HORSE the band's lyrics are chaotic and colorful metaphors for vocalist Nathan Winneke's life, often with humorous or abstract pop culture reference titles and bases. Winneke has referred to his style on multiple occasions as "lynchian" in reference to his favorite film director David Lynch and his obtuse narrative style.
The band had jokingly labeled themselves "Nintendocore" very early on in their career in reference to the synth sound they had adopted. Some Nintendo characters that are metaphorically referred to include Cut Man from Mega Man, although the song is spelled "Cutsman" because the song was about a childhood friend Winneke grew up with and that was how they had said the character's name in youth; "Birdo", one of the bosses from the NES game Super Mario Bros. 2, in the song "Birdo" which was actually about Winneke's distaste for eggs and traumatic experiences with his stepfather early in his life ; and the rabbit-like nemesis from The Legend of Zelda in the song "Pol's Voice" which is about Winneke's early loathing of the sound of his own voice. Similarly, the song "A Million Exploding Suns" refers to the Marvel Comics character Sentry, a schizophrenic and agoraphobic hero with this abundance of power, pertaining to Winneke's double life as a musician and as a video rental clerk.
2007's A Natural Death featured significant lyrical and musical evolution into the concepts of nature and mortality while moving slightly away from the Nintendo metaphors. The song "Murder" is inspired by the Western novel Lonesome Dove, in which a Native American named Blue Duck stalks and kills white settlers on the plains. "Hyperborea" as a reference to Robert E. Howard's original "Conan" pulp fantasy stories from the 30s, and "The Red Tornado," a DC comics character from the company of which Winneke is such an open enthusiast.
The band's line-up has continuously fluctuated in its 10 year history. In February it was announced that Chris Prophet had been fired and Jon Karel from The Number Twelve Looks Like You would be filling in on drums during Earth Tour. In July, 2008 the band stated that long-time band friend Daniel Pouliot of Bleeding Kansas had joined as the band's full time drummer. On Wednesday, December 3 2008, the band announced that Dash Arkenstone would be leaving the band soon, though he remains on good terms with the other members and has attended local shows.
The band booked its own tours starting the summer of 2002, including a 3-month tour spanning seven countries. With a carefully maintained web presence including their MP3.com and MySpace accounts, they had gained themselves a niche audience. In the summer of 2004, the HORSE the World Tour 2004 included 85 shows in 90 days, spanning 7 countries throughout North America and Europe.
Their latest album, titled Desperate Living, was released on October 6, 2009.
Cloudwalker
HORSE the band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's a real writer and say goodnighter
She's a sadist of a believer
I'm not a bridge, I'm not the bay
I'm not a car, taxi or train
I'm not a power tool or a construction crew
Just a man with two hands
What should I do when you walk out?
I dress in white
Become cloudwalker
I want to scan the crowd
And point to where the rain flows
I'm a white cloud
I'm a white cloud
We've got clouds in our heads
Dreams in our skies
We never say goodbye
What should I do when you walk out?
We have soft clouds in our heads
We have dreams in our skies
We never say goodbye
I AM THE SKY
DON'T ASK WHY
I FEEL IT AS I FEEL MY BREATH DEEP INSIDE
I'M A RIDE HIGHER
A TRIED TRIER
A NEVER GIVE UP VICTORY FIGHT IGNITER
Row after row after row
Row after row after row
Sentinel trees go
SHE'S A DREAM BOOMER
A NEVER TOO SOONER
A 3D TREE RIGHT BEFORE ME FALLING IN THE SEWER
SHE'S A ROCKSLIDE
A ROCKET IN THE SKY
A PLANE CRASHING TO THE EARTH AND EVERYONE WHO DIED
I'M A COUNTDOWN TICK
MOVING QUITE QUICK
TWO LOVERS CONFESSING A TRYST
SHE'S A THUNDERSTORM
SINCE THE DAY SHE WAS BORN
AND SHE BEAT-BEAT-BEATS LIKE THE HEART OF A WAR
Row after row after row
Row after row after row
Sentinel trees go
I'm looking down on trees
Let's not let this moment... be the same
The song "Cloudwalker" by HORSE the Band explores themes of identity, self-discovery, and resilience. The lyrics speak to a desire to reinvent oneself in the face of a difficult situation. The opening lines "We want to turn everything around" reveal this longing for change. The song then goes on to describe a protagonist who is not defined by material possessions or societal roles. He declares "I'm not a bridge, I'm not the bay, I'm not a car, taxi or train" conveying a sense of individuality and self-sufficiency.
The chorus "I dress in white, become cloudwalker, I want to scan the crowd and point to where the rain flows" is a metaphor for ascension, a desire to rise above the fray and elevate one's identity. The line "I'm a white cloud" further emphasizes this theme of transcendence. The repeated reference to clouds and skies throughout the song symbolizes an escape from the mundane and a search for the extraordinary.
The song also has a surreal quality to it, with references to thunderstorms, rocket ships, and trees falling into sewers. This imagery further conveys the sense of otherworldliness and the desire to transcend traditional reality. Overall, "Cloudwalker" is an introspective and dreamlike song that encourages listeners to explore their own identities and reach for something beyond themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
We want to turn everything around
We desire to change the current situation completely
She's a real writer and say goodnighter
She is a writer who likes to say goodbye and leave
She's a sadist of a believer
Her belief system involves enjoying suffering
I'm not a bridge, I'm not the bay
I am not a physical structure like a bridge or a bay
I'm not a car, taxi or train
I am not a mode of transportation like a car, taxi, or train
I'm not a power tool or a construction crew
I am not a power tool or a group of construction workers
I'm not the weapon simple or mass device
I am not a simple or complex weapon
Just a man with two hands
I am a normal person with two hands
What should I do when you walk out?
What action should I take when you leave?
I dress in white
I wear white clothing
Become cloudwalker
I transform into a person who walks on clouds
I want to scan the crowd
I want to look closely at the people around me
And point to where the rain flows
And indicate the direction where the rain is falling
We've got clouds in our heads
Our minds are filled with imaginative thoughts
Dreams in our skies
Our hopes and aspirations are high like the sky
We never say goodbye
We part in a way that doesn't involve saying goodbye
I AM THE SKY
I am the sky itself
DON'T ASK WHY
Don't question the fact that I am the sky
I FEEL IT AS I FEEL MY BREATH DEEP INSIDE
I know that I am the sky as intensely as I feel my own breath
I'M A RIDE HIGHER
I soar higher and higher
A TRIED TRIER
A persistent and determined individual
A NEVER GIVE UP VICTORY FIGHT IGNITER
A person who encourages others to fight on and never give up hope
Row after row after row
Continuous repetition of rows
Sentinel trees go
Trees that stand guard disappear
SHE'S A DREAM BOOMER
She is someone who makes dreams come true
A NEVER TOO SOONER
An action that is never too early
A 3D TREE RIGHT BEFORE ME FALLING IN THE SEWER
A three-dimensional tree appears in front of me, falling into the sewer
SHE'S A ROCKSLIDE
She has the intensity of a rockslide
A ROCKET IN THE SKY
A powerful force moving through the sky rapidly
A PLANE CRASHING TO THE EARTH AND EVERYONE WHO DIED
A disastrous event where a plane crashes, killing everyone on board
I'M A COUNTDOWN TICK
I am ticking like a countdown
MOVING QUITE QUICK
Moving faster than usual
TWO LOVERS CONFESSING A TRYST
Two lovers admitting to having a secret relationship
SHE'S A THUNDERSTORM
She brings the power and intensity of a thunderstorm
SINCE THE DAY SHE WAS BORN
Since the day she came into existence
AND SHE BEAT-BEAT-BEATS LIKE THE HEART OF A WAR
She beats as if it's the heart of a war
I'm looking down on trees
I am observing trees from a higher position
Let's not let this moment... be the same
Let us choose to make this moment different from past moments
Contributed by Harper V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
tominator999
HORSE the band are one of the most underrated bands ever
Ammnontet, king of Youtube
this is a severely underrated song
MintyMeetch
+Ammnontet, king of Youtube great ammnontet you listen 2 horse as well i see
cookie kat
Ammnontet, king of Youtube I love this song so much. this band like no shit helped me through tough times. it kept me calm, and relaxed.
Ryan
I really love this band too.
joeywtf
It appears that metal scream man is very fond of horse the band
joeywtf
@Ammnontet, king of Youtube wow what a guy. responding to a reply from a 4 year old comment
cro cops leg
This is the greatest song I’ve ever heard in my life. What a song.
afar
2:31 is one of the best pieces of music ever recorded. FIGHT ME
Connor Chapman
Their synth-playing never ceases to amaze me :O