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
Memphis
Hayden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw on TV his road manager speak of his demise
The pain is here
The pain is here
The pain is here
The pain is here
And it wont be long
In Memphis tens of thousands of fans payed there respects
The pain is here
The pain is here
The pain is here
The pain is here
And it wont be long
Hayden's song Memphis tells the story of an artist or musician, who is going through a tough time in life. The first verse sets the tone by asking a rhetorical question- how do you protect someone from themselves? This is a powerful line that sets up the rest of the song, implying that the musician in question is going through some kind of addiction or mental health issue. The reference to the road manager speaking of his demise on TV adds a layer of sadness and tragedy as it suggests something irreversible has happened.
The chorus of the song, "the pain is here, and it won't be long," drives home the theme of sorrow and misery. The repetition of this line adds to the depth of emotions being conveyed. The final verse mentions tens of thousands of fans paying their respects in Memphis, further adding to the idea that the person in question has passed away.
Overall, the song is a poignant commentary on the struggles of life, and how artists, especially those in the music industry, are not immune to them. The song captures a sense of sadness and loss, perhaps reminding listeners of their own experiences of pain and heartache.
Line by Line Meaning
How do you protect a fourty-two year old from himself
Questioning the difficulty of protecting an adult from their own destructive behaviors.
I saw on TV his road manager speak of his demise
Witnessing the announcement of the downfall of a public figure from the perspective of someone close to their career.
The pain is here
Expressing the presence of emotional distress.
The pain is here
Emphasizing the continuation of emotional distress.
The pain is here
Underscoring the persistence of emotional distress.
The pain is here
Reiterating the presence of emotional distress.
And it wont be long
Suggesting that the situation causing the emotional distress will soon come to an end.
In Memphis tens of thousands of fans payed there respects
Describing a large-scale act of mourning following the death of a celebrity, which serves as an example of devotion and admiration.
The pain is here
Continuing to emphasize the inescapable emotional distress.
The pain is here
Repeating the current state of emotional distress.
The pain is here
Stressing the existing emotional distress.
The pain is here
Affirming the ongoing emotional distress.
And it wont be long
Suggesting the eventual end of the situation, but with continued consequences for the singer.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Hayden Desser
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jackson Parker
Who is this song about?
exexalien
Someone who died in Memphis at the age of 42 and was famous enough to have tens of thousands of fans come and pay their respects.
Rodney Hicks
Elvis