"I clearly remember how Fireside started. All of us were huge hardcore fans and listened to bands like Gorilla Biscuits and Youth of Today, and when the guitarist of Gorilla Biscuits started a new band called Quicksand I pre-ordered a seven-inch single. When it arrived I phoned Pelle Gunnerfelt and he biked from the other side of town to my home and we listened to it together, and the first thing we said was “We’re starting a new band and it’s gonna sound like this” (laughs). That was the decisive moment when Fireside started; Quicksand were the role models together with Fugazi. "
Having released five albums to date, Fireside have since developed a personal style. Their most recent album, Get Shot, was released in 2003 via V2 Records.
Smokerboy
Fireside Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was it just a game you played,
to see if you could manage
Pushed me into something,
that I could not reach you
And I'm too scared to try
If only you could tell me,
that you couldn't stand me
But memories won't leave me and I really think you care
Picked up the phone and tried to
hear you through the open line
But I forgot your number and
you never knew mine
Looking for something to believe in,
but nothing really matter anymore but love
A distant happiness all gone in helplessness
Have I lived it all
Is there something more
The song Smokerboy by Fireside talks about a person who is struggling to come to terms with a failed relationship. The opening lines "Situation died, hopelessness arrived" set the tone for the overall mood of the song. The singer reflects on their past relationship, wondering if it was just a game played by their partner to see if they could handle it. The second verse expresses the singer's feeling of being pushed too hard, to the point where it seemed impossible to reach their partner. The mood is that of sorrow, as the singer has given up but is still haunted by memories of the past.
In the chorus, the singer talks about picking up the phone to call their partner, but they've forgotten the number, and their partner never knew theirs. This metaphorical distance between the two partners shows how a lack of communication has led to the breakdown of their relationship. They are searching for something to believe in, but nothing seems to matter anymore except for love, which is now lost. The last verse is the singer's internal monologue where they question if they've lived it all and if there's something more to life.
Line by Line Meaning
Situation died, hopelessness arrived
Feeling defeated and despondent about the situation
Was it just a game you played, to see if you could manage
Questioning whether the relationship was just a game for the other person
Pushed me into something, that I could not reach you
Feeling like the other person put unrealistic expectations on the relationship
And I'm too scared to try
Feeling afraid to put in any more effort into the relationship
If only you could tell me, that you couldn't stand me
Wishing the other person would just be honest about their feelings
Then I would keep to my part of the world
Willing to move on and be on their own
But memories won't leave me and I really think you care
Unable to forget the past and still holding onto hope
Picked up the phone and tried to hear you through the open line
Trying to reach out to the other person to communicate
But I forgot your number and you never knew mine
Realizing they don't have a way to contact the other person
Looking for something to believe in, but nothing really matter anymore but love
Feeling lost and searching for purpose but realizing love is what really counts
A distant happiness all gone in helplessness
Feeling like happiness is no longer reachable
Have I lived it all
Questioning whether life has any more meaning without the other person
Is there something more
Hoping there is still something left to live for
Contributed by Isaac H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.