Good Friday
If being a Brooklyn rock band has come to signify ego and decadence, disco … Read Full Bio ↴If being a Brooklyn rock band has come to signify ego and decadence, disco beats and overnight commercial success, then Nakatomi Plaza must be living in the wrong zip code. For the past six years, the band has been developing their unique variant of indie-hardcore-punk, earning a loyal following in the underground scene on the strength of their passionate delivery, tremendous chops and relentless DIY work ethic. Following the release of their second full-length record Private Property in late 2002, Nakatomi Plaza suffered a line-up change, then split with their label. Determined to push on, the band re-grouped and with a handful of fresh songs, hit the road for a two-month trek across the US and Canada. Devoting the next year to complete the writing process, Nakatomi Plaza honed their songs before hometown crowds, while continuing to book their own tours of the East Coast and Midwest. With no label help, the band members emptied their hard-earned savings to record with J. Robbins (of Jawbox/Burning Airlines; producer/engineer of Jimmy Eat World, Against Me, The Dismemberment Plan, Engine Down, The Oranges Band, Shiner, Jets to Brazil, The Promise Ring, Braid). Calling it Unsettled, they pressed a first-run of the record themselves and set out on tour three times in 2005 to promote it. While maintaining the visceral intensity of their hardcore roots, Nakatomi Plaza offer a considerably matured vision on Unsettled. Overflowing with virtuosic guitar work, three-part vocal harmonies, synth textures and otherworldly samples, the album packs an astounding depth and complexity, showcasing a phenomenal talent that still knows how to turn out a catchy chorus. From thrashy post-punk to melancholy indie-rock with shades of prog-inspired syncopation thrown in the mix, their eclectic song writing hints at a broad spectrum of influence. While compared to The Mars Volta for their dynamic bombast or Pretty Girls Make Graves for their split male/female vocals, Nakatomi Plaza draws inspiration from groups as different as Fugazi and The Kinks, My Bloody Valentine and Lifetime, MC5 and Dinosaur Jr. Crafting a sound that defies easy classification, Nakatomi Plazas Unsettled sustains a furious momentum over eleven tracks, evolving at every turn, revealing layers of nuance with each listen. Conceived as a side-project of guitarist/singer Oscar Rodriguez in 1999, Nakatomi Plaza self-recorded and released its first full-length within months of forming, on Rodriguez's own BD Records. Bassist/singer Al Fair joined soon after and Nakatomi Plaza began playing out frequently, winning over local scenes from Louisville to upstate New York, Daytona to Vancouver. After recording the 7-song EP Private Property for indie Gunboat Records in 2001, Nakatomi Plaza solidified their lineup with the addition of guitarist/singer Joel Remland and hopped in the van for their first tour of the entire US and Canada. With the breakup of his political hardcore-punk band De La Hoya, Rodriguez shifted his full attention to Nakatomi Plaza. After re-releasing Private Property as a full-length on Immigrant Sun Records, drummer Liam Hurley left the band. A half-dozen tours and two drummers later, they found Lou Maiolica in early 2005 and regrettably lost Joel Remland in the spring of 2006. For the last year and a half, the band has been touring consistently in anticipation of an early winter 2006 official release for "Unsettled" (to which Alternative Press gave 4 stars out of 5).

Good Friday
Nakatomi Plaza Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's over, the light has returned to red My bloody red divine, so high, tastes like cheap red wine At the party's dawn, I'll sing that song, to prolong the Scourge, the walk of the avenue, the place, the place You're 20 minutes away 20 Years are hard enough some times just want to get off forever, or maybe just a couple days, 'cause forever isn't far away but it sures feels closer than you If we tied these hands, wrap this heart in a blanket The blood would seep through, and my bloody red divine Just smile, drink your cheap red wine, have a drink on me But how much more red is willing to bleed, one last drop, one last beat But on that Friday




Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Good Friday" by Nakatomi Plaza express a feeling of desperation and a need for escape from the monotony of everyday life. The singer feels trapped and overwhelmed by the passage of time, wanting to break free from the daily grind and just have a few moments of respite. The use of the color red throughout the lyrics is symbolic of both passion and violence, and hints at the darker emotions that the singer is grappling with.


The mention of "the Scourge" and "the walk of the avenue" suggests a sense of dread and foreboding, as if the singer is facing some kind of impending doom. The repeated reference to cheap red wine also highlights a feeling of cheapness or worthlessness, as if the singer is dissatisfied with the temporary pleasures of life and yearns for something more meaningful.


The overall effect of the lyrics is to create a sense of unease and uncertainty, with the singer unsure of what the future holds and searching for a way to escape the mundane reality of their life.


Line by Line Meaning

It's over, the light has returned to red
The situation is coming to an end and the likelihood of a successful outcome has decreased significantly.


My bloody red divine, so high, tastes like cheap red wine
My emotional state is intense, chaotic and overwhelming, similar to the feeling of being intoxicated on cheap wine.


At the party's dawn, I'll sing that song, to prolong the Scourge, the walk of the avenue, the place, the place
I will continue to engage in self-destructive behavior, extending my agony and misery, even as the world around me moves on without me.


You're 20 minutes away
You are physically close to me, but emotionally and mentally distant.


20 Years are hard enough some times just want to get off forever, or maybe just a couple days, 'cause forever isn't far away but it sures feels closer than you
The struggles and pain of life can be overwhelming, and sometimes the desire to escape it all, even if just for a short time, becomes unbearable.


If we tied these hands, wrap this heart in a blanket The blood would seep through, and my bloody red divine
Even if we try to restrain or protect ourselves, our inner turmoil and emotions will always find a way to surface and be visible to others.


Just smile, drink your cheap red wine, have a drink on me
I am trying to distract myself and those around me from my pain and struggles by putting on a facade of happiness and offering them alcohol as a means of escape.


But how much more red is willing to bleed, one last drop, one last beat
I am uncertain how much more pain and suffering I can endure before reaching my breaking point and giving up completely.


But on that Friday I will be free
Despite my ongoing struggles and pain, I hold onto the hope and belief that one day I will find a release from it all and finally be free.




Contributed by Caroline M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@Naisho07

I used to work in that building for a couple of years back around 2006. It was pretty cool being in the Die Hard Nakatomi plaza ;) Thanks for the video, it brought back some good memories.

@PokemonPidgeyCards

Are people allowed to go in and look around the first floor?

@Naisho07

@@PokemonPidgeyCards first floor, yes. Maybe check out the basement floor, there use to be a restaurant and Die Hard posters.

@FrankConquestJr

Nakatomi Plaza 1988 never forget.

@GAME4WAR

It was an inside job Israel did it

@DEthe5150

@@GAME4WAR Damn those Israelis!

@jimgritty7064

Liberté de Quebéc provided the nanothermite.

@theshakter

I thought a German named Hans Gruber did it?

@whiteeagle9769

@@theshakter we all saw the footage

1 More Replies...

@edwinombac

What's cool is the thought of McTiernan and crew walking around same exact spots setting up shots, amazing how beautiful the cinematography is in real footage, what a great movie.

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