Golden Shoulders has released four albums, Let My Burden Be (2002), Friendship is Deep (2004), Get Reasonable (2009) and Could This Be The End (2019), along with the EPs Bee 17 (2005) and Kin (2006). Thus far, all officially released Golden Shoulders songs have been written by Kline and arranged by the musicians on the recordings. Live arrangements differ from the recorded versions based on the whims of the performers. Golden Shoulders' first album, Let My Burden Be, peaked at No. 68 on the CMJ chart, which measures college radio plays in the United States. The April 2005 issue of MOJO magazine gave the Golden Shoulders' second album, Friendship is Deep, a review of four out of five stars. The follow-up album, Get Reasonable, received another four star review from MOJO in the November 2009 issue. Golden Shoulders have also had several songs featured on the episodic video blog, lonelygirl15.
The band has toured the United States several times, including 2004's Speed of Sound Tour, 2006's Annyong Tour, 2009's Flawless Tour, and 2010's Drive Across America Tour. The shows performed on these tours were performed without electricity, meaning no microphones or amplifiers were used, though the band sometimes appears as a four-piece, plugged-in lineup when playing in their home state of California.
Believe Me
Golden Shoulders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That self defense,
Serves any sort of purpose,
This time.
And If I've broken ranks,
Send in the tanks,
or something else as heavy,
If you can.
Believe me I know I've been wrong before
I'm likely to be wrong some more.
It seems the pacifist
just got his wish.
All those that beat on him
are gettin' theirs.
And if his plans are shot
The culprit caught will crumble
just like nothing has before
Believe me I know I've been wrong before
I'm likely to be wrong some more.
I don't need anything from anyone.
And I would leave,
If I could live with what I've done.
Believe me I know I've been wrong before,
I'm likely to be wrong some more.
The lyrics of Golden Shoulders' "Believe Me" expresses the singer's uncertainty about the effectiveness of self-defense in the face of conflict. The singer seems to be suggesting that trying to defend oneself only brings about more harm and violence, and they are unconvinced about whether it serves any purpose at all. The line "And if I've broken ranks, send in the tanks" could be interpreted as a metaphorical representation of the singer's desire for overwhelming force to be used to fix the situation they find themselves in.
The song then transitions into the belief that the pacifist position has now come to fruition - those who have previously been violent towards peaceful individuals are receiving their comeuppance. Even if the pacifist's plans seemingly fail, the wrongdoer will eventually face consequences. However, the singer acknowledges that they, too, have been wrong before and will likely be so again. The closing line, "I don't need anything from anyone. And I would leave, If I could live with what I've done" leaves the listener with a sense of remorse, as the singer battles with the guilt of their actions.
Interestingly, the song has no clear chorus, but rather repeatedly stating "Believe me I know I've been wrong before. I'm likely to be wrong some more" as a sort of refrain. This song's lyrical content seems to explore the idea of consequences, whether it is the unintended outcomes of self-defense or one's own guilt over past choices. It invites the listener to consider if there exists a solution or if we can only strive to be "less wrong."
Line by Line Meaning
Believe me I'm unconvinced,
I am not convinced that self-defense is necessary at this time.
That self defense,
The act of defending oneself from harm.
Serves any sort of purpose,
Does not have any significant purpose or value in this context.
This time.
At the present moment or situation.
And If I've broken ranks,
If I have deviated from the norm or expectations.
Send in the tanks,
Take extreme action to rectify the situation.
or something else as heavy,
Employ an equally significant or impactful measure.
If you can.
If it's possible or feasible to do so.
Believe me I know I've been wrong before
I recognize that I have made mistakes in the past.
I'm likely to be wrong some more.
It's probable that I will make more mistakes in the future.
It seems the pacifist
Someone who believes in peaceful solutions to conflicts.
just got his wish.
His desire for non-violent resolution has been fulfilled.
All those that beat on him
Those who had previously harmed him.
are gettin' theirs.
Are facing consequences for their actions.
And if his plans are shot
If his strategies fail to achieve the desired outcome.
The culprit caught will crumble
The one responsible for the failure will suffer or fall apart.
just like nothing has before
In an unprecedented, noteworthy manner.
I don't need anything from anyone.
I am self-reliant and independent.
And I would leave,
I would depart or disassociate.
If I could live with what I've done.
If I could reconcile with my past actions or decisions.
Contributed by Addison J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.