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.
by your side
House of Heroes Lyrics
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A farmer’s sons and brothers the same
Raised on promises we’d stay that way
As boys we believed summers at the sea
We were free to become men of good will
Side by side
And we were children then
Footprints in the sand
We made our promises
Duty soon calls
1943 we enrolled
Together we would be our family’s pride
And we were soldiers then
Our bodies in the sand
And like that sand through our hands
Go our grandest plans
And just to see your face for one moment
I’d cross the ocean again
The end is not the end
And I’ll be by your side
On the other side
I’ll be by your side
On the other side
And through the cloud of death
We find our way back home
And though I hold your hand
All must go alone
And when you see the face of our Maker
You don’t have to be ashamed
He knows the promises we made
And I’ll be by your side
On the other side
I’ll be by your side
On the other side
The lyrics of House of Heroes's song "By Your Side" narrate the story of two brothers who grew up on a farm in the plains with a belief that they would stick together and remain that way. As children, they enjoyed summers at the beach and promised to always be with one another. However, as they grew older, duty called, and they were drafted into the army in 1943. They fought side by side as soldiers, but the reality of war caught up with them, and they realized that their grandest plans had fallen apart like sand slipping through their hands.
Despite the challenges they faced, they remembered the promises they made to each other and found solace in knowing that they did not have to face the journey alone. The song concludes with the realization that they may have to go through the final journey alone, but they will always be by each other's side, even on the other side. They take comfort in the hope that the promises they made to each other will be acknowledged by the Maker, and they will be reunited.
The song paints a vivid picture of the value of brotherhood and the strength that comes with a sense of belonging. The lyrics resonate with the intensity of war, the emotional turmoil of separation, and the power of hope. House of Heroes's song "By Your Side" is a tribute to the bond that unites us and reassures us that no matter how challenging the journey, we will never be alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Born in the plains
We were born in a simple setting, away from city life.
A farmer’s sons and brothers the same
We were all from farming families and grew up together.
Raised on promises we’d stay that way
We were raised with the promise of not forgetting our roots.
As boys we believed summers at the sea
During our youth, we dreamed of spending summers by the ocean.
We were free to become men of good will
We were given the freedom to grow up to be virtuous men.
Side by side
We always stood together.
And we were children then
We were young and naive.
Footprints in the sand
We left our mark on the world.
And where the ocean bends
We explored the unknown corners of the world.
We made our promises
We made commitments to each other and to our beliefs.
Duty soon calls
We were called to serve our country.
1943 we enrolled
We joined the military in 1943.
Together we would be our family’s pride
We promised to make our families proud by fighting together.
And we were soldiers then
We became soldiers and were no longer naive children.
Our bodies in the sand
We were buried where we fell in combat.
And like that sand through our hands
Our dreams and hopes slipped away as quickly as sand through our fingers.
Go our grandest plans
Our greatest aspirations could not be realized due to our untimely deaths.
And just to see your face for one moment
I would do anything to see my loved ones, even if it was just for a moment.
I’d cross the ocean again
I would be willing to return to war for the sake of my loved ones.
The end is not the end
Although our physical lives ended, our spirits live on.
And I’ll be by your side
Even in death, I will remain loyal to my fellow soldiers.
On the other side
In the afterlife, I will continue to stand by their side.
And through the cloud of death
Despite facing mortality, we continue on our journey.
We find our way back home
We return to our eternal resting place.
And though I hold your hand
Even in the afterlife, I remain connected to those I loved.
All must go alone
Despite our connection, we face death alone.
And when you see the face of our Maker
When we meet our creator, we do not need to feel ashamed of our deeds.
You don’t have to be ashamed
We lived our lives honorably, doing what was right.
He knows the promises we made
God knows the commitments we made and the sacrifices we endured.
Lyrics © 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