Heydays
Great Lakes Myth Society Lyrics
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Your house has been rented
Several times over
By prettier girls.
Weekends and summers,
Bands that you loved
Were just haircuts and jackets.
Your days are invested,
The band has been signed.
You've been there before,
Perhaps this is the time.
Girlfriends are leaving,
New girls arrive.
You open the circle,
To be blinded by light.
Uncertain the future,
Nostalgic the past.
Unable to recognize,
Moments that pass.
Heydays are passing.
Friendless and thin,
From back doors of cafes,
Hid by the din.
But don't hold a candle,
Don't carry a torch.
Those are for castles,
And you are long from their court.
But lift up a bottle,
And put back a glass.
Some years from tomorrow,
With your gut you'll look back.
The song "Heydays" by Great Lakes Myth Society is a melancholic reflection on the passage of time and the changes that come with it. The lyrics evoke a sense of loss and nostalgia for a time that has passed, but also a recognition that perhaps it was never as great as it seemed at the time. The opening lines, "Heydays are passing. Your house has been rented several times over by prettier girls," set the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer confronts the fact that they are no longer the center of attention.
The second verse continues this theme, with the singer looking back on bands and hairstyles that were once so important, but now seem trivial. The line "Back then that was enough" suggests a recognition that the things that once seemed so important were perhaps not as meaningful as they were thought to be. The third verse is more optimistic, with the band being signed and the possibility of success on the horizon. However, this is tempered by the realization that girlfriends are coming and going, and the future is uncertain.
The chorus of the song sums up the overall mood, with the repeated refrain of "Heydays are passing" driving home the idea that time waits for no one. The final verse is perhaps the most wistful, with the singer feeling lonely and disconnected, but still finding solace in the simple act of raising a glass. The closing lines, "Some years from tomorrow, with your gut you'll look back" suggest that even though the heydays may be over, the memories will always be with us.
Overall, "Heydays" is a thoughtful and introspective song that speaks to the universal experience of growing older and looking back on our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Heydays are passing.
The best times of your life are coming to an end.
Your house has been rented
Several times over
By prettier girls.
Your old house, where you once had great times with beautiful girls, has moved on to hosting younger, more beautiful girls as tenants.
Weekends and summers,
Bands that you loved
Were just haircuts and jackets.
Back then that was enough.
Those weekends and summers where you bonded over the music you loved were nothing but superficial bandwagoning and the image was everything.
Your days are invested,
The band has been signed.
You've been there before,
Perhaps this is the time.
You've poured your time into your music and now your band has finally been signed. But you've also been through this before and hope that this time it will be different.
Girlfriends are leaving,
New girls arrive.
You open the circle,
To be blinded by light.
Your past relationships are ending as new ones begin, but every time you let someone into your life you end up hurt and disillusioned.
Uncertain the future,
Nostalgic the past.
Unable to recognize,
Moments that pass.
You feel lost and unsure of what's to come, while you cling to the memories of what's already passed. You struggle to embrace the present and appreciate the fleeting moments that pass you by.
Friendless and thin,
From back doors of cafes,
Hid by the din.
You feel isolated and alone, spending your days hidden in the background of cafes and other crowded places.
But don't hold a candle,
Don't carry a torch.
Those are for castles,
And you are long from their court.
You shouldn't hope for the unattainable or cling to unrealistic dreams. Those things are reserved for people with power and status, which you lack.
But lift up a bottle,
And put back a glass.
Some years from tomorrow,
With your gut you'll look back.
Instead, you should live in the moment and enjoy a drink with those around you. Someday you'll look back and reminisce about these times, so make them count, even though you may experience regret.
Contributed by Dominic G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.