AJ Bovaird-bass
Glenn "Chico" Dunning-guita… Read Full Bio ↴Mike Bilcox-guitar/vocals
AJ Bovaird-bass
Glenn "Chico" Dunning-guitar/vocals
Liam Killeen-drums
Forging a bold path with their energetic punk-based debut album, 2002's Maybe One Day, Ajax, Ontario quartet Not By Choice has made an indelible stamp on the world of rock with the instant classics "Standing All Alone" and "Now That You Are Leaving." Honing their captivating songwriting, the band is becoming renowned as one of Canada's seminal punk rock outfits. Welcome to Secondhand Opinions, Not By Choice's sophomore release and first with MapleMusic Recordings. Expanding on the solid foundation forged by Maybe One Day, Secondhand Opinions finds Not By Choice realizing their adoration of punk rock with deeper ties to fundamental rock 'n' roll roots. Wait…sophomore? Isn't that the point some musicians find to be an awkward period of soul-searching vulnerability and nakedness? Wrong.
In the case of Secondhand Opinions, this is nothing less than the opportunity for Not By Choice to polish their craft, to deliver confident songs that boldly explore yet are comfortably familiar. Progressing past the standards set on their debut without alienating their core audience, Secondhand Opinions finds the music and the band revealing a truer, stronger essence. From the quiet albeit upbeat desperation of "Home" to the driven pace of "Days Go By" and mellow introspection that haunts epic track "Echoes," one instantly sees an expanded power and profundity to Not By Choice. "We're better musicians after this long," notes Chico. "We have more experiences to draw from and now we can incorporate those elements into our songs. Your style is inevitably going to change when you become better at what you love to do. You're not afraid to try new things because you know you can pull it off." "I suppose this album is a bit darker, but it's just the space I was in," shrugs principle writer Mike Bilcox. "You can't control much…not even the music you make, so if (the lyrics) came out with a bit more mood, that's just where my mind was. I don't think I'm writing about anything out of the ordinary. I tried to stray away from songs about girls, but they're the inevitable rock 'n' roll subject," he laughs. Producer Murray Daigle (Cauterize, Emerald Rain) - a long time friend who produced early demos for the band - brought a "no-nonsense" straightforward approach to the recording process. "The momentum really started to hit when we fully realized the breadth of Murray's ability. We stopped worrying about every detail," admits Bilcox. "He really brought out what we were looking for." "This record isn't about how we look or what bridge we're jumping on," shrugs Chico. "It's about our love to play music, so if nothing else, we'll be proud about the work we put into this album. But now that we're moving beyond an image, hopefully our fans have grown with us to care more about what these songs mean than what clothes we're wearing." Maybe One Day certainly earned Not By Choice their early share of prestigious acclaim with a Much Music Video Award for Best Independent Video ("Now That You Are Leaving"), a CASBY award for Best Independent Album, and inclusion on two Big Shiny Tunes compilations ("Now That You Are Leaving and "Standing All Alone"). Maybe One Day's release in Japan in September 2003 has had amazing success, selling over 25,000 records. Not By Choice blasts out of the confines of punk rock by incorporating their sundry catalogue of inspirations to enhance their own high-octane style, leaving them poised to dispel hoary old notions of the sophomore jinx with the release of Secondhand Opinions.
As of March 30, 2008, Not By Choice is on an indefinite hiatus.
Save Yourself
Not By Choice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are waiting for you and your choking on nothing and everything you couldn't hide,
Say goodbye, say anything your heart desires,
Cause I know, and you know your choking
Tomorrow's a new day,
Never be afraid to do the things you have to,
Tomorrow run away,
Then save yourself
Starlight and sunshine and everything you thought you were,
Inside is a lie, your choking on nothing and everything you couldn't hide,
Say goodbye, say anything your heart desires,
Cause I know, and you know your choking again
Tomorrow's a new day,
Never be afraid to do the things you have to,
Tomorrow run away,
If it's the only way for you to save yourself...
Then save yourself
I won't be there if your running,
I won't be there if your coming back
Tomorrow's a new day,
Never be afraid to do the things you have to,
Tomorrow run away,
If it's the only way for you to save yourself...
Then save yourself
Tomorrow's a new day,
Never be afraid to do the things you have to,
Tomorrow run away,
If it's the only way for you to save yourself...
Then save yourself
The lyrics of Not By Choice's song "Save Yourself" speak to the struggle of a person who is being held back by their past mistakes and the expectations of others. The opening line, "Tear drops and anger and everything you left behind," conveys a sense of regret and frustration with the past. The person is choking on their regrets, unable to move forward.
The chorus urges the person to take action: "Tomorrow's a new day, never be afraid to do the things you have to." The repetition of "save yourself" emphasizes the importance of taking control of one's life and making decisions that are in one's best interest. The line, "If it's the only way for you to save yourself...then save yourself," suggests that sometimes we need to make drastic changes in order to move forward and leave our past behind.
The verse that begins with "Starlight and sunshine and everything you thought you were" is a reminder that the person's self-image may not reflect their true self. The line, "Inside is a lie, your choking on nothing and everything you couldn't hide," suggests that the person has been living a façade and is now suffocating under the weight of their own lies.
Overall, the lyrics of "Save Yourself" encourage the listener to take control of their life, leave their past behind, and make decisions that are true to themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Tear drops and anger and everything you left behind,
All of your pain, sadness, and regret from the past are still with you, and you're struggling to keep them hidden.
Are waiting for you and your choking on nothing and everything you couldn't hide,
Your emotions and memories are overwhelming you, and you can't keep them bottled up any longer.
Say goodbye, say anything your heart desires,
Speak your truth and let go of whatever is holding you back, even if it's difficult.
Cause I know, and you know your choking
You're suffocating under the weight of your own emotions and fears, and it's time to break free.
Tomorrow's a new day,
There's always a chance for a fresh start and a new beginning.
Never be afraid to do the things you have to,
Don't let fear hold you back from making the changes you need to make.
Tomorrow run away,
If you need to escape your current situation in order to heal and move forward, don't hesitate to do so.
If it's the only way for you to save yourself...Then save yourself
Your first priority should always be taking care of yourself and your own well-being, even if it means leaving others behind.
Starlight and sunshine and everything you thought you were,
Your image of yourself and your life is not reflective of reality, and you're struggling to come to terms with that.
Inside is a lie, your choking on nothing and everything you couldn't hide,
You've been hiding your true self and your true feelings for too long, and it's become unbearable.
I won't be there if your running,
You have to take responsibility for your own healing and growth - no one else can do it for you.
I won't be there if your coming back
There's no going back to the way things were before - you have to move forward and embrace a new path.
Contributed by Carter I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.