Moreland first debuted his name as a part of the Black Gold Band from 2006-2010, with a 2006 full-band demo, 2008's Endless Oklahoma Sky, and 2009's solo demo session falling in that time span before he decided to retire the Black Gold Band name. John continues to write and record music, and in 2010 will release Things I Can't Control under his own name. Black Gold Band guitarist Wayne Wedge has returned to perform secondary guitar duties, and producer Stephen Egerton (ALL, Descendents) has been playing drums on the studio sessions. In 2010, Moreland was featured on the multi-musician studio project The Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton, along with members of Drag the River, Descendents, MxPx, and many others.
White Flag
John Moreland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Left you here to wonder why
You're drawing lines in the dust
Lies he made you lie
And I tried to be a hammer
Just like a new believer
You make me want to break down every door
But I'm just a lonely star
Here we go again
I'm still your white flag waving in the wind
Like I've always been
Now I'm holding on to you
Keep myself from turning back
Why don't we drag each other through
Those days when the nights burned so bad
Cause I want to learn a new sickness
Dance around forgiveness
Darling won't you be my ache to please
Or are you bundled up in bar light
Clinging to a prettier disease
Here we go again
I'm just your white flag waving in the wind
Like I've always been
Here we go again
I'm still your white flag waving in the wind
Like I've always been
Yeah here we go again
I'm your white flag waving in the wind
Like I've always been
I've always been
In John Moreland's song White Flag, the lyrics depict a person who has been left wondering why their achievements have turned to nothing more than a pile of rust. The song conveys the message of someone who is struggling to cope with the lies they’ve been fed by someone they trusted, ultimately causing them to draw boundaries in the dust. The singer in the song, in an attempt to stay strong, tries to be the hammer of justice, but is ultimately met with loneliness and ends up craving forgiveness. The lyrics then go on to describe how the singer wants to learn to accept their mistakes and start anew.
The lines "Cause I want to learn a new sickness, Dance around forgiveness, Darling won't you be my ache to please, Or are you bundled up in bar light Clinging to a prettier disease" show the singer's struggle in trying to find a way to heal and the fear of their partner holding onto their past, instead of moving forward with them. The chorus of the song "Here we go again, I'm still your white flag waving in the wind, Like I've always been," represents the singer's continued surrender to their lover and their desire to make amends, even after all the hardships they've faced.
Overall, White Flag is a beautifully written song that portrays the internal struggles of a person who has been left to deal with the aftermath of their choices, while attempting to seek redemption and forgiveness from their partner.
Line by Line Meaning
Have your trophies turned to rust
Is your past success now worthless and ineffective?
Left you here to wonder why
Did your previous accomplishments leave you questioning your purpose?
You're drawing lines in the dust
Are you struggling to define and maintain boundaries?
Lies he made you lie
Is someone else responsible for the falsehoods you've presented?
And I tried to be a hammer
Have I attempted to force change through blunt, heavy-handed means?
Just like a new believer
Inexperienced in my approach, naive in my methods?
You make me want to break down every door
Do you inspire me to pursue every opportunity, no matter the cost?
But I'm just a lonely star
Despite my potential, do I feel isolated and unsupported?
Trying to burn my way through Heavens door
Am I seeking greater meaning and purpose in my actions?
Now I'm holding on to you
Are you currently my source of stability and comfort?
Keep myself from turning back
Am I resisting the temptation to retreat or give up?
Why don't we drag each other through
Could we support each other through difficult times, rather than facing hardships alone?
Those days when the nights burned so bad
When we were both struggling, and things seemed unbearable?
Cause I want to learn a new sickness
Do I have a desire to experience and overcome new challenges?
Dance around forgiveness
Are we avoiding addressing past wrongs and moving towards forgiveness?
Darling won't you be my ache to please
Could your approval become my primary motivation, even if it hurts?
Or are you bundled up in bar light
Are you only available in times of revelry and inebriation?
Clinging to a prettier disease
Have you replaced one unhealthy pattern with another, more attractive one?
I'm just your white flag waving in the wind
Am I surrendering to you, despite the consequences and unknowns?
I've always been
Has my role in our relationship been consistently submissive, waiting for your direction?
Contributed by Vivian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.