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.
The Buntaluffigus
HORSE the band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What excuse do you have to hide your own shame?
What lies do you tell to mask your misfortunes?
Who is at fault and who is to blame?
You brought this upon yourself.
You created your own personal hell.
You're responsible for the pit you've fallen into.
You want a person to blame? That person is you.
Create, eradicate the power is yours.
Take responsibility for your internal wars.
Don't give me excuses of a hard-lived life.
You can choose to flee or choose to fight.
We all have our demons to overcome.
We can make up excuses or take responsibility.
For our actions, our ways, the lives that we live,
for the hardships we face, and the misery we give,
for the emotions we fake, and the roads that we take,
we accept the consequences of the choices we make.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE. IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SAVE YOURSELF.
The lyrics of HORSE the band's song "The Buntaluffigus" delve into the topic of personal responsibility and the choice to either take ownership of one's actions or hide behind excuses. The opening lines of the song ask several questions, all pointing to the idea that the blame for one's fate lies within the individual. The chorus repeatedly emphasizes this message, stating that each person is responsible for their own life and can make choices to either create or destroy their own existence. The lyrics convey a sense of urgency and encouragement for the listener to take control of their life and not let their circumstances dictate their future.
The second verse calls out the idea of using a difficult upbringing or external factors as an excuse for one's actions. The song challenges the listener to make the choice to fight against their own internal struggles, rather than giving in to them. The lyrics acknowledge that everyone has their own demons to face, but ultimately it is up to the individual to take responsibility for their own path and to accept the consequences of their choices.
In summary, "The Buntaluffigus" is a call to action for the listener to take control of their life and not let their circumstances or external factors define their fate. The song emphasizes the idea of personal responsibility and encourages the listener to make choices that will lead to a better future for themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Who do you blame for what you've become?
You cannot blame other people for the person you have become.
What excuse do you have to hide your own shame?
You may be trying to justify your actions, but it's just a cover-up for your shame.
What lies do you tell to mask your misfortunes?
You may be lying to yourself and others to hide your misfortunes.
Who is at fault and who is to blame?
There is no one to blame but yourself for the state you are in.
You brought this upon yourself.
You are responsible for the situation you are in.
You created your own personal hell.
You shaped your own misery and suffering.
You're responsible for the pit you've fallen into.
You are accountable for the negative situation you find yourself in.
You want a person to blame? That person is you.
You are the only person responsible for your actions and their consequences.
You are whatever you make yourself to be, it's your own choice, do what you please.
You have the power to decide who you want to be and what you want to do with your life.
Create, eradicate the power is yours.
You have the power to create or destroy.
Take responsibility for your internal wars.
You must own up to the battles you are facing within yourself.
Don't give me excuses of a hard-lived life.
You cannot use your difficult life as an excuse for the decisions you make.
You can choose to flee or choose to fight.
You have the choice to face your battles or run from them.
We all have our demons to overcome.
We all have our struggles and obstacles to face.
We can make up excuses or take responsibility.
We can choose to make excuses for our actions or take responsibility for them.
For our actions, our ways, the lives that we live, for the hardships we face, and the misery we give, for the emotions we fake, and the roads that we take, we accept the consequences of the choices we make.
We must take responsibility for the consequences of our actions, emotions and decisions.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE. IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SAVE YOURSELF.
It's never too late to make a positive change in your life and take control.
Contributed by Taylor B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.