Five Iron Frenzy started as a local side-project of Reese, Keith, Micah, and Scott's band Exhumator. Although the original intent was for the band to stay local and help support the local music scene, Five Iron Frenzy (FIF, or Five Iron) signed to Frank Tate's 5 Minute Walk records in 1995 and was touring nationally within a year. They reached the peak of their fame around 2000, with the release of All The Hype That Money Can Buy. They were known for dressing up in wacky costumes and fundraising for social causes. In December 2002, they announced that they would be breaking up after a final tour. They played the final show of the tour on November 22, 2003 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, which was recorded for The End Is Here (disc 2) (this disc features that show in its entirety and was sold with the band's album, The End is Near). This show had an attendance of over 4,000 people.
On November 22, 2011, they announced via social media outlets and a week-long online scavenger hunt that they were recording a new album. The entire project was crowd funded in under an hour and met with a reunion show and touring. The results of the endeavor, Engine of a Million Plots, was released on November 26th, 2013. All members of the 2003 lineup participated in the project, with the exception of bassist Keith Hoerig, who was replaced by original guitarist Scott Kerr (who had left the band in 1998).
The Untimely Death Of Brad
Five Iron Frenzy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It may be abominable, but, yes it must be heard.
Nauseating at first, you can expect the worst,
So listen closely, as the plot unfolds
I might stretch the truth, may be a little lie,
There was a boy named Brad,
He played trumpet, and he died.
Why? We haven't got a clue,
It's on the internet, so then it must be true.
The untimely death of Brad,
How sad it must have been.
If you see him anywhere,
Remember to console him.
I curse the day, I ever met the boy,
Only the good die young, they say.
The details of his death are vague
Unbelievable it seems,
As if his passing was only a dream.
Catastrophe, calamity,
What will we tell his mother now?
Cataclysmic, a tragic mishap,
I just heard that their band is breaking up.
I hear his trumpet, his voice rings in my ears,
It sometimes seems he's standing very near.
I don't believe in ghosts,
I've never seen one,
But isn't the trumpet playing haunting on this album?
A day that lives in infamy,
In horror we behold, his passing,
His memory, but the truth must be told.
The Untimely Death of Brad by Five Iron Frenzy is a satirical take on the phenomenon of fake news and sensationalism. The song opens with a warning that what follows may be nauseating and untrue, yet we must listen carefully to the story. The lyrics recount the mysterious and unexplained death of a boy named Brad who played the trumpet. The singer admits that they may stretch the truth or tell a little lie, but insists that the story is true because it's on the internet. The song plays with the theme of unreliable narrators and the ease with which lies can be spread through social media and the internet.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer doesn't actually know any details about Brad's death. The circumstances are vague and unbelievable, and the band's breakup is mentioned as a kind of afterthought. Despite this, the singer is haunted by Brad's memory, perhaps more so by the sound of his trumpet on the album. The song ends with a final plea to tell the truth about Brad's death, despite its infamy and horror.
Overall, The Untimely Death of Brad is a commentary on our culture's tendency towards sensationalism and misinformation. The song employs Five Iron Frenzy's characteristic humor and sarcasm to poke fun at the way we consume news and media in the digital age.
Line by Line Meaning
Here is the tale, it's spoken word-for-word,
The story I'm about to share is entirely true and accurate
It may be abominable, but, yes it must be heard.
The story is disturbing and unsettling, but it needs to be heard nonetheless
Nauseating at first, you can expect the worst,
The story is unpleasant and difficult to hear, and it will only get worse
So listen closely, as the plot unfolds
Pay close attention as I recount the events of the story
I might stretch the truth, may be a little lie,
I want to be honest, but I cannot guarantee the complete accuracy of the story
There was a boy named Brad,
The singer of the story is a young man named Brad
He played trumpet, and he died.
Brad was a musician who played the trumpet and tragically passed away
Too young for him to cease,
Brad died at a young age, before his time
Why? We haven't got a clue,
The cause of Brad's death is unknown
It's on the internet, so then it must be true.
The story of Brad's death is circulating on the internet, but its accuracy is uncertain
The untimely death of Brad,
The tragic and premature passing of Brad
How sad it must have been.
It is heart-wrenching to think about the pain that Brad's loved ones must have felt
If you see him anywhere,
If you encounter Brad's ghost or spirit
Remember to console him.
Offer comfort and support to Brad, who may be experiencing unrest in the afterlife
I curse the day, I ever met the boy,
The storyteller feels regret and sorrow after Brad's passing
Only the good die young, they say.
There is a saying that good people often die at a younger age than others
The details of his death are vague
There is little information available about how Brad died
Unbelievable it seems,
The story of Brad's death is difficult to believe
As if his passing was only a dream.
The storyteller struggles to come to terms with the reality of Brad's death
Catastrophe, calamity,
The storyteller describes Brad's death as a major catastrophe or disaster
What will we tell his mother now?
The storyteller wonders how Brad's family will be able to cope with their loss
Cataclysmic, a tragic mishap,
The storyteller continues to describe Brad's death as a major disaster or accident
I just heard that their band is breaking up.
The tragedy of Brad's death has led to the disbandment of his musical group
I hear his trumpet, his voice rings in my ears,
The storyteller experiences auditory hallucinations, hearing the sound of Brad's trumpet and voice
It sometimes seems he's standing very near.
The storyteller occasionally feels as though Brad's ghost or spirit is present nearby
I don't believe in ghosts,
The storyteller is skeptical of the existence of ghosts or spirits
I've never seen one,
The storyteller has never personally witnessed a ghost or spirit
But isn't the trumpet playing haunting on this album?
The sound of Brad's trumpet on the recording is eerie and unsettling, even if the storyteller doesn't believe in ghosts
A day that lives in infamy,
The day of Brad's death is remembered forever due to its tragic and significant nature
In horror we behold, his passing,
The storyteller recounts the feelings of shock and despair upon learning of Brad's death
His memory, but the truth must be told.
Although Brad's memory lives on, it is important to tell the story of his untimely passing
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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