Fittingly, Human Highway began on the road. “For me, Human Highway started in a hotel room on a U.S. tour with Islands,” Guthrie says. “Nick had this rad song called “My Beach” and asked me if I wanted to help him record it. He played and sang at the same time and let me be for a bit to do harmonies.” At the time, however, there was no explicit goal to make a full record. Time passed as Thorburn continued to tour and work on a new Islands album (the recently released Arm's Way), while Guthrie spent time at home in Toronto, working on his own material. Then they decided it was time to finish what they had started. Thorburn spent a week with Guthrie in his Toronto apartment in 2007, and Moody Motorcycle was the resulting love-child.
While folks can expect plenty of hot man-on-man vocal action, they can also expect a wide sampling of the kind of songwriting that has garnered both artists so many passionate fans over the years. “I think this album works because Nick and I both share a love for oldies” Guthrie says—citing the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison and the Kinks as a few touchstones for the Human Highway sound.
Moody Motorcyle was released in August 2008 in North America by Secret City (Canada) and Suicide Squeeze (USA).
The Sound
Human Highway Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm just gonna follow the sound
I got nothing left but it ain't bringing me down
I'm just gonna follow the sound
And the sound is pleasing when it sounds like it is breathing
There's no one around to hear the notes falling down
Nobody seems to care, the feeling isn't there
You keep searching
You keep on searching
You're flirting with it now
Got nothing left but it ain't bringing me down
I'm just gonna follow the sound
I got nothing left but it ain't bringing me down
I'm just gonna follow the sound
That ringing in my ears, what's that sound?
It's the cold death knell of the big ship's bell
See the strings unwound, see them lying on the ground
Can't pick up your guitar 'cause you've forgotten the sound
We'll keep searching
We'll keep on searching
We're flirting with it now
Got nothing left but it ain't bringing me down
I'm just gonna follow the sound
I got nothing left but it ain't bringing me down
I'm just gonna follow the sound
The lyrics of “The Sound” by Human Highway depict the journey of a musician, who has lost everything they had, but still hopes to find their way back by following the sound. The song communicates both despair and resilience. The musician is surrounded by the sounds of silence, and nobody seems to care. However, the sound they hear in their head is still alive and they plan on following it.
The sound is compared to breathing, and the musician finds it pleasing. They keep searching and flirting with the sound, as if it is a person they are trying to win over. The ringing in their ears represents the death of the music that is lost to them because they can’t remember how to play it. Despite this loss, they keep searching for the sound, and they won't let their lack of resources bring them down.
The song ends on a hopeful note, as the musician is ready to follow the sound and achieve a breakthrough. Even though they have nothing left, they have faith in the power of sound to take them where they need to be. In a way, the song could be interpreted as a metaphor for any difficult situation, where the only way to overcome challenges is to keep moving forward, following one’s intuition and inner voice.
Line by Line Meaning
Got nothing left but it ain't bringing me down
Despite feeling like you have nothing left, you refuse to let it bring you down
I'm just gonna follow the sound
You will continue forward, following the sound that you hear
And the sound is pleasing when it sounds like it is breathing
The sound that you are hearing is enjoyable when it has a natural, breath-like quality
There's no one around to hear the notes falling down
No one is listening to the music that is being created
Nobody seems to care, the feeling isn't there
There is a lack of emotional connection or interest in the sound being produced
Like it was all a bad dream, now we're looking everywhere
The situation feels like a nightmare and you are searching for a way out
You keep searching
You continue to look for a way to improve the situation
You keep on searching
You persist in your efforts to find a solution
You're flirting with it now
You are tempting fate and taking risks in your search
That ringing in my ears, what's that sound?
You are questioning the sound that you are hearing
It's the cold death knell of the big ship's bell
The sound is reminiscent of a funeral bell signaling the demise of something significant
See the strings unwound, see them lying on the ground
The strings of a guitar are loose and discarded on the floor, representing a loss of creativity or inspiration
Can't pick up your guitar 'cause you've forgotten the sound
You are struggling to regain your musical ability because you have lost touch with the sound and feel of your instrument
We'll keep searching
You and others will persist in the search for a solution
We'll keep on searching
The search will continue, with no end in sight
We're flirting with it now
Despite the difficulty, you remain undeterred and continue to take risks in pursuit of an answer
Contributed by Aaliyah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@aap89aap
One of my favourite songs to date.
@emgetts
heard this on kexp podcast, then heard it again, and again, and again because I played it nonstop! :) this is one of my favorite "long car ride" songs
@falexarzan
i really think moody motorcycle is such a well made album, so complete, such great simple material on it. I dont really care that it isnt popular, but I am thankful that I know of them. And I would feel an instant connection with anyone who likes them.
@whisperingworms
this music is great, and this video has this awesome 90's late 80's college computer animation to it. It gets stuck in my head :P
@insanetomato6
i luv this dang song!!!!!!!
@psychicbyinternet
God dang this is old. I got this song for free on iTunes back when Starbucks was giving out free mp3s. I miss those days.
@aazhie
This video is both extremely cool and extraordinarily creepy! It makes an already good song even better :D
@winslowt123
very trippy. i like it.
@JorgeBzrr
trIPPY-AWESOME
@nostalgicBurst
my tumultuous senior year in high school