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 House of Boo
HORSE the band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
crawling hands slide to me--across a midnight room
i fear my blankets may not be the best
defenses that i could muster
still the chill beyond is like lizard claw
reaching from the hereafter
silent things scream from silent dreams BANG
still the room is still yet i'm filled with a cold
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
pause cold i'm alone
i pick up the phone
but i fear
that it's been disconnected
i don't even check
because i hear a breath
and i know
this is the end of me
i'm going to hell
A silent scream it whispers free from me
my mouth is dry my eyes are wide
i'm statuesque- petrified
the room is BLACK!!!!
my mind is REDISH
i'm alone in the room
but theres someone in my head
HUNGRY HANDS HAUNT ME IN THE MORROW OF THE NIGHT
I'M THINKING SHAKING BEGGING for a precious nite-light because
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
what should i do when the nightmares come true
the lampshades have faces and the closets are cruel
gasp and TREMBLE- weep and DROOL
dawns glorious light-- a stale recourse
in the empty cup i'm still seeing stars
well thats all right
it's like i'm already there
seven dawns UP seven moons DOWN
i'll get to sleep some night soon
thats all right
it's like i'm already there
The lyrics of HORSE the band's "The House of Boo" describe the frightening experiences of the singer as they try to sleep in a dark and eerie house. Shadows bloom, and the crawling hands slide across the midnight room, creating an ominous atmosphere. The singer's blankets are no match for the chill that seeps through the room, making them terrified as they hear silent things screaming from their silent dreams. The horror intensifies with the sounds of bangs, making them even more scared. The feeling of terror and helplessness keeps growing on the singer, and they feel alone and abandoned while the hungry hands haunt them in the dark.
As the singer is alone and terrified, they pick up the phone to call for help but realize that it is disconnected. They hear a breath, and they know that they are going to die and will go straight to hell. The silent scream whispers free from the singer as they are petrified, and they see everything in black and red. The lines about the lampshades having faces and the closets being cruel further intensify the horror.
As the dawn breaks, the singer finds solace in the glorious light of the day. They still see stars in the empty cup, but it is all right as they feel like they are already there. The line "Seven dawns up, seven moons down, I'll get to sleep some night soon" gives a glimmer of hope that they will eventually overcome their fears and sleep peacefully again.
Line by Line Meaning
Lights out-- shadows bloom
The darkness creeps in and brings forth a feeling of fear and unease
crawling hands slide to me--across a midnight room
Imaginary hands reach out to the singer, increasing their feeling of terror
i fear my blankets may not be the best defenses that i could muster
The singer is acutely aware of their vulnerability in the face of the unknown and feels powerless to protect themselves
still the chill beyond is like lizard claw reaching from the hereafter
The feeling of coldness persists, as if death itself has come to claim the singer
silent things scream from silent dreams BANG
The singer is haunted by the sounds of the night, which seem to come from another world
still the room is still yet i'm filled with a cold I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
The room is quiet, but the singer's fear only grows stronger with each passing moment
pause cold i'm alone
The singer is isolated and alone in their terror
i pick up the phone but i fear that it's been disconnected i don't even check
The singer desperately seeks a way out of their fear but is faced with the possibility that they are even more alone than they thought
because i hear a breath and i know this is the end of me i'm going to hell
The singer's imagination is running wild, and they believe that they are doomed for eternity
A silent scream it whispers free from me my mouth is dry my eyes are wide i'm statuesque- petrified
The singer is paralyzed with fear and unable to respond to their surroundings
the room is BLACK!!!! my mind is REDISH i'm alone in the room but theres someone in my head
The world around the singer has become a terrifying labyrinth, and they feel that their sanity is slipping away
HUNGRY HANDS HAUNT ME IN THE MORROW OF THE NIGHT I'M THINKING SHAKING BEGGING for a precious nite-light
The singer feels hunted by unseen forces and desperately longs for a sense of safety
what should i do when the nightmares come true the lampshades have faces and the closets are cruel gasp and TREMBLE- weep and DROOL
The singer is tormented by terrifying visions that have invaded the safety of their own home
dawns glorious light-- a stale recourse in the empty cup i'm still seeing stars well thats all right
The coming of morning provides some relief, but the singer is still haunted by the events of the night
it's like i'm already there seven dawns UP seven moons DOWN i'll get to sleep some night soon thats all right it's like i'm already there
The singer is resigned to their fate, believing that they will never escape the terror that haunts them, but they find some solace in the concept of inevitability
Contributed by Gianna B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
cwunchmutt
Lights out-- shadows bloom
Crawling hands slide to me--across a midnight room
I fear my blankets may not be the best
Defenses that I could muster
Still the chill beyond is like lizard claw
Reaching from the hereafter
Silent things scream from silent dreams BANG
Still the room is still yet I'm filled with a cold
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
Pause cold I'm alone
I pick up the phone
But I fear
That it's been disconnected
I don't even check
Because I hear a breath
And I know
This is the end of me
I'm going to hell
A silent scream it whispers free from me
My mouth is dry my eyes are wide
I'm statuesque- petrified
The room is BLACK!!!!
My mind is REDISH
I'm alone in the room
But there's someone in my head
HUNGRY HANDS HAUNT ME IN THE MORROW OF THE NIGHT
I'M THINKING SHAKING BEGGING for a precious night-light because
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
What should I do when the nightmares come true
The lampshades have faces and the closets are cruel
Gasp and TREMBLE- weep and DROOL
Dawns glorious light-- a stale recourse
In the empty cup I'm still seeing stars
Well that's alright
It's like I'm already there
Seven dawns UP seven moons DOWN
I'll get to sleep some night soon
That's alright
It's like I'm already there
Jamie Howard
This song is super underrated
FukkitBukkit
This song has one of their best breakdowns imo.
cwunchmutt
Lights out-- shadows bloom
Crawling hands slide to me--across a midnight room
I fear my blankets may not be the best
Defenses that I could muster
Still the chill beyond is like lizard claw
Reaching from the hereafter
Silent things scream from silent dreams BANG
Still the room is still yet I'm filled with a cold
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
Pause cold I'm alone
I pick up the phone
But I fear
That it's been disconnected
I don't even check
Because I hear a breath
And I know
This is the end of me
I'm going to hell
A silent scream it whispers free from me
My mouth is dry my eyes are wide
I'm statuesque- petrified
The room is BLACK!!!!
My mind is REDISH
I'm alone in the room
But there's someone in my head
HUNGRY HANDS HAUNT ME IN THE MORROW OF THE NIGHT
I'M THINKING SHAKING BEGGING for a precious night-light because
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
I'M TERRIFIED!!!!
What should I do when the nightmares come true
The lampshades have faces and the closets are cruel
Gasp and TREMBLE- weep and DROOL
Dawns glorious light-- a stale recourse
In the empty cup I'm still seeing stars
Well that's alright
It's like I'm already there
Seven dawns UP seven moons DOWN
I'll get to sleep some night soon
That's alright
It's like I'm already there
Jimmy Woodruff
their first album will always be my favorite. completely underrated. but I love everything they do. as original as a band can be
Taylor Johnathan
3:16 has to be one of my favorite drum rhythms I've ever heard, and the melody at 3:29 is so freaking good- sucks it's such a short section.
TicalWave89
some of dash's best bass imo
ChesterStone
ABSOLUTE CLASSIC
Agro é tóxico, agro é morte, agro é devastação
I like how they mix old game theme musics with rock
blahblahunicornx
2:40 that part is the best part on the entire fucking album <3
MLK
this is incredible