Combining elements of both rock and folk music, along with disturbingly personal sentiments, dark humor, and a voice able to channel both the falsetto highs of Neil Young and the wavering raspy low tones of Leonard Cohen, Toronto's Hayden Desser has spent his career creating uniquely affecting music.
The critically-acclaimed musician first appeared in the early '90s armed with only his four-track tape recorder, his unexpectedly low vocal range, and an extremely detuned guitar. Going simply by the name Hayden, he recorded his self-released cassette, In September, in 1994, and much of the material included evolved into his first proper LP, 1995's Everything I Long For. Initially self-released on his own Hardwood Records, the debut disc toed the line between beautiful and horrifying, touching on simple details of human interaction as well as delving into macabre tales that still retained an oddly personal edge. After a year of touring Canada, E.T.I.L.F. was picked up by Outpost Recordings (Geffen) and was released worldwide in early 1996. Tours of the U.S., Europe and Japan took up most of 1996, as well as writing and recording the title track to the Steve Buscemi-directed Tree’s Lounge. Hayden’s second full-length record. The Closer I Get (1998) was recorded in Toronto, Bearsville, N.Y., Seattle and Los Angeles. After another year of touring, Hayden closed the book on chapter one of his musical endeavors.
The next couple of years went by without any performances, but during 2000, Hayden began writing and recording in his Toronto home. The self-produced collection of songs was titled Skyscraper National Park and was released in 2001 to world–wide critical acclaim.
The following year, a live concert double CD was released, Live at Convocation Hall, a glimpse, for the listener, into what makes Hayden’s appearances such a favourite among his ever devoted fan base. His natural rapport with the crowd, along with an honest demeanour, has continued Hayden’s reputation as a unique and charming performer.
In 2004, Hayden released his 4th studio album. Elk-Lake Serenade continued in the direction of Skyscraper with it’s collection of warm and memorable recordings. 2004 also heralded Hayden’s return to the road with several tours that took him as far as Australia and New Zealand.
After a long period of writing and recording, Hayden returned in early 2008 with his 5th full-length studio record. In Field & Town is his most musically diverse and textured record to date. It captures his penchant for self-referential fiction and emotionally heavy songs and laces them with sharp hooks and smart lyrics. After supporting The National in Europe in November of ‘07, Hayden completed a sold-out theatre tour of Canada as well as spring and fall North American tours supporting Feist. In Field & Town was released on Fat Possum in the U.S.A. and November saw the release in Europe via the Affairs of the Heart label, combined with Nov./Dec. dates in the UK, France, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium and Germany.
www.hardwoodrecords.com
www.myspace.com/hayden
09 Dynamite Walls ft The National
Hayden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put it in drive
get on the road and just go.
City lights
turn the tree lines
and National Park signs
Mountains approach
and the air turns to falling snow
Miles away or just up ahead.
It doesn't matter what,
Any of us is looking for.
We'll never find it, because
It's not even there.
high beams showing
falling rock warning
construction work, slowing
The engine blazes
The elevation raises
The dynamite walls contain us
everyone's wathcing
for animals crossing
through the part of the glass
that's defrosted
Miles away or just up ahead
It doesn't matter what,
any of us is looking for
We'll never find it, because
it's not even there.
Open your eyes
put it in drive
get on the road and just go.
City lights,
turn the tree lines
and National Park signs.
Mountains approach,
with small winds in the road
and the air turns to falling snow.
The engine blazes
the elevation raises
The dynamite walls contain us
Hayden's song "09 Dynamite Walls ft The National" is a reflection on the emotional journey of embarking on a road trip. The lyrics tell us to "Open your eyes, put it in drive, get on the road and just go," indicating the start of the trip. The city lights turn to tree lines and national park signs, offering a visual gateway to an escape from the urban landscape. As the mountains approach, the air gets cooler and the snow begins to fall.
There is a sense of freedom in the journey across miles and the possibility of what could be ahead. Despite a desire to find something meaningful, the lyrics suggest that it doesn't matter what we're searching for, because it's not even there. This sense of ambiguity is reiterated throughout the song.
As the car drives on, there are warnings of falling rocks and construction work, which are a reminder of the real dangers of taking such a trip. However, the dynamite walls that appear are a metaphor for the emotional walls that we often build within ourselves.
The song culminates with a repetition of the opening verse, offering a circular narrative of the journey. In essence, it's not about the destination, but rather the journey itself. The journey may be a metaphor for life, where it's important to live in the present and embrace the beauty of the moments we experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Open your eyes
Wake up and take notice of what's around you
Put it in drive
Pick a direction and go
get on the road and just go.
Start your journey and don't worry too much about the destination
City lights
The hustle and bustle of civilization
turn the tree lines
A representation of nature and the countryside
and National Park signs
Exploration of natural wonders and preservation of natural beauty
Mountains approach
The beauty and majesty of nature becoming more apparent
with small winding roads
The difficulty and enjoyment of the journey through the mountains
and the air turns to falling snow
The harshness of winter and its effect on the landscape
Miles away or just up ahead.
The destination doesn't matter, the experience of the journey is what counts
It doesn't matter what,
Whatever you're searching for, it's ultimately meaningless
Any of us is looking for.
We all have desires and needs
We'll never find it, because
We'll never truly satisfy our desires or needs
It's not even there.
Our desires and needs are ultimately futile
high beams showing
Navigating through the darkness
falling rock warning
The danger that comes with traveling through the mountains
construction work, slowing
The obstacles that come with road travel
The engine blazes
The power and energy of travel
The elevation raises
The gradual increase in altitude as you travel through the mountains
The dynamite walls contain us
The walls of the mountain cut through by dynamite show the power of man over nature as we travel through it
everyone's watching
The anticipation and awareness of the possibility of wildlife on the road
for animals crossing
The hope of seeing wildlife during the journey
through the part of the glass
Looking through the window of the car
that's defrosted
The clear part of the window that is free from ice and fog
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@demun42
Things I wish I could unsee. Like wasting my time watching this video.
@xxboonisbadfortnitexx1549
Lol
@xxboonisbadfortnitexx1549
Yep
@snoitseuqpi1119
I haven't watched it but I think I agree.
@danwendt4292
Sad you will never have a woman and you can have your green onesie and wish that your mom asks you what's for dinner
@Watchful12
Heavily censored rubbish with annoying American commentary
@rlathbury
My father's company made the grill in that scene in "The Seven Year Itch." He recognized it! I am proud to be the son of the only man in America who paused that scene in order to see the grating.
@fannybuster
He should have been under that grill and looked up..
@hilarietesch1363
😂