Originally begun as a solo project, Modern Diet was the moniker under which Jake Cheriff wrote, recorded and released a three song EP in the summer of 2012. It didn’t take long for Modern Diet to evolve into an electric four-piece outfit after the current members all met at New York University that fall. The bands debut EP was released April 23rd, 2013. That spring saw a string of successful performances at NYC venues such as The Bitter End, Café Wha?, The Studio at Webster Hall, and many more. Modern Diet has continued to perform regularly in the New York City area and released their follow up EP, "Chemicals," on May 13, 2014. Modern Diet is college music redefined. The sound is intelligent yet accessible. Each song brings with it it’s own degree of room for improvisation with certain elements often remaining constant. Lyrically, much emphasis is placed on abstract story telling while musically the band draws on a wide range of influences.
Website: www.moderndietmusic.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ModernDiet
Bandcamp: http://moderndiet.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/artist/4XVYr4EPF2VZwhX1Apd0o1
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/modern-diet/id552174868
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/moderndiet
Vox / Keys: Jake Cheriff
Guitar: Bernardo Ochoa
Bass: Dan Hemerlein
Drums / Percussion: Noah Hyams
Drive
Modern Diet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One way to tell
Give it some time
And watch it fall down
Down from above
Or up from below
Who would of thought
With the way it goes on
And the way that it went
I wasn't around
No, not back then
When numbers were good
And goodbye wasn't far
From you color TV
And your old fashioned car
Drive
I'll meet you on the other side
Where you wander in the night
Tell me why you drive
Tell me why you drive
To nowhere
Summer retreat
A weekend away
Imagine the scene
Quiet and plain
Silence becomes
A permanent tone
Loud as a drum
And it rattles my bones
Always on the edge of my mind
Keep it together
I'm doing better
Racing from the fear of a drive
In no direction
An old reflection
Corrupted and blurry
By time and by fury
Two kinds of blue
What's it to you?
A natural design
Between you and I
Let's go for a drive
I need to know why
The song "Drive" by Modern Diet contemplates the meaning and purpose behind getting into a car and going for a drive, as well as the emotions and memories that can accompany such an experience. The opening lines of "Two kinds of blue, one way to tell" suggest two possible interpretations or moods associated with driving. The next lines, "Give it some time and watch it fall down, down from above or up from below" could be interpreted as a metaphor for the passing of time and the cyclical nature of life. The song goes on to contemplate the nostalgia and memories associated with driving, referencing the "color TV" and "old fashioned car" of a past era.
The chorus of the song consists of the simple yet evocative repetition of the words "Drive, I'll meet you on the other side, where you wander in the night, tell me why you drive, tell me why you drive, to nowhere." This suggests a questioning or seeking of understanding behind the desire to get in a car and drive to nowhere in particular. The second verse mentions a "summer retreat" and a "weekend away" but notes that even in this idyllic setting, the silence and the long drive can become overwhelming and bring up deeper emotions. The bridge of the song then references a sense of anxiety or fear around driving, with the singer racing from this fear and trying to keep it together.
Overall, "Drive" is a contemplative exploration of the emotions, memories, and meanings behind getting in a car and driving. The song touches on themes of nostalgia, time, cyclical patterns, and emotional processing.
Line by Line Meaning
Two kinds of blue
There are two shades of blue that exist
One way to tell
There is only one way to differentiate between the two shades of blue
Give it some time
Wait patiently to see the shades of blue become clearer
And watch it fall down
Observe it deteriorating as time passes
Down from above
The deterioration happens from a higher perspective
Or up from below
The deterioration happens from a lower perspective
Who would of thought
No one would have expected it
And who ought to know?
There is no one who should be aware
With the way it goes on
As things continue along the current path
And the way that it went
As events happened in the past
I wasn't around
I was not present for those events
No, not back then
Not during that time period
When numbers were good
During a time of financial prosperity
And goodbye wasn't far
When farewells were not frequent
From you color TV
From your state-of-the-art television set
And your old fashioned car
From your vintage automobile
Drive
Get behind the wheel and move forward
I'll meet you on the other side
We will rendezvous at a different location
Where you wander in the night
Where you roam about at night
Tell me why you drive
Explain the reason behind your driving
To nowhere
Without a specific destination in mind
Summer retreat
A tranquil getaway during the summer months
A weekend away
A brief vacation
Imagine the scene
Visualize the picturesque surroundings
Quiet and plain
Without a lot of activity or embellishments
Silence becomes
The absence of sound transforms
A permanent tone
Into an enduring sound
Loud as a drum
As loud as a percussive instrument
And it rattles my bones
It agitates me to the core
Always on the edge of my mind
A constant presence in my thoughts
Keep it together
Stay composed despite any fear or anxiety
I'm doing better
Coping more effectively
Racing from the fear of a drive
Trying to outrace the fear associated with driving
In no direction
Without any set route
An old reflection
A contemplation on an older version of oneself
Corrupted and blurry
Distorted and unclear
By time and by fury
Degraded by the passage of time and negative emotions
What's it to you?
Why should you even care?
A natural design
An organic pattern or arrangement
Between you and I
Shared only between us
Let's go for a drive
We should take a drive together
I need to know why
I wish to understand the reasoning behind it
Contributed by Taylor B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.