the minefields of love, flyover country existentialism and the boozy social life of
their hometown of Lawrence, Kansas.
They’ve released two records on Range Life Records, 2010′s “Before Our Hearts
Explode!” and 2007′s “On The Plains”.
Their new LP, “Empty Moon” finds singer/songwriter Brendan Hangauer standing
on the precipice, looking back at the intense final throes of a long love affair and
forward, with an eagle eye, at the landscape of new beginnings. A record full of
headlong melodies, drunken hope and heartache and startling insights into self
and circumstance, “Empty Moon” is an exalted howl at the moon as the rest of the
world rushes by.
Fourth of July is: Brendan Hangauer (vocals, guitar) Patrick
Hangauer (bass) Brian Costello (drums, vocals) Brendan Costello (guitar)
Purple Heart
Fourth of July Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Picture me kicking in your door like the police
And then looking through your drawers
As soon as you leave, like a thief
And then picture me breaking your back
With the emotional support that I'll need
And then picture me as I laugh
With my friend at the back, she'd been deceived
The war is only on TV and the reporters that you see will be there next week."
But you don't have to worry yet
'Cause they'll just take it out of your cheque
Watch the news if you forget who you set free
I said, "I never had this before and the weather is so gorgeous that I agree."
I'm so happy that I'm almost bored
And if I didn't have to work, I'd go back to sleep
But then sometimes when I drink, I think of who I used to be
'Bout how I'd kill you in your sleep for hurting me
And the war was all I had, I guess that and feeling bad
And now I can't remember the words I used to sing
And I can't remember their names or their faces and other things
And my purple heart hangs from my chest
My heart and my neck, the only things that I protect
Now they're covered in cement with tar lines
Like band-aids on the streets, from the cars and from the heat
Why didn't they just fill them right the first time?
And such good food and some French wine
My beautiful baby by my side
With no money to my name
A perfect life
The lyrics of "Purple Heart" by Fourth of July capture a mixture of emotions that come with reflecting on past hurt and the current state of affairs. The song starts off with a conversation about war and how it affects people's lives. The singer then goes into a vivid description of how they would react if someone they care about wrongs them. As the song progresses, they begin to reflect on their past, and how war was a significant part of their life. The singer seems to be struggling with memory loss, and it is unclear if this is due to their past experiences with war or something else.
The title "Purple Heart" is a reference to the military decoration awarded to soldiers wounded or killed in action. The singer's purple heart is a symbol of their past and the pain they carry. The image of their heart and neck being the only things they protect is a poignant representation of their emotional state. The lyrics continue with a shift to the present, and the singer talks about their current circumstances. They almost seem bored with the comfort they now have.
The juxtaposition between the past and present creates a complex narrative that highlights the impact of past traumas on current experiences. The lyrics of "Purple Heart" are open to interpretation, but the overall message is one of reflection and coming to terms with one's past.
Line by Line Meaning
She said, "Aren't you glad that we're never at war?"
She asked if I'm happy we're not in a state of war
Picture me kicking in your door like the police
Imagine me breaking into your home violently
And then looking through your drawers
And then searching through your personal belongings
As soon as you leave, like a thief
When you're gone, stealing your things sneakily
And then picture me breaking your back
Imagine me causing you great emotional or physical pain
With the emotional support that I'll need
With the help I require to get through it
And then picture me as I laugh
And then imagine me laughing
With my friend at the back, she'd been deceived
Along with my friend who has been tricked
And she said, "No, you don't have to worry about me,
She responded saying I needn't worry about her
The war is only on TV and the reporters that you see will be there next week."
The war exists only on television, and the reporters will be present for it.
But you don't have to worry yet
But don't be worried just yet
'Cause they'll just take it out of your cheque
Because the government will simply deduct money from what you get paid
Watch the news if you forget who you set free
Watch the news to remind yourself of those you have freed
I said, "I never had this before and the weather is so gorgeous that I agree."
I replied, saying I've never experienced something like this, and I agree the weather is lovely
I'm so happy that I'm almost bored
I'm happy to the point of being almost bored
And if I didn't have to work, I'd go back to sleep
If I had the time off, I'd go back to sleep
But then sometimes when I drink, I think of who I used to be
But when I drink, I sometimes reflect on my past self
'Bout how I'd kill you in your sleep for hurting me
About how I would murder someone for causing me harm
And the war was all I had, I guess that and feeling bad
The war and negative emotions were all I had
And now I can't remember the words I used to sing
Now I can't recollect the lyrics I would sing
And I can't remember their names or their faces and other things
And I can't remember people's names, faces, and other details
And my purple heart hangs from my chest
A Purple Heart medal hangs from my chest
My heart and my neck, the only things that I protect
My heart and neck are the only things I make sure to protect
Now they're covered in cement with tar lines
Now they're covered in cement with tar lines
Like band-aids on the streets, from the cars and from the heat
Similar to Band-Aids on the streets due to vehicles and weather
Why didn't they just fill them right the first time?
Why wasn't it done correctly the first time?
And such good food and some French wine
Enjoying good food and French wine
My beautiful baby by my side
My beautiful partner by my side
With no money to my name
Without any money to my name
A perfect life
An ideal life
Contributed by Isaiah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Vinny Redmond
Funny how accurate this song is