From Hanalei's conception (November 2002) through November of 2004 all song… Read Full Bio ↴From Hanalei's conception (November 2002) through November of 2004 all songs were written and recorded soley by Brian Moss. From December of 2004 through December 2006 Hanalei consisted of Brian Moss: guitars & vocals, Pete Tscoukas: guitars, Jason Kyrouac/Nick Kraska: drums, & Pete Croke: bass. Now, following Brian's move back to Oakland and then San Francisco, CA, things are back in solo form. Sometimes, there's a laptop involved. The computer wishes to remain nameless. Hanalei's third full length, tentatively entitled "Adventure Playground" will be a collection of home recordings and should be released sometime during 2009.

Anza Ninety Three
Hanalei Lyrics

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If you had a dime for all the hearts that you've broken
You would be a rich woman by now.
If I had a dime for all the things I've left unspoken
Well, I suppose I would be better off by now.

Outcast at the back of the class back in nineteen ninety three.
Subject to the names and war games of boyhood hierarchy.
You, picture perfect, quick witted, gorgeous, and contrived,

Blind to the glances and shy advances of suitors in awkward disguise.

Emily you could have burned the blueprints,
You held the world in your hands.
You sold your fire to thieves and liars,
Emily you just followed the plan.

If you had a dime for all the crushes you've incited
You would be a rich woman, a rich woman by now.
If I had a dime for all the pleas I've recited,
I suppose I would be better off by now.

The heartaches come and heartaches go, but that first one always sticks.
So where and how have you been, are you still up the same old tricks?

I've changed, but not by much, I still wage wars that can't be won,
Some of my friends talk of having kids, but I don't because I still am one.

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Hanalei's song "Anza Ninety Three" depict a sorrowful reminiscence of two people who, in their youths, caused much pain towards those who loved them. The singer emphasizes how if his crush had a dime for all the hearts she broke, she would be a rich woman by now. Similarly, if he had a dime for all the things he left unsaid, he would've been better off by now.

The next verse describes the singer's teenage years in his high school years in 1993. The singer, an outcast and subject to the boyhood hierarchy of war games and name-calling, expresses a poignant sense of empathy towards his former crush. With undeterred admiration, he describes her as picture perfect, quick-witted, gorgeous, and contrived, yet was blind to the thoughts and feelings of those who wanted to be with her.

The final verse is full of reflections and heartbreak. The singer questions his former crush about where and how she's been and asks if she's still up to "the same old tricks." He conveys that despite his growth and change, he still fights battles that can't be won. He laments over how he and those around him have changed, but the issue that has not changed is that of heartbreak.

This melancholic song speaks to the emotional struggles of youth and the way in which unspoken feelings can lead to deep regrets in the future. The story is characterized by loss, empathy, and remorse.

Line by Line Meaning

If you had a dime for all the hearts that you've broken
If you were paid for each heartache you've caused in your life

You would be a rich woman by now.
You would have a lot of money.

If I had a dime for all the things I've left unspoken
If I were paid for every time I didn't express my thoughts or feelings

Well, I suppose I would be better off by now.
I would be in a better situation than I am currently.

Outcast at the back of the class back in nineteen ninety three.
I was an outsider at the rear of the classroom in 1993.

Subject to the names and war games of boyhood hierarchy.
I was a target of the games boys played to assert their dominance.

You, picture perfect, quick witted, gorgeous, and contrived,
You were beautiful, clever, and perfected in your social interactions but also insincere.

Blind to the glances and shy advances of suitors in awkward disguise.
You didn't notice the timid efforts of admirers trying to get your attention.

Emily you could have burned the blueprints,
You had the potential to carve your own path in life.

You held the world in your hands.
You had a lot of influence and control in your life.

You sold your fire to thieves and liars,
You gave away your passion and drive to people who didn't deserve it.

Emily you just followed the plan.
You lived your life according to predetermined expectations.

If you had a dime for all the crushes you've incited
If you were paid for every time you've caused someone to have a crush on you

You would be a rich woman, a rich woman by now.
You would have earned a significant amount of money.

If I had a dime for all the pleas I've recited,
If I were paid for each time I've begged or requested for something.

I suppose I would be better off by now.
I would be in a better situation than I currently am.

The heartaches come and heartaches go, but that first one always sticks.
Painful experiences may fade with time, but the first one always remains.

So where and how have you been, are you still up the same old tricks?
What have you been doing, are you still deceiving and manipulating people?

I've changed, but not by much, I still wage wars that can't be won,
I've made some progress, but I still fight battles that are impossible to win.

Some of my friends talk of having kids, but I don't because I still am one.
While some of my peers are starting families, I still feel like a kid inside and not ready for parenthood.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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