Paper Route is composed of Chad Howat (bass, piano, programming), J.T. Daly (vocals, keyboards, percussion), Andy Smith (vocals, guitars, harmonica), and Gavin McDonald (drums). Howat, Daly, and Smith first began playing together late at night after a previous musical endeavor had disbanded. Paste magazine deemed Paper Route an artist to watch.
From late July through August 2008, Paper Route was part of the Final Riot Tour, with Paramore, Phantom Planet, and Jack's Mannequin. They have also toured with Copeland and Passion Pit.
In early 2008, the TV show One Tree Hill featured Paper Route songs in the episodes "Life Is Short" and "Cryin' Won't Help You Now". The band's song "Last Time" was chosen to be the theme song for the August 31, 2008 Nike+ Human Race.
The band's major label debut, Absence, was issued on Universal Records on April 28, 2009. The album reached #13 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.
Gutter
Paper Route Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Climbing it 'til I finally reached the other side
A city of gold, a beautiful noise, a blanket of sound
Covering me, pulling the sky into the ground
I get carried away
Please warm the blood inside my veins
I stare at the star as she is waiting to give birth
You are the voice that I can hear, now I can see
I am a photograph of who I used to be
I get carried away
Please warm the blood inside my veins
The song "Gutter" by the band Paper Route is a meaningful track that seems to be about personal growth and introspection. The lyrics start with a dream sequence where the singer imagines themselves as a child, holding a string reaching all the way up to the sky. They climb up until they reach the top, which is a city made of gold, accompanied by a beautiful sound that encapsulates the singer. This dream sequence could represent the singer's journey towards personal fulfillment and discovering the beauty of life. The use of a child could symbolize the notion of purity and innocence in the start of this journey.
Moving forward, the lyrics then talk about the singer's realization of a voice that they can hear and a star that is waiting to give birth; this could indicate that the singer has made connections, whether that be on a personal or perhaps even a spiritual level. The line "I am a photograph of who I used to be" could mean that they have realized their past self and understood how they got to where they are.
Overall, the track is an inspiring message about self-growth and discovery of one's own path towards happiness, with some gorgeous imagery along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
I dreamt I was a child holding a string into the sky
In my dream, I imagined holding a string and climbing it until I reached the other side, which was a city of vast riches and amazing sounds.
Climbing it 'til I finally reached the other side
I climbed the imaginary string until I reached a place filled with remarkable sounds and sights.
A city of gold, a beautiful noise, a blanket of sound
The other side of the string opened up to a world of abundance and impressive sounds that were overwhelming to me.
Covering me, pulling the sky into the ground
The melodic vibration of the sounds was so powerful that it caused the sky to come closer to the earth, surrounding me completely.
I get carried away
I easily become lost in my thoughts and imagination.
Please warm the blood inside my veins
I'm asking for something to help me stay grounded, to bring me back to reality and to help me focus.
I stand on the air, hovering high over the earth
I feel as though I'm the only one who can truly see the world's beauty, and I'm hovering above it all.
I stare at the star as she is waiting to give birth
I am mesmerized by the miracle of life, looking towards the future, and hopeful for what's to come.
You are the voice that I can hear, now I can see
I have been given a new perspective because of the person who is speaking to me. They have helped me discover a new world.
I am a photograph of who I used to be
I feel like a reflection of my former self. I am changed because of my experiences but still hold onto pieces of who I was before.
Contributed by Lily M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.