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
Let It Last
Hayden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This moment in our grasp.
Let the sun stay right where it is.
Let us bask, let us bask,
In this time that moves so fast.
May you remain, just as I see you now.
It's so sad, it's so sad,
Are the ones that I don't want back.
But it's alright, it's alright.
It's O.K. yeah it's O.K.
Cause today was the day
That the light hit you in a way.
And it will always, always stay.
But it's alright, it's alright.
It's O.K. yeah it's O.K.
Cause today was the day
That the light hit you in a way.
And it will always, always stay.
Hayden's "Let It Last" is a tender and wistful song that is appreciative of the present moment while acknowledging the fleeting nature of time. Through the repetition of the phrase "let it last," the song encourages the preservation of a moment that is already slipping away. Hayden emphasizes the importance of cherishing the present by urging that the sun stay in its place and that we linger in a time that passes too quickly. The song recognizes the fragility of happiness and the impermanence of life, as expressed in the bittersweet lines "It's so sad that the memories that I have are the ones that I don't want back." However, the song also celebrates the beauty of a present moment that cannot be captured or frozen in time.
The second half of the song asserts that it is "alright," that the moment we are experiencing is enough, and that it will always stay with us. The song speaks to the desire to capture a moment fully, to freeze it in time, and to make it last. Hayden invites us to let go of our anxieties about the future and our regrets about the past and instead to inhabit the present fully. He encourages us to see the beauty in the transience of time and to savor the moments that are happening right now.
Overall, "Let It Last" is a reminder to live in the present moment and to appreciate the beauty that can be found there. It's a song about being fully engaged in life, seizing the day, and making the most of the time we have.
Line by Line Meaning
Let it last, let it last,
We should cherish this moment and make it last.
This moment in our grasp.
We have control over the present and we should enjoy it.
Let the sun stay right where it is.
Let everything remain perfect and don't let anything change.
Let us bask, let us bask,
Let us enjoy this moment and revel in it.
In this time that moves so fast.
This moment won't last forever since time moves quickly.
May you remain, just as I see you now.
I hope things stay just the way they are now, especially you.
It's so sad, it's so sad,
It's unfortunate and heartbreaking.
That the memories that I have,
The memories I hold onto.
Are the ones that I don't want back.
I don't want to relive those painful memories.
But it's alright, it's alright.
It's okay, everything will be fine.
It's O.K. yeah it's O.K.
It's okay, we'll get through this.
Cause today was the day
Because today was a special day.
That the light hit you in a way.
Something clicked or something significant happened.
And it will always, always stay.
That moment will always be remembered and treasured.
But it's alright, it's alright.
Everything is fine.
It's O.K. yeah it's O.K.
We'll be alright.
Cause today was the day
Because something special happened today.
That the light hit you in a way.
Something significant happened to you.
And it will always, always stay.
That moment will be treasured and remembered forever.
Contributed by Caden G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.