Gin Blossoms are an alternative rock/power pop band that formed in 1987, in… Read Full Bio ↴Gin Blossoms are an alternative rock/power pop band that formed in 1987, in Tempe, Arizona, United States, known for their melodic yet melancholic sound. The band originally consisted of Robin Wilson (vocals, guitar), Jesse Valenzuela (guitar, vocals), Doug Hopkins (guitar), Bill Leen (bass), and Phillip Rhodes (drums). Shortly after finishing their debut major album, 'New Miserable Experience', the band fired Hopkins (who was also the band's principal songwriter and penned their hits "Found Out About You" and "Hey Jealousy") and replaced him with Scott Johnston.

Released on August 4, 1992, 'New Miserable Experience' proved a sonic contrast to the grunge and aggressive hard rock inspired music in vogue at the time. It became a strong commercial success, reaching the #1 spot on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. Aforementioned hits "Found Out About You" and "Hey Jealousy" were top 40 smashes on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, still getting consistent radio airplay as the years went on.

Though blessed with songwriting talent, Hopkins struggled both with addiction and with major depression. Sadly, Hopkins committed suicide in December of 1993. The band continued without him and achieved more major success, their power pop inspired, emotional lyrics becoming a precursor to later adult alternative groups of the late 90s and 00s. Still, they experienced more line-up changes, as Rhodes left the band shortly after their 2002 reunion (returning for a brief period in 2005). Currently the band does not have a permanent drummer.

They took their name from a photo of W.C. Fields which bore the caption "W.C. Fields with gin blossoms," referring to the actor's gin-ravaged nose. The band, who were musically weaned on rock artists such as The Byrds and Tom Petty, released three albums and had several hits in the mid-90s before breaking up in 1997. Five years later in 2002, the band reunited, released a DVD, resumed touring, and promised a fourth album.

Titled 'Major Lodge Victory', the Gin Blossoms' first album in ten years was released on August 8, 2006 on the Hybrid Recordings label. They have done much well-received touring since then. For example, the group joined Everclear, Sugar Ray, Lit and Marcy Playground on the 'Summerland Tour 2012', a 31-date nationwide tour that began on June 28, 2012, in Saratoga, California, and ended on August 11, 2012, in Laughlin, Nevada. The band later released 'No Chocolate Cake' on September 28, 2010; and 'Mixed Reality' on June 15, 2018.

Heart Away
Gin Blossoms Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here's a little something that I brought here for you
It ain't much but it might just do
Fairly serious could hardly say
That I couldn't give my heart away

I couldn't give my heart away
It's never enough to feel and say
Throw my promises away

Several things that I could do

But I couldn't give my heart to you
I couldn't give my heart to you
Smokes on the table the matches are lost
There's room in the back of the bar

Fairly serious could hardly say
That I couldn't give my heart away
I couldn't give my heart away
Aw, it's not really serious but I should prove

That I don't mean what I might not do
Not that you wanted it anyway

But I couldn't give my heart away
I couldn't give my heart away...

Overall Meaning

The Gin Blossoms' song "Heart Away" is a reflection on the singer's reluctance to give their heart away to someone they care about. The opening lines set the tone for the song - the singer has brought something for the person they care about, but it's not much. It's a small gesture, but it might be enough. The singer admits that they are "fairly serious" about the person, even to the point where they might say they love them, but they can't bring themselves to give their heart away.

The chorus repeats the idea that the singer can't give their heart away, even though they want to. They know they have promises to keep, but they feel they can't keep them if they give their heart away. They list several things they could do, but ultimately they can't bring themselves to give their heart to the person they care about. The second verse talks about smokes on the table and matches that are lost, creating a sense of emptiness and loss. The singer then reiterates that they are serious about the person, but they still can't give their heart away.

Overall, the song conveys a sense of hesitation and fear of vulnerability. The singer is torn between wanting to be with the person they care about and not wanting to risk getting hurt. It's a universal theme that many people can relate to, and the Gin Blossoms capture it well in "Heart Away."

Line by Line Meaning

Here's a little something that I brought here for you
I have something small to offer you

It ain't much but it might just do
It's not very significant, but it could be enough

Fairly serious could hardly say
It's somewhat important, but hard to define

That I couldn't give my heart away
I'm not willing to commit emotionally

I couldn't give my heart away
I'm not willing to give my love

It's never enough to feel and say
It's not sufficient to just say you love someone

Throw my promises away
I'm not keeping my commitments

Several things that I could do
There are other actions I could take

But I couldn't give my heart to you
But I can't give you my love

Smokes on the table the matches are lost
There's chaos and distraction around me

There's room in the back of the bar
There's an opportunity to escape