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 lifeΚΌs top-shelf issues β youth, nostalgia, anxiety, unrequited love β 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. βItβs like a panic attack disguised as a birthday party,β Ludwig-Leone says. βI realized that the most intense moments are the ones in which conflicting emotional worlds exist inside you, equally, at once.β
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 albumβs arrangements and lyrics in full prior to collaborating and recording, noting that βwriting 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.
Saints
San Fermin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Years and years of birthday parties
Little fiends on halloween
Monsters in the fields
Losing track of all my friends
Guess whoβ²s moving in together
Put a grown up costume on
Haunted houses where we sleep
With the ghosts of boyfriends watching
Guess we want for nothing
How paradoxical
Brace the walls with good intentions
Temporary architecture
Build me something beautiful
Beautiful
Why you have to be a goddamn saint
Don't you see it only makes this hard
Why you have to be a goddamn saint
Nobodyβ²s dying for this love
Saint who raised us from the dead
Saint who saved us from the party
Saint who lives with no regrets
How pathological
Thinking back on all my friends
Years and years of birthday parties
Little fiends on halloween
Monsters in the fields
Losing track of all my friends
Guess who's moving in together
Put a grown up costume on
Only you and me
Haunted houses where we sleep
With the ghosts of boyfriends watching
Guess we want for nothing
How paradoxical
Brace the walls with good intentions
Temporary architecture
Build me something beautiful
Beautiful
Why you have to be a goddamn saint
Don't you see it only makes this hard
Why you have to be a goddamn saint
Nobodyβ²s dying for this love
Saint who raised us from the dead
Saint who saved us from the party
Saint who lives with no regrets
How pathological
The lyrics of "Saints" by San Fermin explore the themes of nostalgia, friendship, growing up, and the juxtaposition between innocence and adulthood. The song begins with the singer reflecting on their memories of childhood and the bonds they formed with their friends during birthday parties and Halloween. The mention of "little fiends" and "monsters in the fields" suggests a sense of innocence and playfulness during those times.
As the song progresses, the singer acknowledges that they have lost touch with their friends and highlights the fact that some of them are now moving in together, symbolizing the transition into adulthood. The line "Put a grown-up costume on, only you and me" suggests a desire to hold onto some semblance of childhood and innocence within this changing dynamic.
The lyrics also touch upon haunted houses as a metaphor for relationships, where the ghosts of past boyfriends loom over the singer's current situation. The line "Guess we want for nothing, how paradoxical" reflects the conflicting emotions of feeling content yet unresolved in these relationships.
The chorus questions the necessity of being a "goddamn saint" in relationships, implying that the pressure to maintain a perfect image or moral standard only complicates matters. The lyrics suggest that love shouldn't require one to be a saint, as it can make things more difficult. The repetition of the line "Nobody's dying for this love" emphasizes the idea that love shouldn't be a sacrifice or cause suffering.
The song concludes with the mention of a saint who raised them from the dead, saved them from the party, and lives without regrets. The term "saint" in this context could represent a person who offered guidance or support during difficult times. However, the line "How pathological" challenges the idea of living without regrets, suggesting that it may not be a healthy or realistic approach.
Overall, "Saints" delves into the bittersweet nature of growing up, the complexities of relationships, and the longing for a balance between innocence and adulthood.
Line by Line Meaning
Thinking back on all my friends
Reflecting on the memories and experiences shared with my friends
Years and years of birthday parties
Many years of celebrating birthdays together
Little fiends on halloween
Mischievous and playful during Halloween
Monsters in the fields
Imagining ourselves as monsters in open fields
Losing track of all my friends
Feeling disconnected and separated from my friends
Guess who's moving in together
Guess who's deciding to live together
Put a grown up costume on
Putting on a facade of maturity and adulthood
Only you and me
Just the two of us in this situation
Haunted houses where we sleep
Dwelling in relationships filled with unresolved and haunting memories
With the ghosts of boyfriends watching
Being haunted by the presence and memories of past boyfriends
Guess we want for nothing
I suppose we are content and satisfied with what we have
How paradoxical
This situation is contradictory and conflicting
Brace the walls with good intentions
Strengthening our relationships with sincere intentions
Temporary architecture
Building something temporary and transient
Build me something beautiful
Create something extraordinary and aesthetically pleasing for me
Why you have to be a goddamn saint
Why do you choose to be excessively virtuous and perfect?
Don't you see it only makes this hard
Can't you realize that it only complicates things?
Nobody's dying for this love
No one is sacrificing their life for this love
Saint who raised us from the dead
A saint-like figure who brought us back to life
Saint who saved us from the party
A saint-like figure who rescued us from a chaotic and destructive lifestyle
Saint who lives with no regrets
A saint-like figure who lives without any remorse or guilt
How pathological
This behavior is abnormal and unhealthy
Writer(s): Ellis Ludwig Leone
Contributed by Lily A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@shockingheaven
This will probably appear in my top 5 this year. I love this song with all I am!!
@sesames8723
sees ad
ugh sooo annoying
about to skip but pauses
Hol' up..
20 minutes later i have this on repeat still
Ugh soo gooood π
@TheShojx
SAME.
@MichaelErnest666
Same
@pixellpython2814
Exactly
@MemestiffGaming
Got this as an ad, and honestly I like it
@pcarebear1
This is the 1st time in my life I'm thankful for ADs. Ever. I have a new go-to band for my β‘οΈπ₯playlist π€π
@Blaster-Rat
This is awesome! I honestly don't understand how this isn't more popular.
@robynthebank919
Cause it's new lol
@MrReycava
This girl is awesome! Very creative music and video. I can't wait for more to come.