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.

Something Real
Gin Blossoms Lyrics

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I don't know if it matters
But I'm sorry that we made such a mess
Out of Love
I don't understand the pressure
Could this day get any better?
A long way from hard times I Win you again
The dark roads and hard snows
How could I know?

We just make it all up as we go

Chorus][
So give me something real
That I can lay my head on
No fairy tales or Dreams
I'm sick of make believing
I made a promise long ago
It all fell apart I don't wanna let go
C'mon give me something real

I don't know any better
But I know that I've made some mistakes with your love
I can't help but think
It matters
The illusion finally shatters

A long time gone now to win
You again time slows hearts
Froze how could I know?
I just make it all up as I go

[Chorus]

I may or may not really know
It hurts to think it's worse to.

Speak don't let go
The words I seek won't let go
A promise lasts forever

[Chorus]

So give me something real
That I can lay my head on
No fairy tales or Dreams
It's over, I'm not what I had left behind
I might be wrong but I know I tried

C'mon give me something real

C'mon give me something real
C'mon give me something real

Overall Meaning

The Gin Blossoms' song "Something Real" is about longing for genuine love and relationships, rather than the superficial ones that are filled with illusions and make-believe. In the first verse, the singer apologizes for the mess they've made of their relationship and expresses their confusion about the pressures that affect it. The chorus is a plea to be given something real to hold onto, rather than empty promises or fairy tales. The second verse is a reflection on past mistakes and the hope for a chance to win back the love that was lost. The bridge speaks of the pain of letting go and the importance of keeping promises, while the final chorus repeats the desire for something real.

The lyrics of "Something Real" are poignant and relatable to anyone who has experienced the ups and downs of romance. The Gin Blossoms' use of imagery, such as "dark roads and hard snows," helps to paint a picture of the challenges that come with love. Additionally, the repetition of "I just make it all up as I go" emphasizes the idea that relationships are not always easy and can require improvisation.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't know if it matters
I'm unsure if this apology will do anything

But I'm sorry that we made such a mess
I apologize for the chaos that our relationship has become

Out of Love
It's unfortunate that love caused this mess

I don't understand the pressure
I'm confused and overwhelmed by the expectations of our relationship

Could this day get any better?
I doubt things could improve today

A long way from hard times I Win you again
Our past struggles make it seem unlikely that we'll reconcile

The dark roads and hard snows
The tough times we've faced in our relationship

How could I know?
I had no way of predicting how things would turn out

We just make it all up as we go
We don't have a set plan for our relationship

So give me something real
I want something genuine from our relationship

That I can lay my head on
Something I can trust and rely on

No fairy tales or Dreams
I don't want unrealistic expectations or false hope

I'm sick of make believing
I'm tired of pretending that everything is okay

I made a promise long ago
I made a commitment to our relationship in the past

It all fell apart I don't wanna let go
Even though things have fallen apart, I don't want to give up

C'mon give me something real
I'm pleading for something true and honest

I don't know any better
I'm lacking understanding in this situation

But I know that I've made some mistakes with your love
I've messed up in how I've treated you and your love

I can't help but think
It's difficult not to consider the what-ifs

It matters
This situation and our relationship is important to me

The illusion finally shatters
The fake, idealistic version of our relationship has come crashing down

A long time gone now to win
It's been a while since we were happy, and it's harder to fix now

You again time slows hearts
The idea of rekindling our love is heartwarming and slows time down

Froze how could I know?
I was caught off guard and didn't know how to react

I just make it all up as I go
I continue to wing it in our relationship

It hurts to think it's worse to.
The pain of this situation is agonizing

Speak don't let go
I'm urging my partner not to leave without expressing their true feelings

The words I seek won't let go
I can't stop thinking about the words I want to say to make things right

A promise lasts forever
I understand that some promises are meant to be kept forever

It's over, I'm not what I had left behind
Our relationship is ending and I'm not the same person I was before

I might be wrong but I know I tried
I may have made mistakes, but I did my best to make things work

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CURTIS LARSON III WILSON, ERIC BENET JORDAN, ERIC VANDELL BAKER, JEFFREY YOUNG, LESLEY BUTLER, ROCHAD HOLIDAY, SHARI ANITA WATSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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