While still unsigned the band recorded and released two EPs and one full-length album, selling over 100,000 digital singles independently before signing a major label record deal with Virgin Records in 2008.
In 2009, Virgin Records re-released the band’s record, "How To Call A Bluff", with the addition of two new songs, “Go” and Dreamer”. Their song, “Say So”, received moderate radio airplay throughout the U.S. during 2009.
They have toured with artists such as The Cab, The Summer Set, Hellogoodbye, Fun, Forever The Sickest Kids, The Rocket Summer, and Kelly Clarkson, among others.
My Favorite Highway disbanded in September of 2010.
Bittersweet Life
My Favorite Highway Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stubborn and complacent,
You have insisted
On leaving me here,
Writing the same song
I started last year.
Lovely
Plays on a few words,
That you never meant.
I must have misread
All of the signals that
You never sent.
It's a bittersweet life,
And it's leaving me a-ok.
It's a bittersweet life,
I have loved and lost
My heart along the way.
Maybe I could still hold you,
Or you could call if you feel so inclined.
Please take your time
Locating whatever you're trying to find.
Maybe it's time to let go,
But I'm too scared
And so unprepared.
How do I forget,
Every moment in time that we shared?
It's a bittersweet life,
And it's leaving me a-ok.
It's a bittersweet life,
I have loved and lost
My heart along this.
Bittersweet life,
And it's leaving me a-ok.
It's a bittersweet life,
I have loved and lost
My heart along the way
I'm calling your bluff,
I have toyed with the idea of burning your stuff.
This is so rough,
And it's as if deserting me wasn't enough.
Well I've had enough,
I'm calling your bluff.
It's a bittersweet life,
And it's leaving me a-ok.
It's a bittersweet life,
I have loved and lost
My heart along this.
Bittersweet life,
And it's leaving me a-ok.
It's a bittersweet life,
I have loved and lost
My heart along the way
In "Bittersweet Life," My Favorite Highway explores the mixed emotions of a breakup. The lyrics talk about feeling lonely, stubborn, and complacent after being left behind. The person continues to write the same song they began a year ago, possibly suggesting that they are stuck and unable to move on. The song expresses a sense of confusion and disbelief at the end of a relationship where perhaps the signals from the other person were misread or not sent at all. The chorus sets the tone for the whole song, expressing the bitter and sweet moments of life, the heartache of losing love, and the acceptance of moving on.
The verses explore the emotional journey of the person, who is still in love with their partner and cannot let go. Despite feeling hurt and abandoned, the singer is still holding on to the hope that their partner might change their mind and come back to them. They express fear and insecurity about the future and are unprepared for what might come next. The chorus returns to the emotions of a bittersweet life where the singer admits that they have loved and lost their heart.
The bridge is a turning point in the song where the singer decides to take control of their situation. They are calling the bluff of their partner and threatening to burn their stuff, signifying that they are finally ready to move on. The last chorus repeats the bittersweet life theme, indicating that the journey of life contains both happiness and sadness, and one needs to embrace both to move forward.
Overall, "Bittersweet Life" is a beautifully written song that encapsulates the mixed emotions felt after a breakup. The singer is struggling to navigate their way through the heartache and pain, but they are ultimately accepting of the fact that life has both sweet and sour moments.
Line by Line Meaning
Lonely,
Feeling alone and abandoned.
Stubborn and complacent,
Refusing to change or improve, stuck in one's ways.
You have insisted
You have made a consistent choice.
On leaving me here,
To abandon or desert me.
Writing the same song
Feeling stuck and lacking growth.
I started last year.
No progress has been made in a year.
Lovely
Beautiful and delightful.
Conjunctions and phrases,
Words and expressions used to connect ideas.
Plays on a few words,
Manipulation through wordplay.
That you never meant.
Expressions that are empty, insincere or untrue.
I must have misread
I didn't interpret correctly.
All of the signals that
All the actions or words that conveyed messages.
You never sent.
You never communicated those messages.
It's a bittersweet life,
Life can be both happy and sad.
And it's leaving me a-ok.
I'm doing fine.
I have loved and lost
I have felt the joy and pain of loving and losing.
My heart along the way.
My emotions have been affected.
Maybe I could still hold you,
There might still be a chance.
Or you could call if you feel so inclined.
Or if you change your mind.
Please take your time
Don't rush.
Locating whatever you're trying to find.
Find what truly matters to you.
Maybe it's time to let go,
It might be best to move on.
But I'm too scared
But I'm afraid.
And so unprepared.
And I don't know how to handle it.
How do I forget,
How do I move on and forget.
Every moment in time that we shared?
All the memories we created together.
I'm calling your bluff,
I'm challenging your insincerity.
I have toyed with the idea
I have considered the possibility of.
Of burning your stuff.
Of getting rid of your possessions.
This is so rough,
This is tough and challenging.
And it's as if deserting me wasn't enough.
It's as if leaving me was not painful enough.
Well I've had enough,
I've reached my limit.
Contributed by Hailey P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.