While it may be premature to elevate Eric Himan to the Mount Rushmore of pop icons, he's proving that he has the mettle to make the climb.
Himan burst onto the indie music scene at the beginning of this decade, acoustic guitar blazing, soulful baritone wailing. With a voice like Cat Stevens, inked arms that out-sleeve Tommy Lee and a guitar style akin to fellow indie artist Ani DiFranco, he was an young man on a mission.
That mission began in coffee houses around Penn State University, where Himan was a student, and culminated in the 2000 release of his first CD, Eric Himan. The stripped-down, acoustic recording was originally crafted as an audience keepsake, but it became his calling card as the music was shared. And the word was spread.
From the very beginning, Himan broke the mold of the soft-spoken, earnest folk troubadour. His performances were filled with electricity and power, but his lyrics betrayed a vulnerability and sadness that sharply contrasted with his bad boy appearance. The combination proved irresistible to audiences.
Himan slowly began expanding his sphere of influence, touring the region while carrying a full course load at Penn State. As demand for his CD grew, Thumbcrown Records (christened for the crown tattoo on his right thumb) was born.
Extensive touring became a catalyst for extensive writing and experimentation with other musical genres. The folk, rock, blues and even jazz influences of his youth (courtesy of his guitar playing father, who fed him a steady diet of Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Richie Havens and the Beatles) came into play.
The result was I Go On (September 2002), which brought Himan to national attention through magazine coverage and made him a favorite on the NACA circuit. After graduating, Himan hit the road full time, playing colleges, pride events, "anywhere people would listen," he laughs.
Local papers documented his travels, and AAA radio began playing tracks from I Go On. The more Himan toured, the more CDs he sold. The plan was working. So when it came time to record #3, he reassembled his studio team for what would become All For Show.
This indie release sold 1000 copies in its first month and caught the attention of Borders Books, which booked Himan for in-store appearances nationwide. Next came his distinction as a Fender endorsed artist by the legendary guitar maker.
Just recently, Himan was tapped to join industry heavyweights like Christina Aguilera, Melissa Etheridge, Pink and the Dixie Chicks, on "Love Rocks", a 2-CD compilation produced by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. For Himan, it's a harmonic convergence of music, message and audience. And the exposure is sure to generate even greater awareness and interest in his songs.
On all his releases, Himan uses his music to address difficult topics: date rape, the death penalty, family acceptance and, of course, the complexities and pain of relationships: all poignantly told from a first-person perspective. There's no macho swagger here.
Now, with his 2005 release, Dark Horse, Himan has crafted a record that shows his growth as a singer/songwriter, enhanced by studio production that truly reflects the caliber of his music.
The eleven tracks offer the same brand of brutal-yet-poetic honesty that has become his trademark, while Himan continues to explore musical genres, aided by a group of top-notch musicians and engineers. Dark Horse is the most expensive record twentysomething Himan has ever made, but it's a gamble that is sure to pay off.
Because no other artist looks OR sounds like Eric Himan: rough trade on the outside, gentle soul of a poet on the inside ad voice of a new generation all around
Listen
Eric Himan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"HEY!, It's time to leave",
But I watched them tear down the show,,
It's just me in this empty auditorium and the silence is ushering me to leave,.
If this is all I am given,
Then I will stay till the job is finished,
when its clear to say the end,
Until the music stops I will listen,
Until the music stops I will listen,
And this morning I will brace myself for what is coming my way,
And I know the pain will be more than I can estimate,
I'll tell myself I took a wrong turn on the right day,
It's ok,.if you can't stay
If this is all I am given,
Then I will stay till the job is finished,
And there will be no tears,
when its clear to say the end,
Until the music stops I will listen,
Until the music stops I will listen...
And is if this is all I am given,
Then I will stay till the job is finished,
And there will be no tears,
when its clear to say the end,
Until the music stops I will listen,
Until the music stops I will listen...
The song "Listen", by Eric Himan, is a melancholic ballad about having to let go of something that you love, even though it hurts to do so. In the first verse, the singer is watching a show being torn down and realizes that it's time to leave, but he can't - he's too attached to what's going on, too invested in the music and the moment. The empty auditorium around him serves as a reminder that it's time to move on, but he's frozen in place, unable to leave behind the beauty that he's experienced.
The chorus of "Listen" is an affirmation of the singer's commitment to staying until the end. He's aware that the pain and sadness will be intense, but he's resolved to endure it until the last note is played. He knows that this is all he's been given, and he wants to make the most of it. The repetition of the line "Until the music stops I will listen" emphasizes the idea that the singer is fully present in the moment, and not looking beyond it.
The second verse finds the singer bracing himself for what's coming - he knows that it won't be easy to let go, but he's preparing himself emotionally for the goodbye. He tries to rationalize it to himself, telling himself that he took a wrong turn on the right day, and that it's okay to move on. But in his heart, he knows that it won't be easy to walk away. The chorus repeats, hammering home the idea that the singer won't leave until the very end.
Overall, "Listen" is a poignant meditation on the difficulty of letting go of something that you cherish. The music and the lyrics work together to create an atmosphere of intense emotion, and the singer's commitment to being present until the very end is both moving and inspiring.
Line by Line Meaning
I Should've heard my voice say
"HEY!, It's time to leave",
But I watched them tear down the show,
Even though I knew I should have left, I stayed and watched as everything around me fell apart.
If this is all I am given,
Then I will stay till the job is finished,
And there will be no tears,
when its clear to say the end,
I will persevere until the end, even if it means enduring difficult times with no regret.
Until the music stops I will listen,
Until the music stops I will listen,
I will remain attentive and aware until the very end.
And this morning I will brace myself for what is coming my way,
And I know the pain will be more than I can estimate,
I'll tell myself I took a wrong turn on the right day,
It's ok,.if you can't stay
I will prepare myself for what lies ahead, acknowledging that the road ahead may be tough. I'll accept that detours and setbacks are a normal part of life.
And is if this is all I am given,
Then I will stay till the job is finished,
And there will be no tears,
when its clear to say the end,
Until the music stops I will listen,
Until the music stops I will listen...
No matter what happens, I will keep going until I reach the end without any regrets.
Contributed by Miles B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.