1) Hem is an American ba… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least five artists with this name:
1) Hem is an American band based in Brooklyn, New York, who fuse together a mix of traditional American music with contemporary styles.
2) Hem was a British band based in Leeds that was active in the mid-90s featuring Nicola Hodgkinson and Justine.
3) Hem is British producer Geiom.
4) Hem is a French musician.
5) Hem is a Belgian musician.
1) Hem is an American band based in Brooklyn, New York, who fuse together a mix of traditional American music with contemporary styles. The group draw influences from a variety of musical genres, particularly folk, country, alt-country, americana and rock.
Hem is sometimes described as 'chamber-folk', due to their combination of orchestral and folk instrumentation; some critics have also tagged them as 'countrypolitan'.
Band members include Sally Ellyson (vocals), Daniel MessÊ (piano, accordion, glockenspiel), Gary Maurer (guitar, mandolin), Steve Curtis (guitar, mandolin, banjo, backing vocals), Catherine Popper (bass guitar), Mark Brotter (drums), Bob Hoffnar (pedal steel guitar), Heather Zimmerman (violin), and later Dawn Landes (backing vocals, glockenspiel).
www.hemmusic.com
2) Hem was a British band based in Leeds that was active in the mid-90s featuring Nicola Hodgkinson and Justine. Hem played mellow, minimal, and somewhat experimental pop. Nicola is best known as a member of Boyracer and Hood who would later form Empress.
3) Hem is British producer Geiom.
4) Hem is a French musician.
5) Hem is a Belgian musician.
Lucky
Hem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Buying drinks for the room
All the cheer raining down on the day
Comes to nothing and leaves by the broom
On the streets named for presidents
Where the kingfishers flew
All the cornflowers sewn in the fence
But if I should lose
I'd wake up feeling lucky
If I should take a fall
Or throw it all away
I wouldn't mind lying beside you
The rest of my days
The Storms came down out of Machinaw
As the weigh stations closed
There was a terrible darkness I saw
Pulling up on the side of the road
But if I should lose
I'd wake up feeling lucky
If I should take a fall
Or throw it all away
I wouldn't mind lying beside you
The rest of my days
So I'll drink to the wealthy man
And I'll pray for the poor
And I'll hold onto you while I can
In the darkness just to be sure
That if I should lose
I'll wake up feeling lucky
If I should take a fall
Or throw it all away
I wouldn't mind lying beside you
The rest of my days
The opening lines of "Lucky" tell the story of a man who is doing his best to be generous, buying drinks for everyone in the room, showering them with cheer, and hoping to bring a little joy into their lives. However, it seems as though all this effort comes to nothing and that the good feelings disappear just as quickly as they appeared, leaving only the broom to sweep up the remnants of the evening. The setting of the scene is a bar or pub, where the man is attempting to create a little light in the darkness surrounding him. The use of the phrase "cutaway," which refers to a garment that is fitted to the body and then flares out, suggests that the man is well-dressed and perhaps slightly formal, which adds a layer of complexity to the scene.
The next verse introduces another layer of complexity, as the lyrics shift to describe the world outside the bar, in particular the streets named after presidents and the cornflowers that line the fence. These images suggest a kind of nostalgic sweetness, a sense of a bygone era or an idyllic time that may now be lost. There is a poignancy to this nostalgia, underscored by the reference to "tearing in two," which implies that even memories can be fragile and susceptible to destruction.
The chorus of the song summarizes the message of the lyrics, which is that no matter what happens, the singer will feel lucky as long as they are with the person they love. The mention of taking a fall or throwing it all away suggest that the singer may be prone to self-doubt or uncertainty, but that the love they share is strong enough to keep them grounded. The final verse brings in elements of darkness and danger, with a reference to storms and a terrible darkness. However, these threats are offset by the presence of the person the singer loves, whose embrace makes them feel safe and secure.
In summary, "Lucky" is a song about the ways that love can keep us rooted and grounded even in the face of uncertainty and danger. The images of a man buying drinks for a room full of strangers and the memory of streets named after presidents suggest a world that is often chaotic and uncertain, but the chorus reminds us that as long as we have someone to love, we can feel lucky no matter what happens.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a man in a cutaway
A well-dressed man is present in the bar.
Buying drinks for the room
The man is buying drinks for everyone in the bar.
All the cheer raining down on the day
Despite the positive atmosphere, things remain unchanged.
Comes to nothing and leaves by the broom
No real progress is made, and the feeling of happiness fades away.
On the streets named for presidents
The streets are named after American presidents.
Where the kingfishers flew
Referring to a place where nature was once abundant.
All the cornflowers sewn in the fence
Using flowers to add beauty and color to a monotonous fence.
Keep the memory from tearing in two
The flowers serve as a reminder of happy memories, preventing them from fading away.
But if I should lose
In the event of my failure.
I'd wake up feeling lucky
I would still feel grateful for what I have.
If I should take a fall
If things don't go according to plan.
Or throw it all away
Or if I were to give up everything.
I wouldn't mind lying beside you
As long as I have you by my side, it doesn't matter.
The rest of my days
For the remainder of my life.
The Storms came down out of Machinaw
A reference to a violent storm coming down from Lake Michigan.
As the weigh stations closed
As the government-controlled weigh stations ceased operations.
There was a terrible darkness I saw
A sense of hopelessness and despair was felt.
Pulling up on the side of the road
Stopping on the side of the road due to the storm.
So I'll drink to the wealthy man
I'll toast the rich man.
And I'll pray for the poor
And I'll pray for the impoverished.
And I'll hold onto you while I can
I will cherish and hold onto you until I can't anymore.
In the darkness just to be sure
To ensure that you are by my side in the dark times.
Lyrics Š Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANIEL R. MESSE, GARY L. MAURER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind