1.) Heavy Metal/Gothic Rock band for Portland, USA featuring members from S… Read Full Bio ↴1.) Heavy Metal/Gothic Rock band for Portland, USA featuring members from Spellcaster. Now known as Unto Others.

2.) Post-Punk band from Minneapolis. See also The Idle Hands.

3) Descendents and Wipers influenced punk from Münster, Germany.

4) Idle Hands (1999-2002) was a pop punk group from California. They were signed to Trustkill Records, known more for hardcore punk and metalcore.

5) A Blues/Stoner Rock band from Sheffield, UK

2) With the song title “The 80’s Killed Your Boyfriend” and the upbeat sing-song-y tunes “Loaded” and “Sunshine on the Tenements,” The Idle Hands unashamedly link their sound and style to the post-punk movement of two and a half decades ago. Other, more story-telling, indie-pop songs, “Space Thing” and “Damage Control,” let loose a more empathetic, rock sound. Often rooted in standard danceable punk beats, their sound is carried on by driving electric guitar with intermittent picking, the occasional synth and keyboard lines. Ciaran Daily’s voice sometimes beautifully counteracts the hazy music with well-voiced falsetto melodies, though he more often sticks with his bashful young punk voice.

The Idle Hand’s music escapes the often-obnoxious, overdone grimy punk sound while retaining much of its energy. Their lyrics, however, remain stuck in their punk roots. Singing cliche lines about drinking, girls, and friends, The Idle Hands have some regrettable moments, such as the whiny and overdone line ‘I’ve Lost You Now’ repeated far too many times at the climax of the track “Secretary.” While their sound could be likened to mature, mellowed out punk, their lyrics have miles to go to match the maturity of their sound. A little less of ‘baby,’ ‘darling,’ and ‘just remember where your heart is,’ never hurts anyone.

4) The band was a four piece outfit led by Meaghan Ball on vocals, and rounded out with Chris Mohney (Drums), Dan Previch (Bass) and Joe Robb (Guitar). Ball was known for her earlier work in the emo band Copper, while the rest of the band formerly played in the hardcore band Suburban Empire. Recordings include the 1999 EP "Treaty" and the 2000 full-length "Building a Desert".

A Single Solemn Rose
Idle Hands Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Give me some time I told you
Means nothing to me now
I don't know why I thought you
Would ever come around

Out beyond the tracks
A moments hesitation
How could I not see

I was only 17!

Can we cut the back and forth
It doesn't matter anymore
A gift for what its worth, alone
A single solemn rose

Before you go
Know I don't love you anymore
Be careful what you wish for

When I give you a chance you use it
Yeah, you make things clear
You beat it and abuse it
I can tell that you don't care

Desperate with fear
Gripping tight to fantasy
I hate it when you're here
Sitting next to me

Can we cut the back and forth
It doesn't matter anymore
A gift for what its worth, alone
A single solemn rose

Before you go
Know I don't love you anymore
Be careful what you wish for

Can we cut the back and forth
It doesn't matter anymore
A gift for what its worth, alone
A single solemn rose

Before you go
Know I don't love you anymore
Be careful what you wish for
Just like me!

Just a waste of time
And I think you knew

But I'll be fine
Just like you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Idle Hands's song "A Single Solemn Rose" speaks of a narrative of someone who has moved on from a past lover. The first stanza sets the tone with the singer stating that giving someone else time didn't mean anything anymore since the lover never came around. The singer soon realizes their own naivety and immaturity at the time of the relationship. The line "Out beyond the tracks/A moments hesitation/How could I not see/I was only 17!" implies that the singer was young and perhaps too inexperienced to understand the complexities of love and relationships.

The second stanza moves to a more bitter tone. The singer seems to be at their wit's end, frustrated with the back and forth with their past partner. The line "When I give you a chance you use it/Yeah, you make things clear/You beat it and abuse it/I can tell that you don't care" shows that the singer has grown tired of the partnership and is ready to move on to greener pastures. The last stanza is a plea for the past partner to move on and let go, stating that both of them are wasting their time.

In conclusion, "A Single Solemn Rose" tells the story of moving on from a broken relationship, acknowledging one's own mistakes and immaturity throughout the process.

Line by Line Meaning

Give me some time I told you
I need some space and distance from you

Means nothing to me now
Our relationship holds no value anymore

I don't know why I thought you
I'm not sure why I believed you

Would ever come around
That you would ever change your ways

Out beyond the tracks
Far from this place

A moments hesitation
A brief pause to think

How could I not see
How could I not realize

I was only 17!
I was so young and naive then

Can we cut the back and forth
Can we stop the constant arguing

It doesn't matter anymore
Our fights don't hold any significance now

A gift for what its worth, alone
I present you a token of our past, by myself