My grandfather gave me his old H… Read Full Bio ↴Erik Penny: A Life-Altering Journey
My grandfather gave me his old Harmony electric guitar when I was 10, and, even though I liked the idea of learning to play it, I lacked the discipline to really do anything about it. Plus, it seemed to be chronically out of tune. When I was 16, I formed my first band with some schoolmates, claiming I could play bass and sing. I could do neither, but being in a band seemed a good way to learn. I took the first 3 chords I learned and wrote a song, then another, then dozens more, and eventually wrote a good one. This made me think I should keep at it, and I did: from that high-school band in Texas; through several more bands, first in Texas, then in LA; then finally embarking on a solo career in 2004, I have been going steadily at it ever since.
My mom and dad were both the oldest siblings in groups of 5. They met in high school choir and I was born a few years later. Upstate New York was home for 4 years, until a job for my dad in El Paso, Texas moved the family from the Canadian to the Mexican border. Summers on the St. Lawrence River and the rest of the year in Texas steeped me in 2 distinct cultures and kept me from ever having any connection to any particular place. That sense of wanderlust (along with a small record deal that ultimately amounted to nothing much) brought me to LA in 1997, where I began to re-learn a bunch of stuff I thought I already knew about the music business. I played in a variety of band projects, finally forming the band Penny in 2001. Penny released the 8-track-recorded full-length “Fifteen Electric” in 2002, which was my first attempt at producing and engineering a full record. It was an addictive experience, and I soon put together a proper pro tools studio, and recorded and released my solo debut, the “Summer Stars EP” in 2004; followed by my first LP, “Footprints” in 2006; the “Erik Penny EP” in 2007; and “The Linger Kiss” in 2008.
In October 2008, I moved to Berlin, after a great tour through Germany with my friend Gus Black in May 2008. Gus produced a video for my song “Easier Life” as a going-away present, and the song garnered my first German airplay on Sputnik Radio in Halle. In May, I began work on my new album with Simon Frontzek of Tomte, and we entered the studio to record my new album “Bend”. With the help of new Berlin friends such as Mocky (Feist, Gonzales, Jamie Lidell…), Gabriel Gordon (Natalie Merchant, Roachford…), Frédérique Labbow (Die Happy), and singer/songwriter/producer Mowat (Chinoy), Simon and I spent most of summer 2009 recording 12 songs that reflect a life-changing move around the world and my impressions of my new home and the characters that fill it.
The song “Side of the Road” tells the story of that move, and the accompanying video, shot guerilla-style in Berlin, captures a 3-minute slice of life in Kreuzberg in high summer. With my new album released March 5th, 2010, and my new band and I on the road in spring and summer, the story continues…
Santa Ana
Erik Penny Lyrics
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with the santa ana winds blowin' dirt under the door
I picked you up and I dusted you off
now you're ready for some more
I don't wanna be the one to take you in
when all the others have gone, no baby
I just wanna lay in the sun and never
I'm feeling like the enemy
and you know it's gettin' me down
the things that you recognize
like the walk to my apartment
or the desire in my eyes
are fading like the sunset
on a cool november night
I don't wanna be the one to take you in
when all the others have gone, no baby
I just wanna lay in the sun and never
worry about whose side to be on but lately
I'm feeling like an enemy
and you know it's gettin' me down
I found you on the floor with the santa ana winds
and now you're ready for some more
I don't wanna be the one to take you in
when all the others have gone, no baby
I just wanna lay in the sun and never
worry about whose side to be on, but lately
I'm feeling like an enemy
and you know it's bringin' me down
The lyrics of Erik Penny's "Santa Ana" tell the story of a relationship that has gone through a lot of changes. The singer finds their partner on the floor with the Santa Ana winds blowing dirt under the door. The winds have become a metaphor for the tumultuous state of the relationship; the dirt symbolizing the negative aspects that have accumulated. The singer picks up their partner and dusts them off, ready to start anew, but they no longer recognize the things that were once familiar, such as the walk to their apartment or the desire in their partner's eyes. The singer expresses their desire to lay in the sun and not worry about whose side to be on, indicating they are tired of the conflict within the relationship. However, the singer also recognizes that they are feeling like an enemy, which brings them down.
The Santa Ana winds are a real phenomenon that occurs in Southern California, where Erik Penny is from. These winds are warm and dry and can bring hot temperatures and increased fire danger. The winds are often associated with changes in mood, energy, and behavior. The lyrics reflect this association by using the winds as a metaphor for the changes in the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I found you on the floor with the santa ana winds blowin' dirt under the door
I discovered you lying on the ground while the Santa Ana winds blew dirt inside the room
I picked you up and I dusted you off now you're ready for some more
I helped you get up and cleaned you, now you're prepared for something else
I don't wanna be the one to take you in when all the others have gone, no baby
I don't want to become responsible for you after others have left you
I just wanna lay in the sun and never worry about whose side to be on, and lately I'm feeling like the enemy
I want to relax in the sunlight without worrying about taking any side, but lately, others perceive me as an adversary
the things that you recognize like the walk to my apartment or the desire in my eyes are fading like the sunset on a cool november night
The things that you used to identify with me, such as the route to my apartment or my passionate gaze, are disappearing like the sunset on a chilly November evening
I'm feeling like an enemy and you know it's gettin' me down
I'm sensing like an opponent, which is leading to sadness
I found you on the floor with the santa ana winds and now you're ready for some more
I discovered you while the Santa Ana winds blew dirt inside the room, and now you're prepared for something else
but lately I'm feeling like an enemy and you know it's bringin' me down
Currently, I'm sensing like a rival, which is depressing me
Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.