Armed with solid training and raw talent, they mix and combine their different musical backgrounds. Their complex arrangements, inspired by both classical and modern composers, are particularly striking to hear and see during their live shows. Devon Portielje’s remarkable voice is beautifully backed up by Connor Molander and Dylan Phillips. Phillips often plays drums and keys simultaneously as Molander and Portielje shuffle between guitar, keys, samplers, and percussion folky three-part harmonies hold down moody, psychedelic arrangements and electronic-infused soundscapes. They have recently welcomed a 4th member on stage, multi-instrumentlist Isaac Symonds, who adds his voice as well as playing guitar, keyboards and percussions.
Nerve
Half Moon Run Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I keep on talking cause it feels like home.
It feels alright to be growing old,
But growing old is just letting go.
And it's just the reason I needed to leave this place,
I took to home, wanted to run away.
I had a different image on my mind,
This is the change that happens all the time.
And it comes as no surprise, it's like, oh
And I just don't know what you're doing wrong, yeah.
Wrong, wrong, man, you've got a lot of nerve.
And I just don't know what you're doing wrong, yeah.
Wrong, wrong, man, you've got a lot of nerve.
How come all my vices always breathe relief,
But a sip of gin saves an hour of speech
And yeah, it's fickle and it feels so cheap,
But I can rest and I can feel at ease.
Yes, my friends don't know, they're happy just listenin'
I'm at a loss cause I'm livin' it
It's not to say that I'm givin' in,
It's just that this is how it's always been
And it comes as no surprise, it's like, oh
And I just don't know what you're doing wrong, yeah.
Wrong, wrong, man, you've got a lot of nerve.
And I just don't know what you're doing wrong, yeah.
Wrong, wrong, man, you've got a lot of nerve.
I can't melt all of my worries in nothing, no
And I, I, I would.
And I keep trying but I always get let down, somehow
Man, you've got a lot of nerve.
The Half Moon Run's song "Nerve" is a contemplative and introspective song that explores the themes of growth, change, and the challenges of navigating through life. The song begins with the singer acknowledging the emptiness in their words but continues to talk because it feels like home. The singer reflects on the feeling of growing old and letting go of things and people they once held onto. While they acknowledge that they need to leave the place they've always known, their thoughts wander to the image they had in their mind, a different one from reality. They recognize that change is constant and happens all the time.
The chorus of "Nerve" speaks of frustration towards someone who is causing harm or annoyance, possibly causing the singer to feel wronged. They express confusion over the other person's actions and motivations, questioning what they could be doing wrong. The phrase "you've got a lot of nerve" is a way of saying that the person is being disrespectful or audacious.
The second verse delves into the idea of addiction, where the singer notes that their vices are temporary distractions but ultimately offer relief. The mention of gin specifically implies a temporary relief from the struggle to articulate one's thoughts, feelings, and worries. The singer is aware that their friends are content just listening to them, but the tension still exists inside. The singer seems frustrated with the way they're living life, but they're not entirely willing to give in to the ease of complacency. They accept that this is the way things have always been, and recognize the self-destructive tendencies but can't seem to break free. They long for relief from their struggles but can't seem to find peace.
Overall, "Nerve" is a song that explores the contradictions of self-exploration, the struggle between holding on and letting go, and the tension between growth and stability.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a lot of nothing in the words, I know
Despite saying a lot, there's barely any substance in what I'm saying
But I keep on talking cause it feels like home.
Talking is familiar to me, so I do it even if it doesn't mean much
It feels alright to be growing old,
Aging doesn't seem so bad
But growing old is just letting go.
Getting older means losing certain things
And it's just the reason I needed to leave this place,
This is why I had to leave this place
I took to home, wanted to run away.
I went back home, but it was like running away
I had a different image on my mind,
I had a different idea in my head
This is the change that happens all the time.
Things are always changing
And it comes as no surprise, it's like, oh
I'm not surprised, it's predictable
And I just don't know what you're doing wrong, yeah.
I don't know what's wrong with you
Wrong, wrong, man, you've got a lot of nerve.
You're being audacious and I don't like it
How come all my vices always breathe relief,
All my bad habits make me feel better
But a sip of gin saves an hour of speech
Drinking can be a quicker solution than talking
And yeah, it's fickle and it feels so cheap,
It's not a great solution and it feels wrong
But I can rest and I can feel at ease.
It brings me a sense of calm and comfort
Yes, my friends don't know, they're happy just listenin'
My friends don't know what's really going on, but they're content with just listening
I'm at a loss cause I'm livin' it
I don't really know what I'm doing in life
It's not to say that I'm givin' in,
I'm not giving up
It's just that this is how it's always been
This is how things have always been for me
I can't melt all of my worries in nothing, no
I can't make my problems disappear completely
And I, I, I would.
If I could make them go away, I would
And I keep trying but I always get let down, somehow
I keep trying to fix things, but it never seems to work
Man, you've got a lot of nerve.
You're being really bold, and I don't like it
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CONNER MOLANDER, DEVON PORTIELJE, DYLAN PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@GaliJDos
How can a guy do the drumming, play a bass line on a keyboard and sing the choir at the same time??? This guy is a superman :D
@EthrilKynd
Gali-Jean D. Check out BinkBeats. That guy is similar. Phenomenal
@jonathanhart8208
+Gali-Jean D. Not discrediting him at all, but he is playing pretty basic parts on all of them.
@AreeshFlower
Dylan is a genius!
@dagnut
And the guitarist cant even get his guitar In key
@mayagame
they are all! super talented!
@SaZid07
Probably the best BBC Radio 1 performance I have ever seen.
@johannarrae
I saw these guys live the other week and it's probably the best concert I've been to so far. And can we all just acknowledge that Dylan is keyboarding and drumming at the same time?! Coordination/10!
@GhostDogKilla11
and back up vocals too!!! LOL!
@flaro38
0:59 love that gesture. This song is so catchy yet elegant and complex