While the band's early work blended noise rock with electropop, their later work incorporates Italo disco. The band is known for evolving through the years since their original collaboration, and experimenting with various musical genres.
They have released a number of albums since the early 2000s, their most recent being 2008's Deep Gems.
Glass Candy was formed by Ida No, from Vancouver, Washington and Johnny Jewel, from Austin, Texas, in 1996. The two began working together in Portland, Oregon, just across the Columbia River from No's hometown of Vancouver, Washington. No describes their early work as "droney and weird." Their first two singles, which they self-released under the name "Glass Candy & the Shattered Theatre", were "Metal Gods" (2001) and a cover of Josie Cotton's "Johnny Are You Queer" (2002). They toured with The Convocation Of... in 2001, and released a live album that year on Vermin Scum. Their first studio album, Love Love Love, was issued on Troubleman Unlimited in 2003. A second full-length followed on Troubleman the next year. Jewel founded Italians Do It Better with Mike Simonetti as a subsidiary of Troubleman. In 2007 Glass Candy released their third album B/E/A/T/B/O/X on this label to considerable critical praise. In late 2008, a rarities, b-sides and remix album was released under the name Deep Gems. In a review of Deep Gems, Spin Magazine referred to the band as "an eccentric Portland pair" that "spook the dance floor".
Glass Candy songs were used for a Chloe runway show, as well as used by Karl Lagerfeld for the Spring/Summer '08 Chanel Haute Couture fashion show and the Fall/Winter one of '08/'09.
Recently Glass Candy's "Digital Versicolour" was used in the soundtrack to Nicolas Winding Refn's feature length film Bronson.
Current members
Ida No - vocals
Johnny Jewel (formerly known as John David V.) - drums, programming
Former members
Avalon Kalin - drums
Jimi Hey - drums
Dusty Sparkles - saxophone and drums
Discography
Smashed Candy (Vermin Scum, 2001)
Love Love Love (Troubleman Unlimited, 2003)
Life After Sundown (Troubleman Unlimited 2004)
Iko (Troubleman Unlimited, 2005)
"I Always Say Yes (12" Main)" (Italians Do It Better, 2007)
B/E/A/T/B/O/X (Italians Do It Better, 2007)
Miss Broadway (Vinyl, 12")" (Italians Do It Better, 2008)
Deep Gems (Italians Do It Better, 2008)
Life After Sundown
Glass Candy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Death sure makes a fuss
What are we gonna do when it comes for us?
Nite descends moonlessly / Cops are humming tunelessly
Walking in a straight line
Cold pistol in the inner coat pocket
I hope he don't hear commotion in the park
I hope he don't hear strange animal in the dark
I'm walking alone / The streets are so wet
I'm walking alone / The only thing bright is the streetlight
The only thing warm is the blood in our veins
So I think of warm days as a getaway
Like Valentino in Blood & Sand
It's another sleet nite / The only thing bright is the streetlight
I'm walking alone / The streets are so wet
I'm walking alone / The only thing bright is the streetlight
The only thing warm is the blood in our veins
So I think of warm days as a getaway
It's another sleet nite / The only thing bright is the streetlight
I'm walking alone
Life is borrowed / Sometimes blue
What are we gonna do ?
What are we gonna do when it comes for us ?
Bad boys / Sad girls / Death sure makes a fuss
What are we gonna do when it comes for us ?
What are we gonna do when it comes for us ?
What are we gonna do when it comes for us ?
Bad boys / Sad girls / Death sure makes a fuss
What are we gonna do when it comes for us ?
Bad boys / Sad girls / Death sure makes a fuss
What are we gonna do when it comes for us ?
What are we gonna do when it comes for us ?
Life is borrowed / Sometimes blue
What are we gonna do ?
What are we gonna do when it comes for us ?
Bad boys / Sad girls / Death sure makes a fuss
What are we gonna do when it comes for us ?
What are we gonna do when it comes for us ?
The lyrics to Glass Candy's "Life After Sundown" paint a picture of a dark, foreboding night. The song is about the inevitability of death and the uncertainty it brings. The opening lines, "Bad boys / Sad girls / Death sure makes a fuss," set the tone for the rest of the song.
The singer of the song is walking alone through the wet streets with a cold pistol in their inner coat pocket. They are hoping not to draw attention to themselves or attract any danger. The city is quiet except for the humming of the cops, who are as uncertain as anyone else about what the future holds.
The lyrics are infused with a sense of sadness and resignation. The singer knows that life is unpredictable and that death can come for anyone at any time. Despite the bleakness of the lyrics, the song has a certain beauty to it. The repetition of the line "What are we gonna do when it comes for us?" gives the song a haunting quality that lingers long after it's over.
Overall, "Life After Sundown" is a powerful song that deals with some heavy themes. Glass Candy's lyrics are evocative and poetic, painting a vivid picture of a world that is uncertain and often dangerous.
Line by Line Meaning
Bad boys / Sad girls
Mention of a phenomenon where guys go bad and girls become sad or depressed.
Death sure makes a fuss
Death is always a big deal, and this line reflects on the commotion and attention death brings, acknowledging that death is a big deal in its own right.
What are we gonna do when it comes for us?
Consideration of the inevitability of death and the question of how one will face it when it comes.
Nite descends moonlessly / Cops are humming tunelessly
A description of a dark, quiet night where even the police are humming without a tune to keep themselves busy or amused.
Walking in a straight line / Cold pistol in the inner coat pocket
Walking straight while carrying a cold gun in the inner coat pocket—this line hints at the dangerous, paranoid mindset of an individual with a weapon.
I hope he don't hear commotion in the park / I hope he don't hear strange animal in the dark
An expression of fear, particularly concerning the presence of outsiders that could possibly threaten one's safety.
I'm walking alone / The streets are so wet
Walking alone during a gloomy, rain-drenched night, which sets the scene for a dark and dreary experience.
The only thing bright is the streetlight / The only thing warm is the blood in our veins
The only light one sees on the streets at night is the brightness of streetlights, and the only warmth being felt is the warmth of the blood coursing through one's body. This highlights the darkness and emptiness of the surroundings and the warmth that life offers to only those who live it.
So I think of warm days as a getaway / Like Valentino in Blood & Sand
Speaks of missing warm sunny days, like a momentary escape from the harsh realities of life, evoking nostalgic joy and the reference to Valentino in the well-known movie 'Blood & Sand'.
It's another sleet nite / The only thing bright is the streetlight / I'm walking alone
Another cold and dreary night where the only bright spot is the street light, and one walks alone through the darkness.
Life is borrowed / Sometimes blue
A reminder that life is short and not everlastingly one filled with happiness. This line suggests that at times, it can be quite sorrowful.
What are we gonna do?
A repetition of the question about what will be done in the face of death.
What are we gonna do when it comes for us? / Bad boys / Sad girls / Death sure makes a fuss
The implications of death are not always predictable, and the line reflects on how people handle it differently with the repetition of the question from before.
What are we gonna do when it comes for us?
Another repetition of the question about how to deal with the inevitability of death.
Contributed by Charlotte L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.