Flogging Molly has released six major studio albums, Swagger, Drunken Lullabies, Within a Mile of Home, Float, Speed of Darkness, and Life is Good as well as an independent live album entitled Alive Behind the Green Door. Also, they released a CD/DVD combo entitled Whiskey On A Sunday, which included a CD with acoustic tracks of many of the band's songs and a brand new studio track, "Laura". They have toured with the Warped Tour and Larry Kirwan's American Fléadh Festival. They also contributed to the Rock Against Bush project. Also, as of late they have done extensive touring with the self proclaimed Gypsy punk band, Gogol Bordello, which is also signed under SideOneDummy Records.
Their music is heavily influenced by such bands as The Pogues,The Dubliners, Johnny Cash and ranges from boisterous punk rock like the pirate-themed "Salty Dog" and "Seven Deadly Sins," or the defiant "What's Left of the Flag" and "Rebels of the Sacred Heart" to more somber songs like "Far Away Boys", "The Sun Never Shines (On Closed Doors)", or "Death Valley Queen". In the Whiskey On A Sunday DVD King describes the band's music as a '21st century version of The Dubliners.'
The driving forces behind the music tend to be Dave King's gravelly voice and Bridget's manic fiddling. Prior to forming Flogging Molly, Dave King was the vocalist for Fastway, a late 80s-early 90s heavy metal band, featuring guitarist Eddie Clarke of Motörhead.
The band released a DVD and a full-length album entitled "Whiskey on a Sunday" on July 25th 2006.
The DVD "Whiskey on a Sunday" contains a two hour documentary that gives viewers insight into how the band members found each other and also talks about the members' attitude towards life, events that have shaped their lives and their motivation for making music.
The band released "Float" on March 4, 2008. It includes the band's first two chart hits: "Requiem for a Dying Song" (#35 Billboard Modern Rock) and "Float" (#40 on the same chart). During the tour for the album, vocalist Dave King married the band's fiddle player Bridget Regan in Tokyo, Japan.
The Speed of Darkness Songfacts says the band's fifth album, Speed of Darkness was released on May 31, 2011 by the band's own record label, Borstal Beat Records.The set was recorded at Echo Mountain, an old church building turned recording studio in Asheville, North Carolina. It was produced by Ryan Hewitt, who has also worked with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Avett Brothers.
Life Is Good is the name of the sixth studio album by Flogging Molly that was released on 2 June 2017. Their first studio album in 6 years (following 2011's Speed of Darkness), it is also their first album to feature drummer Mike Alonso.
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Speed of Darkness
Flogging Molly Lyrics
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My coffin will be empty 'cause you'll never steal my youth
I was born to live beside you but you tried to stop me grow
Now I'm living on the run from all this hatred you now love
Who said it only rains from the heavens above
[Chorus]
We set our course for America
No bitterness will bite my tongue
The speed of darkness has begun
It's something of a pity but you'll never understand
How a boy can grow and still never be a man
I would trade the sun for nothing and the glancing of a star
If you could just remember grains of dust is all we are
It only takes a second for a beat to kill a heart
The speed of darkness lights our way
We set our course for America
No bitterness will bite this tongue
I've reconciled with all that's gone
The speed of darkness has begun
Only time and life will tell
But it's a long way home when you're in hell
Where constant demons fracture souls
Once a nightmare, now just lifeless ghosts
The speed of darkness lights our way
You tore this land asunder but my pride will bring it back
I would trade the sun for nothing and the glancing of a star
If you could just remember grains of dust is all we are
It only takes a second for beat to kill a heart
[Chorus]
The lyrics to "Speed of Darkness" by Flogging Molly are powerfully introspective, depicting the story of a person facing the struggle of growing up in the face of opposition from those around them. The opening lines "Bury me in silence for I'll never hear the truth, my coffin will be empty 'cause you'll never steal my youth" speak to the internal conflict that arises when the people around us do not support us, and the consequences this can have on our sense of self. The idea of burying oneself in silence and never hearing the truth suggests that the singer feels as though they are constantly being lied to or held back, and that they are willing to give up part of themselves to escape this.
The lyrics go on to describe the journey of this person as they strive to break free from this cycle of oppression, break away from the hatred and bitterness of those around them, and set their course towards America. The chorus, which repeats the phrase "The speed of darkness lights our way," serves as a powerful metaphor for this journey, suggesting that despite the darkness and uncertainty that surrounds us in life, we can still find our way forward. The repetition of this line, paired with the driving rhythm of the music, creates a sense of momentum and urgency in the song that drives the narrative forward.
Overall, "Speed of Darkness" is a powerful song about perseverance in the face of adversity. By drawing on the struggles of the past and the motivation to create a better future, the song speaks to the universal human experience of overcoming challenges and chasing dreams, no matter how seemingly impossible they may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Bury me in silence for I'll never hear the truth
I am so tired of the lies, that I prefer death to living in this world full of deceit
My coffin will be empty 'cause you'll never steal my youth
You may kill me, but you cannot take away my spirit and my passion for life
I was born to live beside you but you tried to stop me grow
I was meant to be with you, but you always held me back, never letting me grow and achieve my potential
Now I'm living on the run from all this hatred you now love
Your hate has consumed you, and now I'm forced to run away from all the darkness and negativity that surrounds you
Who said it only rains from the heavens above
Bad things can happen anywhere, and the negativity and hatred is not limited to just the sky
The speed of darkness lights our way
Even in the darkest of moments, we can find a way to move forward and find a better path
We set our course for America
We have our sights set on the future and a better life, symbolized by the land of opportunity - America
No bitterness will bite my tongue
I refuse to be silenced by negative thoughts or hatred and will always speak my truth
I've reconciled with all that's gone
I have made peace with the past, letting go of the negativity and bitterness that once consumed me
It's something of a pity but you'll never understand
I wish you could see things from my perspective, but I know that is not possible
How a boy can grow and still never be a man
Growing older doesn't always equate to becoming mature and responsible - sometimes people never truly grow up
I would trade the sun for nothing and the glancing of a star
The beauty of the world around me and the small moments of happiness are worth more to me than anything else
If you could just remember grains of dust is all we are
It's important to remember our mortality and how small we are in the grand scheme of things
It only takes a second for a beat to kill a heart
Life can end in an instant, and we should cherish every moment we have
Only time and life will tell
We never know what the future holds, but only the passage of time and living through experiences will reveal it
But it's a long way home when you're in hell
Trying to escape from a negative or toxic situation can be a long and difficult journey, comparable to a journey out of hell
Where constant demons fracture souls
Negativity and toxicity can have a lasting effect on a person's soul, leaving it broken and damaged
Once a nightmare, now just lifeless ghosts
The past hurt and turmoil is now a distant memory, but it still lingers like a haunting, lifeless ghost
You tore this land asunder but my pride will bring it back
Despite the destruction and chaos, there is still hope and pride to rebuild and create a better future
[Chorus]
This is the repeated refrain that brings the message together - we can find the light even in the darkest moments and continue to push forward towards the future.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bridget A Regan, David R King, Dennis Casey, George Edward Schwindt, Matthew A Hensley, Nathen Maxwell, Robert Anthony Schmidt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind