He currently lives in Portland, OR engineering/producing/writing/performing all his own music.
Credits
Gavin Castleton Lyrics
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(g)= Gavin
(b)= both
(f)There was no helicopter.
There was no great escape.
There was no supermarket, no screaming car ride, no zombie chase.
You lied about the way this went,
(g)I had no other place to go,
This remedy is all I know.
(f)But have you grown?
(g)The truth of where I am is hard to take,
Living in the house of my mistakes.
(f)But have you ever made a place to truly call your own?
(b)Is this you/me holding on or letting go?
(b)There is no clear agenda.
There is no safe retreat.
There's just the lengthy process, of filling in,
The you-shaped hole in me.
(g)And if I'd known it would end up this way,
I'd have got you hired anyway.
Home is not the place you dwell,
Home is where you see yourself.
The lyrics of Gavin Castleton's song, Credits, seem to paint a picture of past hurt and betrayal, with the underlying theme of self-reflection and growth. Lauren's opening lines express a sense of disappointment, as she lists down things that didn't happen, implying that Gavin may have lied in some way about the memories they shared. This is highlighted by the analogy of wet cement, suggesting that Gavin has been caught in his lies and is now stuck in the mess he's created. Gavin's response shifts the focus to his own perspective, implying that he has no other way to cope with the situation than to take the medicine he knows best - perhaps music - but also acknowledging that the truth of his current situation is difficult to bear.
The conversation then shifts to a more introspective tone, with Lauren asking if Gavin has grown from his experiences. Gavin's response suggests that he is still struggling to come to terms with his mistakes and their consequences, expressing his pain through the metaphor of living in the "house of my mistakes". Lauren then asks a poignant question, probing whether Gavin has ever truly found a place to call his own, which leads to the song's central question - whether the characters are holding on or letting go. The final lines are an attempt to answer this question, with Gavin suggesting that home is not a place, but rather a state of mind - where you see yourself, and by extension, where you belong.
Line by Line Meaning
There was no helicopter.
The situation was not as dramatic and exciting as you made it out to be.
There was no great escape.
There was no way for you to get out of your current situation.
There was no supermarket, no screaming car ride, no zombie chase.
You exaggerated the events that happened to make them seem more interesting and exciting.
You lied about the way this went,
You were not truthful about how things actually happened.
You're stepping in your wet cement.
You are making a mistake that will be hard to fix.
I had no other place to go,
There were no other options for me at the time.
This remedy is all I know.
This is the only way I know how to deal with my situation.
But have you grown?
Have you changed and improved since the last time we spoke?
The truth of where I am is hard to take,
It's difficult to accept the reality of where I currently am in life.
Living in the house of my mistakes.
I am constantly reminded of my past mistakes and regrets in life.
But have you ever made a place to truly call your own?
Have you created a life that is truly yours and that you feel comfortable in?
Is this you/me holding on or letting go?
Are we trying to hold onto something that is no longer good for us, or are we letting it go?
There is no clear agenda.
There is no set plan or direction for what we should do next.
There is no safe retreat.
We can't just give up and retreat to a comfortable, safe place.
There's just the lengthy process, of filling in, The you-shaped hole in me.
It will take time and effort to fill the void that is left by your absence in my life.
And if I'd known it would end up this way, I'd have got you hired anyway.
If I had known how things would turn out, I would have still tried to help you in any way I could.
Home is not the place you dwell, Home is where you see yourself.
Home is not just a physical place, it's where you feel comfortable and like yourself.
Contributed by Owen K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.