A pastiche of post-rock, chamber-pop and contemporary classical composition, the self-titled debut album is strongly influenced by Ludwig-Leone's background in classical music, which includes a job assisting composer/arranger Nico Muhly.
After finishing his musical studies at Yale, Ludwig-Leone wrote the album in six weeks while holed up in a studio on the mountainous border between Alberta and British Columbia. He focused on lifeʼs top-shelf issues – youth, nostalgia, anxiety, unrequited love – and tied these vast themes to different characters through vocal contributions from longtime friend Allen Tate, as well as Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius.
The first track released from the album, Sonsick, tackles many of these larger themes head-on. ”It’s like a panic attack disguised as a birthday party,” Ludwig-Leone says. ”I realized that the most intense moments are the ones in which conflicting emotional worlds exist inside you, equally, at once.”
San Fermin is not an album of singles but rather a sweeping, full-bodied listen with multiple distinct peaks and ambitious thematic connections. Ludwig-Leone composed all of the album’s arrangements and lyrics in full prior to collaborating and recording, noting that “writing for a large group of unknown musicians infused the writing process with a kind of operatic scope.
Since then, the band has coalesced into a core of eight members in addition to Ludwig-Leone: Allen Tate and Rae Cassidy, lead vocals; Eliza Bagg and Rebekah Durham, vocals/violin; John Brandon, trumpet; Stephen Chen, saxophone; Tyler McDiarmid, guitar; and Mike Hanf, drums.
Philosopher
San Fermin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll let the camera find the truth
In these little eyes
And I could feel what it was like to be electric
And let the people hear me scream and shout
With this little mouth
And if I let all my demons out
And I would let the makeup run onto my face
I'm a philosopher
I try to put it all behind me
I gotta try to keep it down
I'm a philosopher
No, I'll never let it [?] me
I'm a philosopher
Gotta control it somehow
And when they're finished with me, I could be your lover
And you could try to find the blush of youth
In these cheeks
Try to forget what it was like to be electric
And to win all the boys at home
With these hands
I'm a philosopher
With these hands
I'm a philosopher
With this heart
I'm a philosopher
I'm wise
I'm a philosopher
Let me out
Get all excited now
But you know when this is over
I'll be looking for a way to let it go
Yeah, get all excited now
But it's only for a moment
And you can't have what you can't hold
I'm a philosopher
I'm a philosopher
The lyrics of San Fermin’s song, “Philosopher,” addresses the idea of reinvention and the desire to escape one's current situation. The opening lines of the song provide insight into the singer’s aspirations for change, expressed through a dream of becoming an actress. The singer feels that the camera will capture her truth, and she will finally be able to express herself fully. The idea of being “electric” implies a feeling of power and being fully alive, and the singer wants to feel this way by screaming and shouting without reservation. The line “And if I let all my demons out/Oh, you would love it” suggests that the singer is aware of the darker aspects of her personality and that she feels that this suppressed part of herself would be accepted if set free.
The chorus of “Philosopher” is repeated and reinforces the title of the song. The idea of being a philosopher suggests that the singer is contemplating the relationship between her current and desired circumstances. The line “I try to put it all behind me” implies that there is some painful past that the singer is attempting to leave behind, but she recognizes that she cannot ignore it entirely. The line “No, I'll never let it [?] me” indicates that the singer does not want this past trauma to define her. She is determined to remain in control of her emotions and does not want to let them overpower her.
The final stanza of the song is an expression of resignation. The singer acknowledges that the sense of excitement and possibility she feels will not last forever. She knows that she will eventually have to return to her daily life and deal with the fact that she is not yet the person she wants to be. The song’s conclusion finds the singer repeating the title once more, emphasizing the idea of introspection and contemplation.
Line by Line Meaning
When I grow up, I think that I can be an actress
As a child, I dreamed of becoming an actress and being in front of the camera.
I'll let the camera find the truth
I'll reveal my true self when the camera is on me.
In these little eyes
Referring to her own eyes as something small and innocent.
And I could feel what it was like to be electric
To experience the thrill of performing and having a crowd react to it.
And let the people hear me scream and shout
To release all her emotions and energy through her performance.
With this little mouth
Using her small voice, but giving it enormous power through her performance.
And if I let all my demons out, Oh, you would love it
Letting out her dark side would be captivating and pleasing for the audience.
And I would let the makeup run onto my face
She would be unafraid to show her true emotions and let them take over during her performance.
I'm a philosopher, I try to put it all behind me
She tries to use her experiences to learn and grow from them, but also to move on from them.
I gotta try to keep it down
She needs to control her emotions and not let them get the best of her.
No, I'll never let it [?] me
She will never allow her past experiences to define or control her.
Gotta control it somehow
She knows she needs to keep her emotions in check in order to succeed.
And when they're finished with me, I could be your lover
After her performance, she could let down her guard and be vulnerable with someone else.
And you could try to find the blush of youth In these cheeks
Someone else could see the innocence and youthfulness in her face.
Try to forget what it was like to be electric
She wants to be able to move on and not always crave the thrill of performing.
And to win all the boys at home With these hands
She acknowledges the power she has when performing and the impact it has on others.
With these hands
Reiterating that the power she possesses comes from her hands.
With this heart
She also has a deep emotional connection to her art and to her performance.
I'm wise
Acknowledging that she has learned and grown from her experiences.
Let me out
She wants to be free to express herself and her emotions through her performance.
Get all excited now
She recognizes the excitement and anticipation before a performance.
But you know when this is over, I'll be looking for a way to let it go
After the high of performing ends, she will need to find a way to release that energy and emotion.
Yeah, get all excited now, But it's only for a moment
She acknowledges that the thrill of performing is fleeting.
And you can't have what you can't hold
The excitement and thrill of performing cannot be sustained forever.
I'm a philosopher
Reiterating that she has learned and grown from her experiences.
Contributed by Kaylee I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.