In 2005, frontman Baker arrived home from a road trip with a suitcase full of poems and melodies. Hey Rosetta! was formed soon after with the addition of a string section (cellist Romesh Thavanathan and violinist Kinley Dowling) and rhythm section (bassist Josh Ward, drummer Phil Maloney, and guitarist Adam Hogan). Since that time, they blossomed into a powerful group whose explosive live shows earned them a devoted following.
The band's album, Seeds, was produced by Tony Doogan (Belle and Sebastian, Mogwai, Wintersleep) and revealed a maturing lyrical depth and an atmosphere rooted to the band's passion for epic musical experiences.
It was while recording 2008's breakthrough album Into Your Lungs (and around in your heart and on through your blood) that Tim Baker began to fully realize his vocal and lyrical abilities, and the band made a huge creative leap forward. Into Your Lungs garnered a slew of awards and critical accolades, was short-listed for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize, and Hey Rosetta! were named one of Billboard's Top 5 new Canadian acts.
During the three solid years of touring after Into Your Lungs was released the concept of Seeds was born. "The title track, "Seeds", came about while out on the highway a few years ago" muses Baker. "In a way it's about what our lives had become, and how we're like seeds that float around into different fields and cities, bringing something and trying to build something for the people that come to see us."
The group developed the sonic landscapes found on Seeds while maintaining an extensive tour schedule that took them to Australia, China, Europe, the US and on numerous tours of Canada (including a tour of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut). The band then holed up in Newfoundland to finish the songs before traveling to Halifax, NS to record with renowned producer Tony Doogan at The Sonic Temple. "Tony was really incredible at getting all the sounds and tones we'd dreamt up. He's an amazing engineer and for all his Scottish bluster and pop-rock dogma, he is very sensitive, patient, and a gifted producer," says Baker (who wrote all of the songs except "Downstairs", "Young Glass", and "Seeds" which were co-writes with guitarist Adam Hogan).
Thematically, Seeds explores everything from depression to procreation. "Young Glass" was written after reading J.D. Salinger's "Franny and Zooey". Baker explains:
"It's sort of directed at the novel's main character, Franny.. it describes a sleepwalking scene that didn't actually occur in the book, but one that I imagined. We spent a lot of time flying and sleeping on planes and in airports and I was always finding myself in half-waking states, feeling, as one does, all alone somewhere between dream and reality. When I'd wake up, I was always surrounded by people, going about their business. I like that; a sort of evidence that even when we think we are completely alone, we are not. So I wrote Franny, a character who is plagued by such thoughts, a song about it. but it's really about everyone".
First single "Welcome" is a song about Baker's close friends who were expecting a baby:
"I wrote a song for the little soon-to-be, who now is a 18 month old girl named Madeleine; healthy and beautiful, just like her parents" explains Baker, "I was just sitting with them talking to the unborn baby in a sort of cynical, joking way. You know, like "stay in there as long as you can kid. Sorry, but it's a mess out here..." and so on. Later, alone, I was thinking about what it means to bring new life into the world, how it's sort of sad but also so hopeful and kind of religious".
Hey Rosetta! decided to break up at the end of 2017.
promise
Hey Rosetta! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
laughing too much
never close your eyes
til the sun's coming up
underslept, overdreamt
my whole life
trying to speak
with so much beneath it
that thick wind under the surface
you don't know me, or my purpose
or my promise, i got promise
your hands and feet
for all of their grief
turned out to be
only your elbows and knees
you go farther, you're just starting to see
and you see that red pen
hover in judgement
and that census
get those numbers away from us
cause honest, we got nothing
in our pockets but thin wrists
and promise, we got promise
i'm waking up
pull me from my sheets in the dark
as if in a dream, lifting off
let me feel it shift in my blood
let me feel like i'm rising up
out of all the ashes and dust
out of all the past - that's done
i don't need what's long dead and gone, man, i got promise
i got promise...
The first verse of Hey Rosetta!'s song "Promise" speaks to the idea of being caught in a cycle of inaction and feeling misunderstood. The singer seems to be addressing a group of people who they deem as "lowlives," noting that they are always laughing but never taking the time to truly see the world around them. The following line, "underslept, overdreamt," suggests that the singer themselves may be struggling with a lack of sleep and too much time lost in their own thoughts. They feel as though they have been trying to speak up about their feelings and their purpose in life, but have remained silent for too long. There is a sense that there is something important and unspoken beneath the surface, something that the people around them do not understand. The singer is holding onto their promise, whatever that may be, as a way to keep them going.
In the second verse, the singer turns inward, reflecting on the ways in which they have been physically and emotionally beaten down. They metaphorically describe their hands and feet as being weighed down by grief, but note that even with all of their struggles, they have the potential to go farther than they ever have before. However, there is a sense of anxiety and fear that permeates these lines, as evidenced by the mention of a "red pen" hovering in judgement, and a "census" that threatens to reduce them to mere numbers. Despite these fears, the singer maintains their belief that they have promise, even if they lack material wealth.
The final verse of the song is a call to action. The singer is waking up from a dream, and they want to feel themselves rising up from the ashes of their past. They want to leave behind whatever is dead and gone, and move forward with their promise firmly in mind. There is a sense of urgency here, as if the singer is worried that if they do not act soon, they will be consumed by their own fears and doubts. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the line "I got promise" repeated over and over, as if the singer is trying to convince themselves that they are indeed capable of achieving great things.
Line by Line Meaning
Ye lowlives
Referring to those who lack motivation.
laughing too much
Spending too much time being carefree and not taking life seriously.
never close your eyes
Always staying awake and alert.
til the sun's coming up
Working tirelessly through the night.
underslept, overdreamt
Sleep deprived, but still dreaming big.
my whole life
My entire existence.
trying to speak
Striving to express myself.
but silent
But being unheard.
with so much beneath it
With so many unspoken thoughts and feelings.
that thick wind under the surface
Buried emotions that are hard to express.
you don't know me, or my purpose
No one truly knows who I am or what my true purpose in life is.
or my promise, i got promise
But I know that I have great potential, and I promise to fulfill it.
your hands and feet
Your physical body.
for all of their grief
Despite all the struggles and hardships you may face.
turned out to be
They actually are.
only your elbows and knees
Only a small part of your overall being.
you go farther, you're just starting to see
You can achieve so much more than you think, and you're just beginning to realize it.
and you see that red pen
Seeing harsh criticism and judgment.
hover in judgement
Ready to criticize and tear down.
and that census
And the numbers that come with it.
get those numbers away from us
Don't let our worth be determined by those numbers.
cause honest, we got nothing
Because, honestly, we don't have much at all.
in our pockets but thin wrists
We may not have much material wealth, but we have determination and ambition.
and promise, we got promise
And we promise to use that determination and ambition to achieve great things.
i'm waking up
I'm finally coming to life.
pull me from my sheets in the dark
Being pulled out of a state of comfort and complacency.
as if in a dream, lifting off
Feeling like I'm finally achieving my dreams and goals.
let me feel it shift in my blood
Feeling a sense of transformation deep within.
let me feel like i'm rising up
Feeling empowered and motivated.
out of all the ashes and dust
Rising up from the struggles and hardships of the past.
out of all the past - that's done
Leaving behind the past and moving on to a brighter future.
i don't need what's long dead and gone, man, i got promise
I don't need to dwell on the past because I have great potential and promise for the future.
i got promise...
And I promise to fulfill it.
Contributed by Emily T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mich van der Zant
Ye low lives
Laughing too much
Never close your eyes
'Til the sun's coming up
Under slept, over dreamt
My whole life
Trying to speak
But silent
With so much beneath it
That thick wind under the surface
You don't know me, or my purpose
Or my promise, I got promise
Your hands and feet
For all of their grief
Turned out to be
Only your elbows and knees
You go farther, and you're just starting to see
And you see that red pen
Hover in judgement
And that census
Get those numbers away from us
'Cause honest, we got promise
I'm waking up
Pull me from my sheets in the dark
As if in a dream, lifting off
Let me feel it shift in my blood
Let me feel like I'm rising up
Out of all the ashes and dust
Out of all the past, that's done
I don't need what's long dead and gone
Man, I got promise
I got promise
I got promise
I got promise
I got promise
I got promise
I got promise
Yeah, we got promise
Mich van der Zant
<3 love this song
Brett Cameron
This song is amazing. Hey Rosetta! has been a huge influence to our band, and continues to inspire us. Not many indie bands like them. So unique!!!
Darren Clarke
favourite on the album!
hmacdonald37
Hey Rosetta! just keeps getting better...
Andrew Stat
Jamie Palmer sent me here!
Emma formanova
My mom showed me this & said that she heard this it helped her with her break up. It helped me with stress! It's the best song to empower!
Sophia
good video !