The band was formed almost five years ago by Mike Eli who grew up just outside of Houston and James Young who hails from Irving, TX. After playing together as a duo they were later joined by drummer Chris Thompson of Colleyville, TX and bassist Jon Jones of Omaha, NE who all met while students at the University of North Texas at Denton, about 50 miles north of Dallas/Forth Worth. After graduating the group decided to stay in Denton and to this day make their home in the town.
Late in 2003 producer Frank Liddell (Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Chris Knight) attended a show at the Gypsy Tea Room where EYB was playing on the bill with Miranda Lambert. He was blown away by the show and wound up signing them to Carnival Recording Company soon after. In April 2005, the Eli Young Band released Level, marking their debut on Carnival.
Level has drawn comparisons to The Jayhawks in the plaintive "When It Rains". The band members, all in their early 20s, have proven to be adept at blending their musical influences into a cohesive sound on this effort. You can hear the heartland rock of John Mellencamp in the autobiographical "Small Town Kid" and the crying-in-your-beer band on the road saga "Highways and Broken Hearts." There's the grinding blues of the Black Crowes in "Bring It on Home," and the romantic lament of "That's the Way" and "Everything Is You."
Skeletons
Eli Young Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
God, I wish I could erase that name
Reminds me that I'm the one to blame
I used to think that rules were made for breaking
Now I question every road I've taken
And I regret every heart I've forsaken
Here's my confession
The mistakes I've made
Are coming back to haunt me
Like a ghost from a grave
Always there to taunt me
You say it's okay, you say you still want me
But you don't know where I've been
I'm no stranger to my sins
I've got skeletons, I've got skeletons
You tell me how a man can be forgiven
To start clean on the life he's living
How do you run from a demon?
I've tried every single thing I know
It just won't let me go
I'm tired of walking down the same damn road
Towing this load
The mistakes I've made
Are coming back to haunt me
Like a ghost from a grave
Always there to taunt me
You say it's okay, you say you still want me
But you don't know where I've been
I'm no stranger to my sins
I've got skeletons, I've got skeletons
The mistakes I've made
Are coming back to haunt me
Like a ghost from a grave
Always there to taunt me
You say it's okay, you say you still want me
But you don't know where I've been
I'm no stranger to my sins
You say you don't know where I've been
I'm no stranger to my sins
I've got skeletons, I've got skeletons
I've got skeletons, yeah, I've got skeletons
In "Skeletons," Eli Young Band singer Mike Eli sings about past mistakes that continue to haunt him like ghosts, hence the repeated metaphor of skeletons in his closet. The song's opening lines refer to a tattoo on his arm that he wishes he could erase, as it reminds him of his own regrettable behavior. He admits that he used to think rules were made to be broken, but now he questions every decision he's made in his life and feels remorse for the hearts he's hurt. He seeks forgiveness and redemption but feels weighed down by the consequences of his actions.
The chorus of "Skeletons" emphasizes the idea that the mistakes we make in life have a way of following us and never truly leaving us. Even when someone else tells us it's okay and they still want us, we still have to live with the skeletons of our past indiscretions. The song's bridge explores the difficulty in escaping one's own demons and the constant struggle to move forward from past mistakes.
The emotion and introspection in "Skeletons" make it a powerful song about the human experience of regret and the longing for forgiveness. It explores universal themes of atonement and the burden of one's past actions. The lyrics are introspective and poetic, encouraging the listener to reflect on their own past and present.
Line by Line Meaning
Cross my arm is that old ink stain
There is a permanent reminder of a past mistake on my arm
God, I wish I could erase that name
I deeply regret my past action and wish I could undo it
Reminds me that I'm the one to blame
The ink stain serves as a constant reminder of my past wrongs and the responsibility falls on me
I used to think that rules were made for breaking
I had a reckless attitude towards rules in the past
Now I question every road I've taken
My past mistakes have made me doubt every decision I've made
And I regret every heart I've forsaken
I feel remorseful for all the people I've hurt in the past
Here's my confession
I am opening up and admitting my wrongdoings
The mistakes I've made
My past wrong actions
Are coming back to haunt me
My past mistakes continue to affect me in the present
Like a ghost from a grave
My past mistakes linger around like a ghost
Always there to taunt me
The past haunts me constantly
You say it's okay, you say you still want me
Someone in my life is trying to be supportive despite my past mistakes
But you don't know where I've been
The person who supports me is not fully aware of the magnitude of my past mistakes
I'm no stranger to my sins
I am fully aware of the severity of my past wrongdoings
I've got skeletons, I've got skeletons
My past mistakes continue to affect me and weigh me down
You tell me how a man can be forgiven
I seek guidance on how to move past my past mistakes
To start clean on the life he's living
I wish to leave my past behind and start anew
How do you run from a demon?
I struggle with moving past my past mistakes and wish to know how to do so
I've tried every single thing I know
I have exhausted all of my options for reconciling with my past mistakes
It just won't let me go
My past mistakes still haunt me and I struggle to move on from them
I'm tired of walking down the same damn road
I'm emotionally exhausted from constantly being weighed down by my past mistakes
Towing this load
I feel like I am carrying a heavy emotional weight on my shoulders due to my past mistakes
Lyrics © NTAC INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES YOUNG, MIKE ELI, SEAN MCCONNELL, SEAN MICHAEL MCCONNELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
thewoodsonabudget
This song litterally makes me cry sometimes.
Peter Tseng
No dislikes at all. This band is awesome!
MonBon02121
I'm sure this is the best "treat" I'll receive all day! Thanks guys.
roseytheriveter
<3 this song.
AutismStrongMom
They sang this at the fair here in August good song! :)
KevinMitchellGuitar
Awesome video guys!
Jack Yates
<3 'Cross my arm is that old ink stain God, I wish I could erase that name Reminds me that I'm the one to blame I used to think that rules were made for breaking Now I question every road I've taken <3
Melissa
♥️♥️♥️
Morgan walker
true