Lovedrug drew nationwide attention with two independent EPs in 2003 and 2004, followed by the highly acclaimed debut full-length Pretend You’re Alive in July 2004 on indie The Militia Group (Sony). The fastest selling debut in label history, Militia upstreamed the band to parent label Columbia Records for a planned rerelease in March 2005 around the radio single “Spiders”. Though unrelated corporate purging at Columbia left many plans stillborn, Lovedrug toured heavily, including dates with The Killers, Robert Plant, Switchfoot, and Coheed & Cambria, and established a sizable American following.
By late 2006, Lovedrug had a new album’s worth of material and, to avoid continued upheaval at Columbia, returned to The Militia Group to release Everything Starts Where It Ends in March of 2007. The album was well received, selling close to 30k albums in several months on the back of Japanese and North American touring, including two headline runs and tours with Sparta and Blue October. Several singles/videos saw traction at radio & MTV, including “Ghost By Your Side” and “Happy Apple Poison”, but a lack of significant label support failed to capitalize, leaving the band frustrated and burned out.
After a brief interlude, founder Shepard reformed the group and proceeded to write what would become Lovedrug’s 3rd album as a bit of catharsis, working with iconic producer Michael Beinhorn (Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mew) to exorcise several years of demons in an aggressive homage to grunge. Though the 2008 release of The Sucker Punch Show coincided with the collapse of the Militia Group in North America, the album was especially well received upon it’s 2009 release in Europe, landing at #6 on the coveted Visions summer chart, garnering broad radio play for the single “Only One”, and seeing the band play shows and festivals with Kings of Leon, Nine Inch Nails, Silversun Pickups, and Eagles of Death Metal.
Following the European summer tour, a fully revitalized Lovedrug took the rest of 2009 to explore and define what would come next. The band self-released EP- PART I in April, the first in a series of three such indie EPs planned for 2010, while continuing to write, tinker, and prepare for the HiFi album to come. Lovedrug will play a number of dates this spring, including a headlining tour June/July, Bamboozle, and others.
Band Members:
Michael Shepard - Vocals, Guitar, Piano
Jeremy Michael Gifford - Guitar, Synthesizer, Piano
Thomas Bragg - Bass
James Childress - Drums
Pandamoranda
Lovedrug Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is this your true love?
It's a pleasure to meet you America
Wait for signs of youth
Wait for signs that never arrive
Ringing your bell and anger the pandamoranda
Wait for signs of youth
Like this is a white coliseum and you are the fighter
Why not pretend that you have the strength of victorious men
And let's say the bull is nearly approaching with speed and agility
Take off your shirt and wave in the air because you are the sign
These lyrics in Pandamoranda by Lovedrug are full of interesting imagery and metaphorical language. The opening lines, "I think you're swelling, ready to sink and swallow / Is this your true love?" suggest a sense of unease or uncertainty, perhaps regarding a relationship or life path. The following lines, "It's a pleasure to meet you America / Wait for signs of youth / Wait for signs that never arrive," add to this feeling of disillusionment, as if the singer is addressing a country or way of life that has promised youth and vitality but has failed to deliver.
The refrain, "Wait for signs of youth / Wait for signs that never arrive," reinforces this idea of waiting for something that may never come. The ringing of the bell and angering the "pandamoranda" (a made-up word) could represent a desire to shake up the status quo and find a way out of this stagnant waiting period.
The metaphor of the "white coliseum" and the singer as a fighter suggests a willingness to face challenges head-on, but also a sense of futility in fighting a losing battle. The final lines, "Take off your shirt and wave in the air because you are the sign," might then suggest a desire to be noticed and recognized, even in defeat.
Line by Line Meaning
I think you're swelling, ready to sink and swallow
It seems like you are overwhelmed and about to give in to something
Is this your true love?
Are you really in love with this person or is it just an infatuation?
It's a pleasure to meet you America
Nice to meet you, America (as a personification of the country)
Wait for signs of youth
Hope for indications of a better, younger time
Wait for signs that never arrive
But don't hold your breath, because those signs may never come
Ringing your bell and anger the pandamoranda
Stirring up trouble and provoking a mythical, metaphorical creature known as the pandamoranda
Like this is a white coliseum and you are the fighter
It's as if you are in an arena, battling your way out of a difficult situation
Why not pretend that you have the strength of victorious men
You might as well fake it until you make it, and pretend that you are as strong as legendary champions
And let's say the bull is nearly approaching with speed and agility
Imagine that there is a fierce obstacle charging towards you, rapidly and powerfully
Take off your shirt and wave in the air because you are the sign
Strip away your insecurities and boldly proclaim yourself as a symbol of change and hope
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL L. SHEPARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
thecreaturewalks
This is a powerful song. I absolutely love it. Lovedrug is BRILLIANT.