Best known for their raucous live performances, the band became one of the most commercially successful Canadian rock bands of the 1990s. Over their career the band enjoyed nationwide radio-play in Canada and had several Juno Award nominations. Their musicianship is typically tight and energetic, their music usually heavy and rough; lyrics range from break-ups to addiction, damnation to necrophilia.
The band signed to MCA Records in 1993 and released Picture of Health, with the original drummer Mark Gibson, but he left the band after touring for Picture of Health was over. Dale Harrison was recruited for the follow-up Teeth and Tissue in 1995. The band broke more ground in 1996 with Juno Award nominations for Best Group and Best Rock Album, while releasing Smile and Wave that same year. Three years passed before Nickels for Your Nightmares was released, in which time Carr and Harrison became fathers and Dillon recovered from a drug addiction. The band would release one more album, on BMG, entitled The Oracle of Hi-Fi, before a break up in 2003
Frontman Hugh Dillon has appeared in several films, including the mockumentary Hard Core Logo. He has also played a main role as one of the police officers in the popular show, Flashpoint, shown on CBS/CTV. He heads the Hugh Dillon Redemption Choir.
The original band members reunited in February 2011 for a mini tour. They released the album, titled Love + Fury, on 14 May 2013.
Settle
Headstones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I couldn't settle for that
I'd rather settle for something I don't believe in
than listen to anymore of your chit chat
There's no way
that you'll win
Cause I'm here
Take back your pieces, take back your pawns
Take back your armies, I'll take back my arms
Positions don't matter, you move first
If I move last, somebody's gonna get hurt - get hurt
Cause there's one thing that's intact
They're my dreams and it's my turn to laugh
Pushed all the buttons
You pressed all the luck
optioned the options
I don't give a
Fortunately, you move quickly
I move too fast
nobody's winning
You know it just can't last - can't last
The Headstones' Settle is a song about choosing to settle for something that one doesn't believe in, rather than continuing to engage in a conversation with someone. The opening line, "I wouldn't settle for nothing, I couldn't settle for that", suggests that the singer has a strong sense of self-respect and that they have certain standards that they live by. The second line, "I'd rather settle for something I don't believe in than listen to anymore of your chit chat", paints a picture of a frustrated individual who is ready to compromise on their beliefs in order to escape an uncomfortable situation.
The song takes a turn in the second verse, where the singer seems to be challenging someone who has wronged them in some way. The lines, "Take back your pieces, take back your pawns, take back your armies, I'll take back my arms", suggest that the singer is ready to fight back and reclaim what is theirs. The lyrics, "Positions don't matter, you move first, if I move last, somebody's gonna get hurt", imply that the singer is not afraid to be aggressive if that's what it takes to get what they want.
Throughout the song, the singer seems to be in a state of flux, starting over again, pressing all the buttons and optioning the options. However, they remain steadfast in their determination to come out on top. The line, "Fortunately, you move quickly, I move too fast, nobody's winning", suggests that the singer is confident in their ability to outmaneuver anyone who stands in their way. Finally, the song ends with the line, "You know it just can’t last", which implies that the singer knows that this fight can't go on forever and that eventually, something's got to give.
Line by Line Meaning
I wouldn't settle for nothing
I won't accept anything less than what I deserve
I couldn't settle for that
I can't be content with mediocrity
I'd rather settle for something I don't believe in
I'd prefer to compromise my values than listen to you talk anymore
than listen to anymore of your chit chat
I don't want to hear any more of your nonsense
There's no way
It's impossible
that you'll win
You won't come out on top
Cause I'm here
I'll be the one in control
Starting all over again
I'm going to begin fresh, without you
Take back your pieces, take back your pawns
I don't want any of your belongings or what you've gained
Take back your armies, I'll take back my arms
I will retrieve my own belongings while you go get yours back
Positions don't matter, you move first
I don't care about the former hierarchy; you can go first
If I move last, somebody's gonna get hurt - get hurt
You'll be the one to suffer if I make the final move
Cause there's one thing that's intact
The only thing that hasn't changed or been damaged
They're my dreams and it's my turn to laugh
I'm going to achieve my dreams and laugh in victory
Pushed all the buttons
You tried everything
You pressed all the luck
You've run out of luck
optioned the options
You've exhausted all the possibilities
I don't give a
I don't care
Fortunately, you move quickly
You're lucky you can move fast
I move too fast
I'm too quick for you
nobody's winning
Neither of us is succeeding
You know it just can't last - can't last
It's not sustainable; this won't continue
Lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN)
Written by: DALE WAYNE HARRISON, HUGH RUSH DILLON, TIMOTHY MICHAEL WHITE, TRENT CARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michelle Cassar
on Nickels For Your Nightmares
Oops - that's "Lacks AN educated edge". :)
Michelle CassarMichelle Cassar
on Nickels For Your Nightmares
I'm pretty sure it's "Lacks and educated edge" rather than "That's an educated edge".