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
Paper Scars
Lovedrug Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like two ugly fish
Too rare for extinction, I know
The veins in your hand
Felt sort of like summer
Calm to the touch, oh no
And my god, how did we survive
The paper scars?
You said you're sorry
You said you're sorry
You said you're sorry
You said you're sorry
The lyrics of Lovedrug's song Paper Scars are a mix of imagery and emotions that create a sense of confusion and loss. The first line, "Fall into pairs like two ugly fish," paints a picture of two unlikely individuals coming together. The singer acknowledges their uniqueness and rarity by stating they are "too rare for extinction." As the lyrics progress, we learn more about the intimacy between these two people. The singer describes the veins in their partner's hand, which feel "sort of like summer." The touch of their partner brings a sense of calm, yet there is a hint of fear or uncertainty as the singer says "oh no."
The chorus focuses on the hardship of their relationship. The question "how did we survive the paper scars?" suggests there have been emotional wounds and struggles that may appear insignificant compared to physical injuries. However, the weight of these "paper scars" is still heavy and significant enough to have had an impact on their relationship. The line "oh, bless my stars" seems to be a plea or prayer for the singer to find a way to heal and move forward.
The repetition of "You said you're sorry" in the last lines of the song could imply a sense of finality or reconciliation. It could be seen as the couple acknowledging the past hurt they have caused each other and working towards forgiveness.
Overall, the lyrics of Paper Scars convey a sense of emotional depth and complexity that can be applied to any relationship. The pain, beauty, and fragility of human connections are all conveyed through the imagery and emotion of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Fall into pairs
Come together as a duo
Like two ugly fish
Similar to two unattractive fish
Too rare for extinction, I know
Unique enough to avoid disappearing, I understand
The veins in your hand
The blood vessels on your palm
Felt sort of like summer
Sensed warm and comfortable, like the season of summer
Calm to the touch, oh no
Harmless or tranquil to the sense of touch, but potentially problematic
And my god, how did we survive
Expressing disbelief or amazement at surviving a challenging situation
The paper scars?
The emotional wounds that remain despite the passage of time
Oh, bless my stars
A phrase of gratitude or relief
You said you're sorry
Expressed regret or remorse
You said you're sorry
Repeated the prior apology
You said you're sorry
Repeated the prior apology a second time
You said you're sorry
Repeated the prior apology a third time
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL L. SHEPARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind