Michael Borja - Bass & Vocals
Bil… Read Full Bio ↴Rob Benedict - Lead Vocals & Guitar
Michael Borja - Bass & Vocals
Billy Moran - Guitars & Vocals
Stephen Norton - Drums & Vocals
LOUDEN SWAIN
By Nick DeRiso
Fronted by lead singer and actor Rob Benedict, Louden Swain also includes bassist Mike Borja, lead guitarist Billy Moran and drummer Stephen Norton. The band has just released its fourth full-length recording – Eskimo, on their own 3 Car Wreckords label.
This fizzy amalgam of sound ties together a wide array of influences. Benedict and Borja, who formed the band in the late 90s, shared a background of indie/college rock legends like R.E.M., the Pixies, Pavement and the Replacements. The addition of Moran completed the band’s sound, as he and Norton brought in early musical influences from the hard rock/metal world – notably Kiss and Gun ’n Roses. The quartet’s common ground, early on, could be found in classic rock icons like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Who – and that provided additional spices in their melting pot of musical textures.
Louden Swain’s first album with Moran, 2009’s A Brand New Hurt, reflected the earliest flowerings of the band’s current sound, and began to rapidly expand its fanbase. In addition, Benedict’s connections to the acting world – he’s appeared on TV’s “Felicity,” “Alias” and “Supernatural” and films like “Waiting” have also attracted attention for the band. Recently they penned the tune “Help You” which was placed in the Jenna Fischer movie “A Little Help,” in which Benedict co-starred. A 2011 successful tour of Europe through England, Germany and Austria also brought Louden Swain to new audiences.
Louden Swain now aims to build on their already considerable momentum with the forthcoming Eskimo, which features 13 of their most polished songs to date. This time through they enlisted the help of several industry veterens--the album was mixed by Joe McGrath (Ryan Adams, Green Day, B.B. King), Mike Farrell (Morrissey, Macy Gray) guested on keyboards, and the finishing touches on the album were provided by the Grammy winning mastering of Gavin Lurssen.
For more information on Louden Swain, go to http://www.LoudenSwain.com.
Walk It Off
Louden Swain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What will you do
To covet the medal that's around your chest?
You did your best
But it's no fun
Being second-to-none
And so you walk it off
The leaves are changin' and the sidewalk talks
And your feet are achin' and you wanna stop
But you walk it off
You're trapped
You're playin' the sap
Designed the map and now you're really lost
You know you're near
Inside your ear
You're runnin' free
You wanna let it be
And so you walk it off
The snow is meltin' underneath your socks
And you keep it crazy for another block
And your feet are achin' and you wanna stop
But you walk it off
You walk it
When bad goes to worse
You take your purse
And you pay a nickle for another first
The band, it plays
Remember today is the day before tomorrow
And you walk it off
The leaves are changin' and the sidewalk talks
And you keep it crazy for another block
And the days are heavy when the nights are long
So you walk it off
You walk it off
You walk it off
You walk it off
You walk it off
You walk it off
You walk it off
The song Walk It Off by Louden Swain speaks to the struggles and challenges that people face in their lives, whether it be from a personal or professional standpoint. The lyrics of the song use imagery to depict the different stages and feelings that people experience when they encounter a difficult situation.
The first verse, "When red changes to blue, what will you do, to covet the medal that's around your chest? You did your best but it's no fun being second-to-none." reflects on the disappointment and frustration of coming so close to achieving a goal or winning something, only to fall just short of it. The medal represents the recognition that had been sought, and the notion of coveting it implies that there may be a sense of envy, even if it's towards oneself. However, the artist encourages the listener to "walk it off", meaning to keep moving forward despite the setback, the tiredness, and the pain.
The second verse, "You're trapped, you're playing the sap, designed the map and now you're really lost. You know you're near, inside your ear, you're running free, you wanna let it be" speaks to a different narrative, that of navigating the complexities of life. The phrase "playing the sap" means being fooled or taken advantage of, referring to the feeling of having made poor decisions that have led to a sense of being lost or disoriented. However, the phrase "you know you're near, inside your ear" indicates that there is an inner voice that is still present, even if it may be hard to hear. In this regard, the artist encourages the listener to keep pushing on, although it's not always easy.
Overall, the song encourages perseverance, resilience, and determination in the face of challenges. It acknowledges that the road may be tough and the journey long, but the key is to put one foot in front of the other and "walk it off".
Line by Line Meaning
When red changes to blue
When things take a drastic, unexpected turn
What will you do
How will you react or respond
To covet the medal that's around your chest?
To hold onto your achievements, and not let them go
You did your best
You tried as hard as you could
But it's no fun
But it's not enjoyable or satisfying
Being second-to-none
Being the best, or excelling at what you do
And so you walk it off
And so you keep going to move past the disappointment
The leaves are changin' and the sidewalk talks
The surroundings are changing, and sending messages or signals
And you keep it crazy for another block
And you maintain a high level of energy or excitement despite difficulty
And your feet are achin' and you wanna stop
And you're physically exhausted and feel like giving up
But you walk it off
But you persist and keep moving forward
You're trapped
You feel stuck or limited
You're playin' the sap
You're being foolish or naive
Designed the map and now you're really lost
You created the plan or strategy, but now it's not working
You know you're near
You are close to your destination or goal
Inside your ear
In your mind or thoughts
You're runnin' free
You're feeling liberated or unrestricted
You wanna let it be
You want to let go and allow things to happen naturally
And the snow is meltin' underneath your socks
Things are changing and you're adapting to it
You walk it
You keep moving forward
When bad goes to worse
When things get even more challenging or difficult
You take your purse
You take what you need and prepare yourself
And you pay a nickle for another first
And you take another chance, despite the risk or cost
The band, it plays
Life goes on, regardless of what's happening in your own life
Remember today is the day before tomorrow
Remember that today is a stepping stone to your future
And the days are heavy when the nights are long
Difficulties are amplified when you're alone with your thoughts
So you walk it off
So you persist and keep moving forward
You walk it off
You keep moving forward
You walk it off
You persist and overcome challenges
You walk it off
You keep going to reach your goals
You walk it off
You don't let setbacks keep you down
You walk it off
You keep trying to succeed
Contributed by Leah J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.