Each year, critics at the Chicago Tribune name a "Chicagoan of the Year." The 2008 winner for music was Local H.
Local H started as hard-rock duo formed by Scott Lucas (vocals/guitar/bass) and Joe Daniels (drums). The two began in 1987 at their mainline high school in Zion. After failed attempts at recruiting a bassist, Lucas added bass pickups to his electric guitar.
Local H's 1995 debut Ham Fisted was released to lukewarm reception, but their 1996 follow-up As Good as Dead was certified gold and contained the hits "Bound for the Floor" and "Eddie Vedder." It was better received by critics, as was 1998's Pack Up the Cats, which spawned the single "All the Kids Are Right." Unfortunately, their label Polygram merged with Universal, and the album was all but forgotten in transition.
Daniels left in 1999. Lucas recruited recent Triplefastaction drummer Brian St. Clair later that year. St. Clair was a drum tech for Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick. Lucas and St. Clair released their first album together, Here Comes the Zoo, in 2002 on Palm Pictures. The No Fun EP came next in 2003, and Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles? followed in 2004 to favorable reviews, with the track "Everyone Alive" being featured in the 2004 video game Burnout 3. The break-up concept album 12 Angry Months followed in 2008, and to coincide with the 2012 presidential election the group issued Hallelujah! I'm a Bum that year, both albums receiving critical praise.
Brian St. Clair would amicably leave the band, playing his last show in November 2013, before Ryan Harding joined to fill in his spot. In 2015, the duo would issue their ninth studio album Hey, Killer through G&P Records, an independent label they operate that has also been utilized for smaller releases for the band in the past. In 2020, the duo iussued Lifers through AntiFragile Music.
Local H garnered good publicity for a cover of the Britney Spears hit "Toxic". The cover was available on the band's web site and is the last track on the otherwise live album Alive '05, issued in 2005. "Toxic" has been performed at recent concerts.
Local H is known for creativity in concerts. In 2003, the band auctioned off a concert on eBay, and in 2004, performed at Fritz's Corner in Zion. In 2005, the duo performed a series of set-list request shows, where the audience got to vote on what they wanted the band to play. Gabe Rodriguez often accompanied the band on tour and provided back-up vocals or kazoo playing.
Every Halloween, Local H plays in Ardmore, masquerading as a certain group. They have performed as Nirvana, Tom Petty, Oasis, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Sex Pistols.
Night Flight to Paris
Local H Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You found your direction and cut the line
Night flight to Paris
You'd rather leave than lose your sight
You're done fighting the blind
Some sort of surrender
Don't live a life untrue (x4)
You stick to your story
Every story has someone that they stick to
You pay for your glory
Everybody has someone they aspire to
And I aspire to you
But I won't follow you
To live a life untrue (x2)
Don't live a life untrue (x4)
You say, you're better dead than blind (x1 + x4)
You say, you're too dead to rise
Don't live a life untrue (x4)
The lyrics of Local H’s “Night Flight to Paris,” tell a story of a protagonist who is leaving behind everything and everyone to start anew. They have found their direction and are ready to cut ties with the past. The idea of “night flight to Paris” is symbolic of new beginnings and starting afresh. The singer is tired of fighting and struggling aimlessly, and by leaving, they willingly surrender to their destiny. The line, “you’re done fighting the blind” refers to the singer’s struggle to find meaning in their life and their decision to let go of the uncertainty and move forward.
The lyrics suggest that the singer has a certain level of admiration for someone else whom they aspire to be like. The line, “you stick to your story, every story has someone they stick to,” implies that the singer is inspired by someone’s story and life choices. However, they make it clear that they will not follow the same path and will live their life their way. The chorus, “don’t live a life untrue,” is repeated several times throughout the song, emphasizing the importance of staying true to one’s self.
The lyrics in “Night Flight to Paris” are open to interpretation, but they relate to the theme of leaving behind what is old and familiar, and starting anew. It is about finding one’s direction and being true to who they are, despite the pressures of others around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Hang up and listen
End the conversation and pay attention to what follows
You found your direction and cut the line
You have decided where you want to go and left the past behind
Night flight to Paris
Traveling to a foreign place in search of something new
You'd rather leave than lose your sight
You choose to move on instead of getting stuck in a situation
You're done fighting the blind
You are tired of struggling without any clear objective
Some sort of surrender
Acceptance of the situation, even if it's not what you want
Two A.M. and the last thing I hear from you
Communication has ended and it's the last thing heard from the person
Don't live a life untrue (x4)
Do not pretend to be someone else, stay true to yourself
You stick to your story
You believe in what you're doing and won't change your mind
Every story has someone that they stick to
Everyone has someone or something they believe in and follow
You pay for your glory
Success comes at a cost and it's not always easy
And I aspire to you
I look up to you and want to be like you
But I won't follow you
I will not blindly imitate your actions
You say, you're better dead than blind (x1 + x4)
You would rather die than live a life without a clear direction or purpose
You say, you're too dead to rise
You feel like you're stuck and cannot get out of your current situation
Contributed by Sebastian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.