Emerson is reluctant to associate his music with a genre. Although he said it could be considered indie or alternative, he would rather just call himself a songwriter and producer than categorize his songs in a specific genre.
“It’s more like these are songs that are about my life and about things that I’ve experienced,” Emerson said. “And I just kind of go with the production that I think fits the words.”
Emerson said his music was made possible due to a lot of self reflection. He was involved with bands when he was younger and did gigs at Columbia Station in Washington, D.C., while attending high school. Things changed when Emerson started going to this university, he said — he lost the sense of wanting to be an artist.
“There’s a lot of anxiety and fear surrounding going into art and music full-time after college,” Emerson said. “You really have to want to do this full-time. The only plan A is to not have a plan B for this kind of work.”
His experience in college had become so discouraging that Emerson decided to get a desk job instead of pursuing a musical career after graduating. The job was located in Los Angeles, so he still had access to an active music scene. It was after he received an offer to tour with an artist he collaborated with that he decided to quit his desk job and start releasing his own music.
Emerson had noticed how a lot of students who went to private schools became different once they attended a public university and tried to adopt more grungy personalities. “It’s just really funny because it’s not authentic in terms of who they are or their background,” he said.
He said he’s in his “shifting-focus zone” right now and doesn’t have any exact plans for the future at the moment.
Fools Gold
Dead Emerson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No I got no death wish but don't care if I die
Silhouettes of the years dance by
Pirouetting in passing headlines
Babe, I'm a shooting star in a stranger's sky
So tired of moving slow
Sole to the floor in dad's beat up Camaro
Till I'm anywhere but here
Fools gold
Lines in the road
Going nowhere from coast to coast
Fools gold
Lines in the road
Going nowhere, nowhere, nowhere, no-
Best coast to the left coast and back again
No I don't do landlocked states cause I get claustrophobic
Told myself I'd be okay if I woke in a different place
But nothing happens here that ain't gonna happen anyways
So tired of moving slow
Dad's still listening to AM radio
They'll ask me, "What is the matter, dear?
Aren't these the wonder years?"
Fools gold
Lines in the road
Going nowhere from coast to coast
Fools gold
Lines in the road
Going nowhere, nowhere, nowhere, no-
The lyrics of Dead Emerson's song Fools Gold convey a sense of restlessness and disillusionment with life. The first verse describes a reckless driver who is not afraid to die, speeding down the highway at 90 mph. The passing years are depicted as fleeting silhouettes, hinting at the transience of life. The singer feels like a shooting star in a stranger's sky, suggesting a sense of alienation and rootlessness. The second verse describes a similar theme of escape, where the singer is driving fast and far away from his fears, but he is ultimately going nowhere. The chorus repeats the phrase "Fools Gold," which could refer to the illusion of freedom and adventure that driving seems to offer but ultimately proves empty and meaningless.
The song captures the feeling of being trapped in a mundane and unfulfilling routine, longing for excitement and adventure but ultimately disappointed. The reference to the "wonder years" suggests nostalgia for a time when life seemed full of endless possibilities and promise. The song is characterized by its energetic and driving rhythm, emphasizing the restlessness and urgency of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Zero to 90 on the 95
Starting from zero and quickly accelerating to 90 mph on the highway numbered 95.
No I got no death wish but don't care if I die
I do not have a desire to die, but I am unafraid of death.
Silhouettes of the years dance by
Memories of past years flash before me like dancing shadows.
Pirouetting in passing headlines
These memories are fleeting and only appear momentarily, like headlines that pass by quickly.
Babe, I'm a shooting star in a stranger's sky
I consider myself to be a bright and fleeting presence in a world that is unfamiliar to me.
So tired of moving slow
I am exhausted from the slow pace of my life.
Sole to the floor in dad's beat up Camaro
I am pushing the gas pedal all the way down in my father's old and worn-out car.
Driving fast and far away from my fears
I am trying to escape from my fears by driving quickly and far away.
Till I'm anywhere but here
I want to reach a destination where I am not in my current situation anymore.
Fools gold
The idea of achieving success or happiness in a way that is not actually fulfilling, like the concept of fool's gold.
Lines in the road
The dividing lines on the road that keep me driving straight.
Going nowhere from coast to coast
Traveling great distances but not actually reaching a destination or achieving a goal.
Best coast to the left coast and back again
Traveling from one coast to another, and then back again.
No I don't do landlocked states cause I get claustrophobic
I avoid traveling through states that do not have coastlines because I feel trapped and claustrophobic.
Told myself I'd be okay if I woke in a different place
I believed that I would be content if I woke up in a new location, without actually making any changes in my life or behavior.
But nothing happens here that ain't gonna happen anyways
The events that occur in my life now would occur regardless of my location, since I am not actually doing anything to change my situation.
Dad's still listening to AM radio
My father is stuck in his ways and has not moved past his outdated habits or preferences.
They'll ask me, "What is the matter, dear?
People will ask me what is wrong with me and why I cannot seem to find contentment.
Aren't these the wonder years?"
Aren't these the years of joy, growth, and excitement that we are supposed to experience and remember fondly?
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Dean Emerson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind