Still, Harvey Danger has attracted U.S. attention due to their critical praise, with the All Music Guide calling the release 'Little By Little' "a smart and compelling pop album". In contrast, the band is little known in Europe, the aforementioned issues compounded since the band focused on selling themselves in America (especially Seattle) and thus made it very difficult for fans to get albums in Europe. The original drummer, Evan Sult, moved to Chicago and now drums in the band Bound Stems. For a short-time, he was replaced by Michael Welke, formerly of the band No. 226.
As a symbol of the group's close connection to its fans, they published their last album as a free download along with other materials. In 2009, they announced on their website they've called it quits. According to them, their decision was mutual, and they felt the band has run its course. The single "Flagpole Sitta" remains popular on various radio stations as well as having notoriety from being the theme song to the popular British comedy program 'Peep Show'.
On March 6, 2016, bass player and founding member, Aaron Huffman, died of respiratory failure.
Woolly Muffler
Harvey Danger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Double wrap me when it's cold
But you pulled a little tight just now
And I'm afraid I feel a choke hold coming on
All I ever thought we might come to was second dates
And flirting eyebrows
Or maybe even psychic friends
And almost definitely make more of it
Than it was
But everyone around us would know
Everyone watching would know
This is not a walk with walking wounded
Here's the ball, here's the pole, now where's the tether
Where's the tether?
Hands can grow together
If you're not careful or grateful or whatever
And I never much cared much too much to begin with
I will not take your possibilities under my care
I will not see you on the bus
You want me to hold your hand
It's a courtship I can't stand
And here I thought you were crying because you were happy
But no no no
Friends will turn against you
People disappoint you every time
So if you've got greatness in you would you do us all a favor
And keep it to yourself?
Keep it
Keep it to yourself
A labored expat fantasy:
Quit your job and move away with me
Oh what bliss it would be
To pretend we never met
I'm elated now
I'm elated now
I'm elated now
I'm elated now
In "Woolly Muffler," Harvey Danger delivers a bitter, ironic commentary on romantic relationships. The singer's idealized vision of himself as a protective, nurturing presence for his lover ("all I ever wanted to be was a woolly muffler on your naked neck") is undercut by his acknowledgement that his suffocating behavior ("But you pulled a little tight just now, and I'm afraid I feel a choke hold coming on") is driving her away. The singer's vision of their relationship is similarly conflicted - he daydreams about a shared secret world of "psychic friends" but is still preoccupied with how their relationship appears to outsiders ("everyone watching would know"). Eventually, he rejects her altogether, rejecting her offer of intimacy ("You want me to hold your hand/It's a courtship I can't stand").
The use of metaphor is key to the song's meaning. A "woolly muffler" is a snug scarf meant to keep someone warm, but here it becomes a symbol of suffocating possessiveness - the singer describes feeling as though he's in a "choke hold" as a result of it. The phrase "walking wounded" implies a kind of shared trauma, but the singer rejects the idea that he should take responsibility for his partner's emotions. Meanwhile, the repeated refrain of "keep it to yourself" could be interpreted in multiple ways - as a denial of vulnerability, an admonition to his partner not to share theirs, or a reflection of the singer's own indifference and detachment.
Line by Line Meaning
All I ever wanted to be was a woolly muffler on your naked neck
I always aspired to be a cozy and warm presence near you
Double wrap me when it's cold
Hold me tight when things aren't going well
But you pulled a little tight just now
You exerted more control over me than I am comfortable with
And I'm afraid I feel a choke hold coming on
I am scared of being suffocated in a relationship with you
All I ever thought we might come to was second dates
I never imagined anything serious between us, just casual get-togethers
And flirting eyebrows
Our lighthearted and playful style of attraction that made us spend time together
Or maybe even psychic friends
We were good together mentally and understood each other without being verbal
And we could share a secret language
We had a shared understanding that only strengthened our bond, making us feel comfortable with each other
And almost definitely make more of it
Although we could have just left it at that, I suspected we could have tried more with each other
Than it was
Our attraction wasn't enough to make a long-term commitment work
But everyone around us would know
Others in our lives could see how we felt about each other
Everyone watching would know
Our intense connection was obvious to the outside world
This is not a walk with walking wounded
We can't continue in this relationship any longer
Here's the ball, here's the pole, now where's the tether
We can't keep playing this game without some sort of commitment
Where's the tether?
Where are the limits to our relationship?
Hands can grow together
We can only progress if we both work together
If you're not careful or grateful or whatever
If you don't take care of our relationship, it won't last
And I never much cared much too much to begin with
I never felt particularly invested in the relationship from the beginning
I will not take your possibilities under my care
I refuse to be responsible for any potential outcomes of our connection
I will not see you on the bus
I choose to end things between us so I won't have to see you again
You want me to hold your hand
You want me to make a greater commitment to you
It's a courtship I can't stand
I don't like the way you're pursuing me or where this relationship is going
And here I thought you were crying because you were happy
I interpreted your emotions and actions incorrectly and thought you were content with our relationship
But no no no
But, in fact, that was not the case at all
Friends will turn against you
Friends and acquaintances might not always support your decisions
People disappoint you every time
People will let you down constantly
So if you've got greatness in you would you do us all a favor
If you have potential, please use it to benefit others
And keep it to yourself?
Do not showcase your talent just for admiration or attention
Keep it
Keep the greatness within you
Keep it to yourself
Don't flaunt or advertise your greatness for personal gain
A labored expat fantasy:
An unrealistic dream of packing up and starting anew in a different location
Quit your job and move away with me
Let's escape reality and live in a fantasy world together
Oh what bliss it would be
How wonderful it would be to live without responsibility or worry
To pretend we never met
To erase all memories of our past relationship and start fresh
I'm elated now
I am happy and content with the idea of leaving behind the relationship we once had
I'm elated now
I am eager and excited for a new beginning
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HUFFMAN, LIN, NELSON, SULT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
mookerman19
These guys had good hooks, solid lyrics, 90's pop sensibilities, and a lead singer bursting with unique energy. I'm shocked they were never too popular. Oh well--such is the fickle heart of the entertainment industry.
Evan Cohen
I've always thought that alot of these bands got over shadowed by the grunge explosion.
TheTodd74
Evan Cohen
They sort of landed after the 'grunge explosion' you mentioned. Very underrated band to say the least though...
freezingviking88
Evan Cohen I think you are right to a certain degree. I'd say most of the grunge followers at the time would have migrated towards bands like Harvey Danger if the Grunge hadn't existed. I love this track, and I agree with mookerman19, but at the same time THANK GOD the grunge was there because Goddamn, that is all.
freezingviking88
freezingviking88 but then again, my main point is that I have a feeling bands such as Harvey Danger would not have existed if it weren't for the 90's grunge scene. Love the grunge brotha' Embrace the grunge brotha' and Respect the grunge'
Ludus Aurea
+mookerman19 Quality is never popular.
cepson
I bought this album because of the one song that got radio play, but I was blown away by how each track was different but great in its own way. The lyrics were smart, full of humor and insight, and the music was superb. Not a boring moment on the entire album. They should be way more famous than they were.
Ludus Aurea
WHATMMG is one of the best debut albums in history, period. And the thing is, all 3 of their albums are just as amazing - they literally don't have a bad song. Despite being raised on metal for 20 years before this, this album was instantly one of my most cherished and influential purchases.
3cs3hs
yeah i think that was their downfall, being from Seattle and not following the grunge rock sound
Arthur Berghoff
Thought this band was a one hit wonder, but this is just as good as their one hit, and a completely different vibe. Hits so hard at the climax, it's fantastic.
Hidden gem.