Rarity makes paying witness to an artistic arc spanning several albums during which a band is allowed to grow into its ambitions a real treat.
That’s why the Damn Seagulls, from Helsinki, Finland, make heads turn.
After a mission statement of a first album and a prodigious branching out on their second album, the band has found what is doubtless the first of many treasures on “Hunting Season”, their third album for Fullsteam Records. The success of the explorations that preceded it, gave the band the confidence to self-produce the album, with the exception of the vocals, which were produced by Miikka Koivisto of label mates Disco Ensemble.
So where are we now? “Hunting Season” is not a radical departure or an attempt at reinvention. It’s condensed soul. Take the introverted urgency of the Afghan Whigs and combine it with the extroverted bombast of the E Street Band at the height of their powers. Add a touch of storytelling magic á la The Hold Steady. If a connection can be drawn between the personal and the political, Damn Seagulls has drawn one between the intensely personal and the blindingly epic. Raw emotion, served stadium-size.
It’s a long road to travel and it took what started out as a ska-punk trio over a decade.
A lot has changed in ten years, but the band’s voracious appetite for combining these and other seemingly disparate flavors remains intact, the bedrock on which everything else rests.
You can pack a hell of a lot of hours playing shows and rehearsing into ten years. . There’s a loose-limbed grace to the playing on the album that can only come with time.
It’s easy to love a confident band and that’s what Damn Seagulls are. After two successful albums and the third one an obvious step forward, they’re aware of their upward arc.
They can feel it and you can tell.
ALBUMS:
One Night at Sirdie’s (Fullsteam, 2005)
Soul Politics (Fullsteam, 2007)
Hunting Season (WILL BE RELEASED Jan 28th IN FINLAND, ELSEWHERE LITTLE LATER) (Fullsteam, 2009)
ONCE UPON A TIME
Damn Seagulls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And after that I took another round
I was trying to get wasted in this abandoned station
I thought I could trick myself away
I was wrong and I acted like a stupid kid
And I know I haven't changed
I try to be brave but I wasn't okay
I wasn't okay, not at all
Yeah, once upon a time
Yeah, there was a boy who wanted to fly
Yeah, one day he died trying
Yeah, he said it was worth a try
Good morning everybody
Oh how much I need to do
I got to save the world and you know the rules
I finally come back home
Good morning everybody
Oh how much I need to do
I got to save the world and you know the rules
I finally come back home
It's getting harder all the time
To get up in the morning
You know I'm just trying to survive
I got to take over my mountain and build up new bases
Or I'm gonna get stuck in the mud
I gotta get out, it's so empty here without you
And I'm scared that you're not coming back
My friends, I need you now so I wouldn't feel so lonely
Lord, please give me something else to think about
Yeah, once upon a time
Yeah, there was a boy who wanted to fly
Yeah, one day he died trying
Yeah, he said it was worth a try
Good morning everybody
Oh how much I need to do
I got to save the world and you know the rules
I finally come back home
Good morning everybody
Oh how much I need to do
I got to save the world and you know the rules
I finally come back home
Oh yeah! Woo-oo! Hey!
Yeah, once upon a time
Yeah, there was a boy who wanted to fly
Yeah, one day he died trying
Yeah, he said it was worth a try
Good morning everybody
Oh how much I need to do
I got to save the world and you know the rules
I finally come back home
Good morning everybody
Oh how much I need to do
I got to save the world and you know the rules
I finally come back home
The Damn Seagulls song "Once Upon a Time" is about a boy who is struggling to find his place in the world. He's been wandering the streets, trying to get drunk at an abandoned station, but realizes he's just acting like a stupid kid. He wants to be brave, but he's not okay and is keeping everything inside. The repetitive lines of "good morning everybody, oh how much I need to do, I got to save the world and you know the rules" suggest that the boy is trying to find purpose in his life and is determined to make a difference in the world. Despite his struggles, he recognizes that life is worth living and that chasing his dreams is worth the risk of failure.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the boy's desire to fly, with the repeated line "yeah, there was a boy who wanted to fly, yeah, one day he died trying, yeah, he said it was worth a try." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the boy's ambition and desire to rise above his circumstances. He is determined to take risks and try new things, even if it means failing along the way.
Overall, the song is about the complexities of finding one's purpose and dealing with the ups and downs of life. While the boy in the song faces many challenges, he remains committed to his dreams and pushing forward towards his goals.
Line by Line Meaning
That night I've been in every single street in this town
I wandered aimlessly throughout the town
And after that I took another round
I continued on the same path
I was trying to get wasted in this abandoned station
I sought to numb myself with alcohol
I thought I could trick myself away
I believed I could escape my problems
I was wrong and I acted like a stupid kid
In reality, I was acting foolishly
And I know I haven't changed
I recognize that I'm still the same
I try to be brave but I wasn't okay
I attempted to be courageous but was struggling internally
I wasn't okay, not at all
In truth, I was far from okay
I kept it all inside, and began to full
I concealed my emotions and began to feel overwhelmed
Yeah, once upon a time
In a past time
Yeah, there was a boy who wanted to fly
A young boy desired to soar through the sky
Yeah, one day he died trying
Sadly, he perished in his attempt
Yeah, he said it was worth a try
Despite the outcome, he believed it was still worthwhile
Good morning everybody
Greetings
Oh how much I need to do
I have a lot on my plate
I got to save the world and you know the rules
I have a responsibility to make a difference
I finally come back home
I have returned to where I belong
It's getting harder all the time
Each day presents more difficulties
To get up in the morning
Starting the day is becoming more of a challenge
You know I'm just trying to survive
I'm simply attempting to make it through each day
I got to take over my mountain and build up new bases
I must overcome my obstacles and establish a new foundation
Or I'm gonna get stuck in the mud
Otherwise, I'll remain stagnant
I gotta get out, it's so empty here without you
I need to move forward, as my life feels incomplete without someone important
And I'm scared that you're not coming back
There is a fear that this person will never return
My friends, I need you now so I wouldn't feel so lonely
I require the companionship of my friends to avoid feeling isolated
Lord, please give me something else to think about
I pray for a distraction from my troubles
Oh yeah! Woo-oo! Hey!
An expression of excitement
Good morning everybody
Greetings
Oh how much I need to do
I have a lot on my plate
I got to save the world and you know the rules
I have a responsibility to make a difference
I finally come back home
I have returned to where I belong
Contributed by Liam M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Enishidono
That night I've been in every single street in this town
And after that I took another round
I was trying to get wasted in this abandoned station
I thought I could trick myself away
I was wrong and I acted like a stupid kid
And I know I haven't changed
I try to be brave but I wasn't okay
I wasn't okay, not at all
I kept it all inside, and began to fall
Yeah, once upon a time
Yeah, there was a boy who wanted to fly
Yeah, one day he died trying
Yeah, he said it was worth a try
Good morning everybody
Oh how much I need to do
I got to save the world and you know the rules
I finally come back home
(2x)
It's getting harder all the time
To get up in the morning
You know I'm just trying to survive
I got to take over my mountain and build up new bases
Or I'm gonna get stuck in the mud
I gotta get out, it's so empty here without you
And I'm scared that you're not coming back
My friends, I need you now so I wouldn't feel so lonely
Lord, please give me something else to think about
Yeah, once upon a time
Yeah, there was a boy who wanted to fly
Yeah, one day he died trying
Yeah, he said it was worth a try
Yeah, once upon a time
Yeah, there was a boy who wanted to fly
Yeah, one day he died trying
Yeah, he said it was worth a try
Oh yeah! Woo-oo! Hey!
Yeah, once upon a time
Yeah, there was a boy who wanted to fly
Yeah, one day he died trying
Yeah, he said it was worth a try
Yeah, once upon a time
Yeah, there was a boy who wanted to fly
Yeah, one day he died trying
Yeah, he said it was worth a try
@HawkenessMonster
The Dudesons has gotten me through so much shit. High school was a horrible time for me. Pretty much every morning I'd get up at 6AM and watch episodes before getting ready. This song kept me going. 8)
@boxerchannel2625
im just starting and ill do the sam thing as you :)
@Arsan4
Hang on Bro, you'll see life after shis shit they name school is so much fuckin better :;)
@noahbaun9325
If this was my wake up alarm i would listen to it till it ends and sleep 30 more mins just for it to ring again! | Dudesons |
@chom6096
The fact that this isn’t on Spotify bring genuine anger to me lmao
@Nana7ZX
i'll always love and admire the dudesons to death
@karcus0
I thank you and the dudesons for introducing this song to the world.
@Necrossein
Heard it on the dudesons and now it reminds me of summer ending
@seebikas
i was searching for this song like a week or more :D
@lklv2616
Dudesons the best