Hanging By A Name's hypnotizing trip takes place on those same streets, urban music full of atmosferic landscapes followed by complex rhythmic signatures, in a collective effort to capture the intensity of the stories told.
On their first year of existence, Duarte Feliciano (vocals and guitar), Adílio Sousa (bass) and João Santiago (drums) make their debut, homonymous by right, in a language made of tiny pieces of music, cinema, literature and photography.
Hanging By A Name, divided into eight plays, will make you cough. Convulsively.
The Noose
Hanging By A Name Lyrics
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Those that had in life something to boast for, money or fame or acceptance, those fortunate few that looked down on the rest us, all seeked him and in search of his favours. For his talent they knew had no rival and they could not settle for less.
He earned his life as liar, or so he would feel in his bed, because that was the only talent he had to sell.
That was the personal weight he carried on his cursed soul and everything else in his life had the stench of his clients gold. In vain he had tried to appease the guilt and remorse he would feel, he was searching for something that eased the misfortune that led to this aching silence in the hours spent on his gruesome work. And this craving, craving for more!
Buried by the life expired, tightening the noose...
The song "The Noose" by Hanging By A Name describes the life and inner turmoil of an artist who paints portraits for the rich and vain, portraying their underlying greed and ambition. The artist earns a living by painting their portraits and feels like a liar because he has to hide the truth behind their expressions. The clients seek him out because they know that his talent has no rival and they cannot settle for less. The artist feels guilty for making a living this way and is searching for something to ease his remorse.
The artist's personal weight is the guilt he carries for selling his talent to the wealthy clients. He has tried to appease his guilt but is still craving something more. The song ends with the artist being buried by his life and tightening the noose around himself, possibly indicating his suicide.
Line by Line Meaning
Grave and undisturbed, he layed his brush on the portraits he was commissioned by the rich and the vain that looked forward on cheating death.
He painted portraits for wealthy and conceited clients who believed that his art would protect them from death.
And with infinite patience, he soothed the grotesque underlying expressions that greed and ambition seemed to imprint into their heads.
He meticulously painted over the garish facial expressions of his clients to make them appear more refined and respectable.
Those that had in life something to boast for, money or fame or acceptance, those fortunate few that looked down on the rest us, all seeked him and in search of his favours.
Only the most privileged and arrogant individuals sought out his services, seeking to enhance their already enriched status through his art.
For his talent they knew had no rival and they could not settle for less.
His clients knew that his artistic abilities were unmatched, and they wouldn't settle for a lesser artist.
He earned his life as a liar, or so he would feel in his bed, because that was the only talent he had to sell.
He viewed himself as a deceiver because he relied solely on his ability to create illusions with his art to make a living.
That was the personal weight he carried on his cursed soul and everything else in his life had the stench of his clients gold.
He felt burdened by his reliance on his wealthy clients for his livelihood, and he resented the way their money permeated all aspects of his life.
In vain he had tried to appease the guilt and remorse he would feel, he was searching for something that eased the misfortune that led to this aching silence in the hours spent on his gruesome work.
He struggled to alleviate the feelings of guilt and regret he experienced while creating portraits for his affluent clients, and he longed to find a way to make peace with his choices.
And this craving, craving for more!
Despite his internal turmoil, he found himself constantly seeking more success and recognition for his art.
Buried by the life expired, tightening the noose...
As he was consumed by the lifestyle his art had afforded him, he found himself increasingly trapped and restricted, until it felt as though he was being suffocated by his own life.
Contributed by Alexander R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.