After the three founding members originally met in high school, a bassist and a drummer were found, and they all moved to a house in Silver Lake in 2008 to record their album. Their debut album as Local Natives, "Gorilla Manor", was released in the UK on November 2nd, 2009, and saw a US release date of February 16th, 2010. The band's sound has been described as "afropop-influenced guitars with hyperactive drumming and hooky three-part harmonies". They started to attract the attention of the music press after playing nine shows at the 2009 SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. Initial reviews of Local Natives have drawn favourable comparisons to Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes and Vampire Weekend.
Utilizing lots of vocal harmonies and drifting, dreamlike melodies, Local Natives have an intricate sound based around the delicate interconnectedness of all of their parts. This gives the band a sound that is able to be orchestral while still feeling understated, evoking the carefully assembled pop of Grizzly Bear. Their debut, Gorilla Manor, arrived in 2009 through U.K. label Infectious Records (with a domestic release coming by way of Frenchkiss in 2010). In 2011, Andy Hamm left Local Natives, leaving them to continue on as a quartet. In 2013, the band returned with its sophomore album, Hummingbird, featuring the single "Breakers".
Official website: http://www.localnatives.com
Dark Days
Local Natives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Finally what you hoped to find
Racing home from her house
Looking out for black and white
Dark days in the summer
A million ways to tow the line
Can't wait holy other
Ooh, it goes hand in hand
With fear for the afterlife
Ooh, how can we fight it, fight it
If we don't even know why?
While the dollar is strong
While nobody else relies
When they turn the corner
When you know we're out of sight
Dark days in the summer
In the rain the water's fine
It was wild combination
Either that or right down the line
Ooh, it goes hand in hand
With fear for the afterlife
Ooh, how can we fight it, fight it
If we don't even know why?
I've been on the way, I've been on the way
I've been on my way for so long
I've been on the way, I've been on the way
I've been on my way for so long
In Local Natives' song "Dark Days", the lyrics speak about a sense of uncertainty and fear for the future. The song tells the story of someone racing home from a house, perhaps indicating they were just visiting a friend or loved one, and looking out for black and white - it's unclear what this might refer to, but it could be a symbol for a police vehicle or something else that elicits feelings of anxiety. The chorus speaks directly to the song's theme of fear for the unknown and the afterlife, and the confusion around how to fight against it. The lyrics convey a certain sense of helplessness or resignation, as though the singer recognizes there may not be easy answers to these existential questions.
The second verse continues to describe the sense of unease that the singer is feeling, mentioning the strength of the dollar and the fact that "nobody else relies" - this could mean that there's a lack of a safety net or support system for people in this world. The "wild combination" referenced later on could speak to the complexity and unpredictability of life, or maybe even the struggle to balance multiple competing priorities. Overall, the song seems to grapple with some pretty weighty issues, but the understated instrumentation and vocal delivery give it an almost dreamlike quality. The repetition of the phrase "I've been on the way for so long" at the end could be seen as a call for reprieve and peace that ultimately go unfulfilled.
Line by Line Meaning
Finally what you came for
Success in finding what was sought after
Finally what you hoped to find
Finding the expected result
Racing home from her house
Moving quickly from a certain location
Looking out for black and white
Being cautious and alert
Dark days in the summer
Difficult times in a typically happy season
A million ways to tow the line
Countless methods of following the norm
Can't wait holy other
Lack of patience and wishing for something that may not exist
Might as well be the seventh sign
A significant or catastrophic event that is imminent
Ooh, it goes hand in hand
Two things that are inseparable
With fear for the afterlife
Concern about life after death
Ooh, how can we fight it, fight it
Questioning how to overcome this fear
If we don't even know why?
Uncertainty about the source of the fear
While the dollar is strong
During times of financial stability
While nobody else relies
When there are no other options or people to depend on
When they turn the corner
When the situation changes without warning
When you know we're out of sight
When we are hidden from view
In the rain the water's fine
In spite of the poor conditions, things are okay
It was wild combination
An unexpected and thrilling experience
Either that or right down the line
Either something out of the ordinary or the standard way
I've been on the way, I've been on the way
The journey has been ongoing
I've been on my way for so long
The long journey has been challenging
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Written by: Kelcey Paul Ayer, Nik Ewing, Matthew James Frazier, Ryan Clinton Hahn, Tucker Raymond Halpern, Sophie Hawley, Taylor David Rice
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marcuscontreras7416
I love this song! This is helping me navigate through all this crazy chaos going on in the world. Anyone else?
@yarareyes885
Me too😍
@jairozuniga9674
Yeah! It helps to find some space where you can feel Better
@gabrielarivas4121
Totally!!, can't stop playing it! At least music brings as together!!
@Utiger619
i feel you. i just close my eyes and drift off into a slow dance
@mothertothemoon7
Yes, exactly that!
@HannahYesmunt
Hearing Sylvan Esso's voice mid way through the song struck me like lightning. Insanely perfect.
@marcuscontreras7416
Wow this song is so ethereal. The vocals, production, instruments, lyrics etc. Local Natives NEVER disappoints.
@kiaramoten6116
Oh my god there’s a video now? I can’t even express how much I love Local Natives. I always always recommend them to my friends who ask about new music. Dark Days is one of my favorite songs. I just feel so in the moment when I listen to it! I love Sylvan Esso sooo much too! NPR is doing the damn thing
@dkezking09
Wide eyes my fav makes me wanna pop some shrooms and question reality. But this song relaxes my soul