My Goodness' connection to the Seattle music they grew up on is strikingly … Read Full Bio ↴My Goodness' connection to the Seattle music they grew up on is strikingly audible. Bands from Nirvana and Soundgarden, to bands from the early 00's Seattle hardcore scene such as Botch, Blood Brothers, Murder City Devils, and Horkonen were on heavy rotation for Joel and Any throughout their formative years. Dig deeper still and you find them tapping into a rich seam of blues, old and new - from Muddy Waters through Junior Kimbrough and RL Burnside to the musical sass of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Though a very different prospect, the energy, intensity and attitude of hardcore and the groove of the blues feeds into everything My Goodness does. Ultimately it's all rock music though. Big, Throbbing rock music.

Islands
My Goodness Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This might be what I wanted you to say
A lost highway, a place we couldn't stay
[?], and I never felt quite the same
And with the thought we ever could turn away
We've got no one left to blame

All lives bend to break the day
Over time we learn to play the game

Long nights will send me on my way
First time sure you're here to stay
Close my eyes and shake it off again
All for an island of change

This might be who you wanted me to be
An open book, some lies that couldn't sleep
No, I'm sure I never felt quite the same
And with the thought we ever could turn away
We've got no one left to blame

All lives bend to break the day
Over time we learn to play the game
Long nights will send me on my way
First time sure you're here to stay
All lives bend to break the day
Power lines will show me on my way
Close my eyes and shake it off again
All for an island of change

Close my eyes and take me there again
And tell me where the lights go to fade

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to My Goodness's song "Islands" are about feeling lost and unable to escape the past. The first verse sets the scene of a lost highway and a place they couldn't stay. The line "and I never felt quite the same" suggests that something significant has happened, possibly a betrayal or a loss, that has changed the singer forever. Despite this, there is still an inkling of hope that they could turn away from their pain and start anew. However, the second verse repeats similar sentiments about being unable to escape the past and feeling like they are not being true to themselves. The repeated lines "we've got no one left to blame" show that they have been stuck in a cycle of blaming others and not moving forward.

The chorus reinforces the feeling of being trapped and unable to escape. The repetition of "all lives bend to break the day" suggests that everyone faces struggles and challenges in life, but we must learn to navigate them. The line "first time sure you're here to stay" could refer to a new relationship or opportunity that initially seemed promising, but the singer is still unsure if it will last. The final line "all for an island of change" emphasizes that change is necessary but not easy.

Overall, "Islands" is a poignant reflection on the human condition of feeling lost, but also hopeful that change is possible.

Line by Line Meaning

This might be what I wanted you to say
I wanted you to say something specific, but you didn't.

A lost highway, a place we couldn't stay
We were in a situation that wasn't sustainable and felt like we were wandering aimlessly.

[?], and I never felt quite the same
Something happened that changed me and I haven't been the same since, but I'm not sure what it was.

And with the thought we ever could turn away
We thought we could get out of this situation, but we realize now we can't.

We've got no one left to blame
We can't blame anyone else for our situation. We have to take responsibility for it ourselves.

All lives bend to break the day
We all have struggles and challenges that we have to overcome each day.

Over time we learn to play the game
As we face challenges and problems, we learn how to deal with them and get better at navigating life's difficulties.

Long nights will send me on my way
In the dark and difficult times, I have to keep pushing forward and find my way.

First time sure you're here to stay
At the beginning, I was sure that you were going to stay with me for the long haul.

Close my eyes and shake it off again
I need to take a step back and clear my mind, get a fresh perspective and start again.

All for an island of change
We're working hard for a breakthrough or a change in our lives that will bring us to something better.

This might be who you wanted me to be
You might have had specific expectations of me that I couldn't live up to.

An open book, some lies that couldn't sleep
I was honest with you, but there were some things I couldn't tell you, either because I was afraid or because I wasn't sure how to say it.

No, I'm sure I never felt quite the same
I'm not the same person I was before, but I'm not sure why or how it happened.

Power lines will show me on my way
Technology and communication (power lines) will guide me or help me find my way through challenges.

Close my eyes and take me there again
I need to escape from my current situation and go somewhere familiar and comforting.

And tell me where the lights go to fade
I want to know where good things and happiness go when they disappear or fade away.

Writer(s): Frank Peterson, Jane Andrews

Contributed by Ruby V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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