Scary Mansion is the musical project of Leah Hayes. She lives in Brooklyn a… Read Full Bio ↴Scary Mansion is the musical project of Leah Hayes. She lives in Brooklyn and writes music on her thunderstick. When Leah Hayes accompanies her fragile, cracking voice with the thunderstick, the result is reminiscent of Harry Smith Anthology folk: simple, breaking, and humble. When running it through a distortion pedal, the noisy, feedback-y texture is closer to Royal Trux or Sonic Youth. Leah Hayes's melodies are always beautifully wrought and melancholy, and her voice has the expressiveness and simplicity of Will Oldham or Cat Power. Scary Mansion has toured with Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio, and sings on the critically-acclaimed "Return to Cookie Mountain". Earlier in her career, she was half of the noise-rock duo Satan's Fingers, along with frontman David Ivar of the group Herman Dune. Every Joke Is Half the Truth (zum023) is Scary Mansion's debut album. She is also an illustrator and writes books.

Band features:
Ben Shapiro - drums
Bradley Banks - bass
Vanessa Hayes - backing vocals

www.myspace.com/scarymansion
www.LeahHayes.com

New Hampshire
Scary Mansion Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Streets have been dirty like this
Ever since they were cleaned
There are slugs and there's dirt
Everywhere it's like a spring scene
I think I wanna live here for some time

And your mother can come down
From all the way near New Hampshire

With a nurse's concern
For the way you let yourself get like this
And when she comes down
She'll eat at a restaurant
And you know she would die for you
'Cause you feel it in the food that you're eating

And when she comes down
It'd be fine
It'd be alright to fall apart

Hey, little kid, slow down
Hey, all the little kids
Slow down

Hey, little kids, slow down
Hey, little kids, slow down

Overall Meaning

Scary Mansion's song "New Hampshire" is a beautiful, melancholic exploration of the complexity of human relationships and the search for a place to belong. The opening lines suggest a sense of resignation and acceptance of the dirtiness of the streets, which is juxtaposed with the hopeful imagery of spring. The singer expresses a desire to stay in this flawed but charming place for a while, suggesting a need for stability and a sense of belonging.

The song takes a turn towards the more personal when it references the singer's mother coming down from New Hampshire with concern for her child's well-being. The nurse's concern highlights the fragility and vulnerability of the singer's state of being, and the food reference shows the emotional depth of the relationship between mother and child. The lyrics about falling apart and the repetition of "slow down" suggest a need to take a break and re-evaluate one's priorities and relationships.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of "New Hampshire" is Scary Mansion's ability to balance emotional depth with a sense of detachment and poetic language. The song speaks to anyone who has ever felt lost, disconnected, or longing for something more, and it does so in a way that is understated yet deeply affecting.

Line by Line Meaning

Streets have been dirty like this
The streets have been covered in dirt ever since they were cleaned before, and it resembles the aftermath of spring season.

There are slugs and there's dirt
The streets are filled with slugs and dirt, and it gives an unpleasant sight and smell.

Everywhere it's like a spring scene
The countryside appears like the aftermath of the spring season with flowers, trees, and birds chirping, but it is only an illusion.

I think I wanna live here for some time
The artist express his desire to live in the town for a while, despite the filthy surroundings.

And your mother can come down
The mother is far away from the artist's location, and she has to come down to meet him.

From all the way near New Hampshire
The mother has to travel from a far-off place in New Hampshire to meet her child.

With a nurse's concern
The mother is worried about the singer's health condition like any nurse would do.

For the way you let yourself get like this
The artist had let himself go, and the mother is concerned about his well-being.

And when she comes down
The meeting of the mother and the artist is inevitable, and the song hints it may happen soon.

She'll eat at a restaurant
After the reunion, the mother may eat at a restaurant in the town.

And you know she would die for you
The love and care of a mother for her child are immeasurable, and she can go to any lengths to protect her son.

'Cause you feel it in the food that you're eating
The food that the artist may share with his mother carries her love and emotions within it.

And when she comes down
The thought of the mother coming down keeps flowing in the singer's mind.

It'd be fine
The meeting of the mother and the singer would ease his mind and comfort him.

It'd be alright to fall apart
Despite the surroundings, the meeting of the mother would give the singer the strength to let go of his emotions and fall apart.

Hey, little kid, slow down
The singer is trying to convey to the artist to slow down, relax and not run in haste.

Hey, all the little kids
The singer seems to be addressing all the other children in the town.

Slow down
The message is to calm down, take it easy and enjoy the present moment.

Hey, little kids, slow down
The chorus repeats the message, emphasizing the significance of slowing down and appreciating the present.

Hey, little kids, slow down
The message is recited again, and it ends the song.

Contributed by Max O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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