House of Heroes doesn't just sing songs, they tell stories. Songs like "In the Valley of the Dying Sun" (telling a version of the story of Jacob in the Bible) and "Code Name: Raven" (the story of a spy in the time of World War II) draw listeners in by setting stories of love, sacrifice, and war to a non-specific song set-up and engaging music. Other songs, like "Friday Night", "Faces", or "The Drugs the Drugs" show the emptiness of man's meaningless desires. Distinguished lyrics and music that backs it up, pushing it forward, give listeners a unique experience. A band not scared of being different, House of Heroes certainly distinguishes themselves from the bunch.
Releases include: "What You Want Is Now", with tracks like "Julia", "The Lead Role In The Cage", and strings-backed "Uncomfortable" make the album House of Heroes's most rock-lead album. Self- titled "House of Heroes" and "Say No More" ( a re-release of the first with extra songs) posess the most edgy, indie-rock sound, lead by songs "Buckets For Bullet Wounds", "Serial Sleepers", "You Are the Judas of the Cheerleading Squad", and 9 minute closer "Angels In Top Hats." 2010 release "The End Is Not the End" gets its name from the lyrics in the acoustic driven song "By Your Side" of the album. Tracks like "In the Valley of the Dying Sun", "Leave You Now", and epic-like "Field of Daggers" make an argument to "The End..." being the band's most creative album yet. Their most recent release, "Suburba," continues the creative trend with the rock sound of "Independance Day for a Petty Thief" to the beautiful worship anthem "Salt in the Sea." Other releases include the holiday song "Silent Night", DC Talk cover "Day By Day", and the band's most different output, "The Acoustic End EP", which includes the acoustic version of the song "If'" (from "the End Is Not the End"),"New Moon", and "Ghost." A well-worked "Serial Sleepers (Acoustic)" is available for free on freehoh.com. The band has also released "Meets the Beatles EP" which includes three Beatles cover: "Can't Buy Me Love", "It Won't Be Long", and "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da."
Rumours from the band's facebook page indicate a new EP coming sometime soon.
Baby's A Red
House of Heroes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With your heart in Stalingrad,
Oh, it kills me how they hate you,
But they just don't understand.
Oh red,
When they put me on the stand,
I will testify I loved you,
And I'm not ashamed to be your comrade.
Red, red, baby's a red,
She's blood red,
Baby's a red,
The feds said,
"Lock her in lead,
She's red," but I love her.
(Hammer and sickle on my mind)
Oh oh little red,
It's not like McCarthy said,
Though we differ on religion,
We both support the working man.
Oh red, if the bombs fall on our lands,
Then our politics won't matter,
Only that I loved you until death.
(Hammer and sickle)
Red, red, baby's a red,
She's blood red,
Baby's a red,
The feds said,
"Lock her in lead,
She's red," but I love her.
Oh, yea, baby's a red,
She's blood red,
Baby's a red,
The feds said,
"Lock her in lead,
She's red," but I love her.
I want to touch you, and I'm not afraid,
I want to touch you , and I'm not ashamed,
I want to tell you, that I'm not afraid,
They'll burn us at the stake!
I want to love you, and I'm not afraid,
I want to love you, and I'm not ashamed,
I want to love you, and I'm not afraid, oh baby.
Hammer and sickle on my mind.
Saint Petersburg in summer time.
Hammer and sickle on my mind.
Stars over Moscow shining bright.
Hammer and sickle on my mind.
The shores of Astrakhan are fine.
Hammer and sickle on my mind.
Red, red, baby's a red,
She's blood red,
Baby's a red,
The feds said,
"Lock her in lead,
She's red," but I love her.
The song "Baby's a Red" by House of Heroes is an ode to the color red as a symbol of communism and the Soviet Union. The lyrics feature a narrator expressing his love for a woman who is also a communist, or "red." The beginning of the song refers to the real-life Battle of Stalingrad during World War II, which left the city in ruins and many of its citizens dead. The use of "heart" in this line could reference the intense warfare and immense loss experienced during the battle.
The song also references the controversial figure Joseph McCarthy, who led a campaign against communism in the United States during the Cold War. The singer acknowledges his differences from McCarthy but shares the belief in supporting the working class. The repeated phrase "hammer and sickle on my mind" reinforces the Soviet symbolism present throughout the song.
The chorus proclaims the woman as a "red" and expresses the singer's love for her despite the government's condemnation of her political beliefs. The final lines of the song express the singer's desire to love the woman and the rebellion that the relationship represents, even if it means being persecuted for their beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh oh little red,
With your heart in Stalingrad,
Oh, it kills me how they hate you,
But they just don't understand.
The song addresses a personified symbol, ‘red’ that compares her to Stalingrad. The author finds it difficult to understand how others could hate her unreasonably.
Oh red,
When they put me on the stand,
I will testify I loved you,
And I'm not ashamed to be your comrade.
The author claims his loyalty for Red, by saying that he will not be ashamed to confess his love for her when he is questioned about it.
Red, red, baby's a red,
She's blood red,
Baby's a red,
The feds said,
"Lock her in lead,
She's red," but I love her.
Red is reiterated as the subject of the song, with the author stating that he loves her, even if the authorities are against her because of her political symbol.
(Hammer and sickle on my mind)
Oh oh little red,
It's not like McCarthy said,
Though we differ on religion,
We both support the working man.
The author is inspired by the symbol of hammer and sickle, despite being religiously different from Red. They believe in the underlying principle of supporting the working class.
Oh red, if the bombs fall on our lands,
Then our politics won't matter,
Only that I loved you until death.
The author believes that their politics won't matter when the bombs fall, and what will remain is their love for each other until death.
I want to touch you, and I'm not afraid,
I want to touch you , and I'm not ashamed,
I want to tell you, that I'm not afraid,
They'll burn us at the stake!
The author is so overcome with their desire for Red that they are willing to face dire consequences, even death, for it.
I want to love you, and I'm not afraid,
I want to love you, and I'm not ashamed,
I want to love you, and I'm not afraid, oh baby.
The author reiterates their love for Red and affirms that they are not afraid to show it, despite potential social and political backlash.
Hammer and sickle on my mind.
Saint Petersburg in summer time.
Hammer and sickle on my mind.
Stars over Moscow shining bright.
Hammer and sickle on my mind.
The shores of Astrakhan are fine.
Hammer and sickle on my mind.
Throughout the song, the author is filled with images and thoughts of Red and the country she represents. A mental image of Russia and the Soviet era is evoked by referring to different regions that existed during their union.
Red, red, baby's a red,
She's blood red,
Baby's a red,
The feds said,
"Lock her in lead,
She's red," but I love her.
The song comes to a close with a repetition of the chorus, reiterating the love of the author for Red, despite the opposition from the authorities.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: AARON JAMES BABCOCK, COLLIN RIGSBY, JARED KEITH RIGSBY, TIMOTHY RYAN SKIPPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind