Since 2014, the five-piece has gained ground for their earnest approach to songwriting, melding together the ferocious riffs of pop punk’s latest wave with the tenacious vulnerability of indie rock. The marriage is one shared by many bands, but on Opportunities - their latest EP earning a re-release via No Sleep Records - the courtship entangles itself in new territories, mostly in those characterized by cavernous percussion, hooks so buoyant they bob up and down, and guitar and synth interplay that belong to a much older, bolder band.
The future is full of other excuses to keep moving, and for Hot Mulligan, they’re easily jumping at the chance to speed up.
Something About a Bunch of Dead Dogs
Hot Mulligan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause someday they will stop showing up
A sweet note and a couple of bucks says "I love you"
But the dead cannot love
And this grave, it means nothing to you
Still something sweet about the flowers and perfume
I assumed you'd live forever but if you are never gone
Then everything you do will never leave a mark
I will never understand my twitch
Or why anxiety is hanging on to every situation with an iron grip
If you want peace, you will find nothing in me
Every day I am afraid I'll see my family fade away
Every decision that I make is making it harder to sleep
If you want peace, you will find nothing in me
Who'd have thought that one of us would lose their lives
Oh, every night I lay awake and think
that I'm the one that should have died
Ever since you left I've just been trying to make you proud
If nothing else then maybe I can
take some pride in what I've done myself
I will never understand my twitch
Or why anxiety is hanging on to every situation with an iron grip
If you want peace, you will find nothing in me
Every day I am afraid I'll see my family fade away
Every decision that I make is making it harder to sleep
If you want peace, you will find nothing in me
I will never understand my twitch
Or why anxiety is hanging on to every situation with an iron grip
If you want peace, you will find nothing in me
And I tried to find that in you
The lyrics of Hot Mulligan's "Something About a Bunch of Dead Dogs" explore the anxieties and fears that come with mortality, both in ourselves and in our loved ones. The song opens with a reflection on the tender notes and gifts that the singer's grandmother leaves for them, and the fear that someday these tokens of love will cease to arrive. The lyrics meditate on the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. The line "But the dead cannot love" is particularly poignant, highlighting the tragic finality of loss.
The song also touches on the issue of legacy and leaving a meaningful impact on the world. The singer fears that without some sort of immortality, everything they do will be ultimately insignificant. They struggle with anxiety, obsessive thoughts, and a sense of helplessness in the face of their own mortality and the mortality of their loved ones. The repeated line "If you want peace, you will find nothing in me" seems to suggest a resigned acceptance of their own anxieties and limits.
Overall, the song is a poignant exploration of the human condition, grappling with timeless questions of mortality and legacy.
Line by Line Meaning
I am afraid of my grandmother's notes
I fear losing the sentimental value of the notes my grandmother leaves me
'Cause someday they will stop showing up
I worry about losing my grandmother one day and the notes that come with her
A sweet note and a couple of bucks says "I love you"
My grandmother leaves kind notes and small amounts of money to show her love and care for me
But the dead cannot love
Even though I appreciate the sentiment in the notes, I realize that the dead cannot feel love
And this grave, it means nothing to you
Death is meaningless and holds no significance to the deceased
Still something sweet about the flowers and perfume
Although death may be meaningless, the kind gestures of leaving flowers and perfume are still sweet
I assumed you'd live forever but if you are never gone
I used to believe my loved ones would live forever, but now I understand that their memories and impact will never truly fade away
Then everything you do will never leave a mark
If someone never truly leaves, then everything they do will always be remembered and never forgotten
Who'd have thought that one of us would lose their lives
It's unexpected and difficult to come to terms with someone losing their life
Oh, every night I lay awake and think
The loss of someone close keeps me up at night, constantly on my mind
that I'm the one that should have died
I sometimes feel like it would be better if I were the one who passed away instead
Ever since you left I've just been trying to make you proud
Since the loss of my loved one, my efforts have been dedicated to making them proud
If nothing else then maybe I can
Even if I have nothing else to show for myself, I hope to at least make my loved one proud
take some pride in what I've done myself
I want to take pride in my own accomplishments and make my loved one proud of me
And I tried to find that in you
I sought peace and comfort in someone else, but I realize that I won't find it there
If you want peace, you will find nothing in me
I myself am unable to provide peace or comfort to someone seeking it
Every day I am afraid I'll see my family fade away
I fear losing my family members and watching them fade away over time
Every decision that I make is making it harder to sleep
The weight of difficult decisions and the fear of losing loved ones keeps me up at night
Contributed by Gavin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.