Part of the resurgent Boston hardcore scene, Have Heart formed in 2002 around the core lineup of singer Patrick Flynn, guitarist Ryan Hudon, and bassist Ryan Briggs. Hailing from the coastal town of New Bedford, the trio moved to Boston after graduating high school. Initially working with a revolving lineup of local musicians, the band played their first show in July 2003, and in November, their debut demo was released. The demo came to the attention of Think Fast! Records, who signed them for the release of the What Counts EP in 2004. The EP showcased long-time guitarist Ben Kelley and drummer Justin Paling.
In 2005, Have Heart moved to the estimable hardcore indie Bridge Nine Records and underwent a lineup change, with Kelley and Paling replaced by Kei Yasui and Shawn Costa, respectively. The following year they released The Things We Carry, their first full length. In 2007, the band toured through the U.S., Canada and Europe.
In 2008, the band released their second full-length album on Bridge Nine, Songs to Scream at the Sun, which debuted and peaked at No. 193 on the Billboard top 200 and No. 16 on the Top Heatseekers chart.
Have Heart's final show was played on National Edge Day 2009 in Revere, Massachusetts, along with other straight edge bands. Many members of bands presented testimonies of how members from Have Heart had a huge influence on their lives and careers, along with presenting stories of good times shared with members of Have Heart. Have Heart's last performance consisted of songs from all three of their releases and went for roughly one hour. Afterwards, Flynn laid out on the stage and a good majority of the crowd surrounded him onstage cheering and chanting, "Have Heart," along with fans shouting their personal testimonies to the significance Have Heart had on their lives. This lasted for around 20 minutes straight. Patrick Flynn estimated approximately 1500 people attended, whilst Bridge Nine estimated around 2000.
In February 2019, Have Heart announced they would play 4 reunion shows in July 2019, including one at Sound & Fury festival in Los Angeles.
Patrick Flynn - Vocals
Ryan Hudon - Guitar
Kei Yasui - Guitar
Ryan Briggs - Bass
Shawn Costa - Drums
No Roses No Skies
Have Heart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's the wild orchid in your ugly swamp
She's a song unsung
and the only white walls of her mind know what that song sounds like
The pills, the pills
and the Dr.'s promises just ain't doing the trick
cause the arms of nothing she falls asleep in
The TV screens, the magazines
scream at you like the dogs of hell
advertising and advising you to be
anyone but your beautiful self
Prince Charming never brought you flowers
just loveless lifetime alone
No roses for you, just unlocked doors
and the deafening silence of your phone
So block your ears, close your eyes
remember that you're a golden soul fallen from the
boring, heartless Hollywood heard of lies that they call:
Beautiful
With no shoulder, no hand, no body, no man, no door,
no heart to let you:
The sun can take too long
to end the endless night
I hear you, I feel you, I bleed with you
when our hearts begin to scream:
This life can feel too long
But at night, you're dancing through the pain
even when you're the only one
no rose, no sky as full of the beauty of the girl who dies
but rises with every morning's sun
alone
She dances alone
alone... so beautiful
alone... her own romance:
alone... Lady Lazarus' Life-Sustaining Dance
The lyrics to "No Roses No Skies" by Have Heart are powerful and heartbreaking. The song is about a woman who is unseen and unheard, living in a world that seems to constantly tear her down. The opening lines of the song, "She's a song unsung / She's the wild orchid in your ugly swamp", are a metaphor for this woman's beauty and strength being overshadowed by the ugliness around her.
The next stanza speaks to her struggles with mental health and the medical system. The pills and promises of the doctors are not enough to help her, and she finds solace in the arms of nothingness, which can also bring her to self-harm. The media is also a constant reminder of what she should be, rather than accepting and embracing who she is.
The third stanza harshly contrasts the fairy tale ideal of Prince Charming with reality, where there are no roses and no one to offer comfort, just unlocked doors and silence. The following lines encourage her to block out the external noise, to remember her worth and to dance through the pain. The final lines, "alone... Lady Lazarus' Life-Sustaining Dance", reference Sylvia Plath's poem "Lady Lazarus" about a woman who repeatedly attempts suicide but always manages to come back to life, somewhat stronger than before.
Overall, the song advocates for self-love and acceptance, while acknowledging the difficulties faced by those who feel invisible and unloved in society.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a song unsung
She is a mystery and has never revealed her true self.
She's the wild orchid in your ugly swamp
She is the rare beauty found amidst the ugliness.
and the only white walls of her mind know what that song sounds like
Only she knows the music that plays in her head.
The pills, the pills
The medications meant to heal are not working.
and the Dr.'s promises just ain't doing the trick
Even the promises made by her doctor are of no help.
cause the arms of nothing she falls asleep in
The arms of emptiness she embraces when sleeping.
can still bring the razor to the wrist
Can still lead to self-harm despite having nothing in her life.
The TV screens, the magazines
The media dictates what is believed to be beautiful.
scream at you like the dogs of hell
The media is loud and inescapable.
advertising and advising you to be
Pressurizing and laying stress to be what is considered beautiful by them.
anyone but your beautiful self
Promoting how being like yourself is not as good as being like them.
Prince Charming never brought you flowers
No romantic partner has ever shown love or appreciation.
just loveless lifetime alone
Spending a lifetime by yourself, without love.
No roses for you, just unlocked doors
No signs of love or care, just open and empty spaces.
and the deafening silence of your phone
Loneliness that is amplified by the silence of the phone.
So block your ears, close your eyes
Shutting the external voices and looking within oneself.
remember that you're a golden soul fallen from the
Reminding oneself of their true worth.
boring, heartless Hollywood heard of lies that they call:
Challenging the fake idea of beauty that is portrayed by the media.
Beautiful
The distorted and corrupted idea of beauty promoted by the media.
With no shoulder, no hand, no body, no man, no door,
Being completely alone and neglected by the world.
no heart to let you:
No one to have your back and support you.
The sun can take too long
The happiness and light might seem too far and unattainable.
to end the endless night
The night may seem never-ending and dark.
I hear you, I feel you, I bleed with you
I empathize with you and feel your pain.
when our hearts begin to scream:
When our deepest emotions come to the surface.
This life can feel too long
Life may seem tiresome and burdensome.
But at night, you're dancing through the pain
Finding joy in whatever little life offers, even in pain.
even when you're the only one
Dancing alone, without anyone for company.
no rose, no sky as full of the beauty of the girl who dies
No signs of love or appreciation for the beautiful woman who suffers.
but rises with every morning's sun
Still having hope and rising with each new day.
alone
Despite being alone, she embraces herself and finds her own happiness.
She dances alone
Finding joy in one's own company.
alone... so beautiful
Being alone only makes her more beautiful and strong.
alone... her own romance:
Creating her own love story.
alone... Lady Lazarus' Life-Sustaining Dance
Thriving in the face of adversity and finding life's joy, just like Lady Lazarus.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind