my hand and I die a little inside" highlights the singer's anxiety and discomfort in this new situation. The line "I'm making you unamused and losing old friends" hints at the singer's fear of how their actions may negatively impact not only their new relationship but also their previous friendships.
The chorus of the song, "Our hearts don't race, they beat in time, and the rest of our organs sing 'you are mine, you are mine, you are mine,'" suggests a sense of contentment with the new found romance. But, the singer acknowledges their own insecurities and doubts, pleading "Don't look at me that way, I'm just trying to come to terms with everything that's new, and I know it's so weak but I've rid of myself." These lyrics convey the complexities of navigating new relationships while also managing one's own insecurities and anxieties.
Line by Line Meaning
She shakes my hand
The act of greeting another person causes me to feel overwhelming discomfort.
And I die a little inside
The discomfort elicited from the aforementioned act feels as though a piece of me has died.
I'm not ready for this
I am unprepared to face the situation at hand.
No, not this time
I have experienced similar discomfort before and cannot handle it once again.
She's my lucky charm but I'm a stranger again
Although this person has been a source of good luck for me in the past, I still feel distant and unknown to them.
I'm making you unamused and losing old friends
My behavior is causing this person to no longer be entertained by my presence and is leading to the deterioration of my relationships with others.
If I thought that this could get any better
In the event that I believed the situation could improve,
I would'a waited, I would'a waited here
I would have remained in place in hopes that things would improve.
But
However,
Our hearts don't race they beat in time
The palpitations of our hearts are in sync, rather than racing with anxiety or excitement.
And the rest of our organs sing
The rest of our bodily organs seem to sing or hum in harmony as well.
"You are mine, you are mine, you are mine."
This synchronization seems to indicate that we belong to each other.
Our hearts don't race they beat in time
Our hearts continue to beat in unison.
And the rest of our organs sing
The aforementioned harmony persists throughout the body.
"You are mine, you are mine tonight."
The harmony seems to suggest that we belong to each other for the night.
Don't
Please do not
Look at me that way
Please do not regard me with that particular expression of disapproval or judgment.
i'm just tryna come to terms with everything that's new
I am attempting to reconcile with the unfamiliar aspects of this situation.
And I know it's so weak
I understand that this vulnerability is unbecoming.
But
However,
I've rid of myself, oh
I have divested myself of certain aspects of my persona.
Our hearts don't race they beat in time
My heartbeat and yours remain in sync.
And the rest of our organs sing
The harmony persists throughout our internal organs.
"You are mine, you are mine, you are mine."
The sounds within our bodies seem to indicate that we belong to each other.
Our hearts don't race they beat in time
The synchronization of our heartbeats persist.
And the rest of our organs sing
The rest of our organs continue to hum in harmony with each other.
"You are mine, you are mine tonight"
The harmony indicates that we belong to each other for the night.
My name is Casablanca
This is my name; it is a reference to the city of Casablanca in Morocco.
And I'm practically alone
I am for all intents and purposes alone in this situation.
I'd like to say
I wish to express the following sentiment.
I gave you away
I would like to claim that I relinquished my ownership of you.
But we both know you were stole
In reality, it was someone else who claimed ownership of you, against your will.
Contributed by Nolan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.