Set Your Goals released their first EP, Set Your Goals, on Straight On Records in May 2004. After signing with Eulogy Recordings, they re-released the EP under the name Reset on April 11, 2006 with vinyl released by Panic Records. Their first full length album, Mutiny was released on July 11, 2006. Set Your Goals released an acoustic version of their track Echoes on the Punk Goes Acoustic 2 compilation.
A cover of The Police's Message in a Bottle can be found on their MySpace and a cover of Lil' Jon's Put Yo Hood Up can be found on Punk Goes Crunk, released on Fearless records. In May 2008, they released a new song called The Fallen.
Set Your Goals performed as the backing band for Vinnie Caruana for a select number of The Movielife shows in the US and UK.
Set Your Goals reached a buy-out agreement with Eulogy Recordings in August of 2008. The band parted on bad terms, with co-vocalist Jordan Brown issuing the following statement on AbsolutePunk.net:
"These were not sent as bragging rights. Please do not buy Eulogy records, do not buy Set Your Goals merch from Eulogy's e-store. John has made an untraceable amount of money off of SYG's music and will continue to do so. We have never seen a dime. I have always said from day one that i don't do any of this for money, and i do not. But it does not sit well with me the amount of money he has kept from us (and many other bands). I could care less [sic] about seeing any of that money for myself, but i would rather it be with somebody or another band who deserves it more than John Wylie does. We cannot regain control of our Mutiny cd; the reset songs we will get back in another 3 years. For now he continues to milk Set Your Goals for what he can."
Following the previous statement, co-vocalist Matt Wilson hinted that their upcoming album may be self-released. However, in March 2009, the band announced their signing with Epitaph Records. Their second album, This Will Be the Death of Us, was released on July 21, 2009.
http://www.myspace.com/setyourgoals.
Raphael
Set Your Goals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My thoughts are getting too loud.
Voices shuttering.
Everybody's well-being is suffering.
Speeding up, not slowing down.
Just waiting for the crash.
When bad is good just get higher.
I wanna know your story.
I'm sick of being boring.
After this I'll leave.
I will lose another for these balances
That I need to achieve to control.
I'm figuring it out.
I think I might be done.
Negative energy.
A vampire entity sucking with force.
Intent to implode.
Your glow is lesser.
My dragging it shows.
I will drain myself for surfacing
And promising every little problem on you.
Everything is a distraction here.
The moral debts I know will never clear.
Though it's not pretty,
You won't be ok without the experience
To know that I am no good.
I fought myself before,
And then I fought you, too.
Use the sharp end cause I took the scissors.
Whatever you have,
Just make sure that it's bigger.
I run with weapons and fall down the stars.
I aggravate midnight-vets,
On their bikes, getting weird.
If I had enough sticks
I'd aim for every spoke
Without first giving thought
To whether they're friend or foe.
It's all obstructive self-destruction.
I've run out of all other fun.
Something's wrong.
My vision is changing.
I get scared.
It keeps taking.
My eyelids are shaking.
I'm still afraid.
It's taking me.
It's anti-matter.
It ruins and it shatters.
Where I go is void of direction.
There are no other questions.
There are facts and there's pressure,
Separation and fractures.
From the left to the right
To the whites of my eyes that pry
At the lights that come when we die consciously.
Bring rest to me.
The song “Raphael” by Set Your Goals presents a theme of grappling with inner turmoil and negative self-talk as the vocalist pleads for prayer to anchor himself from the chaos. The opening line, “Pray for me now,” establishes a plea for support and the acknowledgement that his own thoughts are getting too loud. The following lines further capture the individual’s inner battle, as the voices in his head are “shuttering” and everyone’s well-being is suffering. The individual is stuck in a cycle of negative energy that is draining and damaging to his well-being.
The following verses delve into the singer’s conflicting impulses. He is waiting for a crash and speeding up, not slowing down; however, he also expresses a desire to be in control and achieve balance. It becomes evident that the individual feels trapped, going back and forth between self-destructive behaviors and the desire for control. The lines, “Though it's not pretty, you won't be okay without the experience to know that I am no good,” further delve into the individual’s internal struggle as they question their worth and their ability to connect with others.
The chorus closes with an expression of fear and intensity of the battle within, as the individual sees himself slipping away and “it” taking over. The song rounds out with the repeated plea to bring rest to him. The song “Raphael” serves as an exploration of internal chaos and the struggle for balance and self-control.
Line by Line Meaning
Pray for me now.
I need help and support from others to get through a difficult time.
My thoughts are getting too loud.
My inner dialogue is overwhelming and hard to ignore.
Voices shuttering.
The various opinions and ideas around me are overwhelming and confusing.
Everybody's well-being is suffering.
The negative energy and chaos around me is impacting the mental and physical health of those involved.
Speeding up, not slowing down.
Things are moving too quickly and are getting out of control.
Just waiting for the crash.
Preparing for the inevitable disaster that is likely to come because things are spiraling out of control.
When bad is good just get higher.
Escaping the chaos and negativity by indulging in unhealthy behaviors or substances.
Observe and lose through the wire.
Watching the chaos and negativity from afar and feeling helpless to stop it.
I wanna know your story.
I want to understand others and connect with them on a deeper level.
I'm sick of being boring.
I'm tired of feeling mundane and unremarkable.
After this I'll leave.
I plan to distance myself from this situation once it's over.
I will lose another for these balances...
I will sacrifice another relationship or connection in order to maintain control over my life and emotions.
That I need to achieve to control.
I require a sense of power and control in order to feel secure in my life.
I'm figuring it out.
I'm working towards a solution and trying to make sense of things.
I think I might be done.
I'm close to reaching my breaking point and may not be able to handle the situation much longer.
Negative energy.
The pervasive negativity and chaos in the situation is weighing heavily on me.
A vampire entity sucking with force.
A toxic or negative person or situation that is draining me of my energy and resources.
Intent to implode.
The situation is headed towards an explosive or catastrophic outcome.
Your glow is lesser.
Your energy and vitality is being drained away by the negativity around us.
My dragging it shows.
I'm clearly struggling and affected by the situation.
I will drain myself for surfacing...
I will give everything I have to overcome this situation, even if it means depleting myself completely.
And promising every little problem on you.
Blaming others for every issue or challenge that arises as a result of the situation.
Everything is a distraction here.
It's nearly impossible to focus on anything else because of the pervasive chaos and negativity.
The moral debts I know will never clear.
The guilt and shame associated with how I've handled the situation will never go away completely.
Though it's not pretty...
Despite how unpleasant it is to face, it's important to confront the situation head-on.
You won't be ok without the experience...
It's impossible to fully understand the impact of the situation without having lived through it yourself.
To know that I am no good.
I recognize that my actions or reactions to the situation are not constructive or helpful.
I fought myself before, and then I fought you, too.
I've struggled with inner demons before and now they're impacting my relationships and interactions with others.
Use the sharp end cause I took the scissors.
I'm embracing the most destructive and hurtful aspects of myself to handle the situation and hurting those around me in the process.
Whatever you have, just make sure that it's bigger.
Ensuring that I always have the upper hand and enough power to maintain control over the situation.
I run with weapons and fall down the stars.
Even though I'm equipped to handle the situation, I'm still vulnerable to its impact and consequences.
I aggravate midnight-vets, on their bikes, getting weird.
My negative behavior and attitude is impacting those who have already gone through difficult experiences themselves.
If I had enough sticks I'd aim for every spoke...
I'm lashing out and hurting everyone around me, regardless of their involvement in the situation.
Without first giving thought to whether they're friend or foe.
I'm so lost in my negative behavior that I no longer distinguish between those who are trying to help and those who are adding to the chaos.
It's all obstructive self-destruction.
The way I'm handling the situation is only making things worse and causing me more harm in the process.
I've run out of all other fun.
I'm so consumed by this situation that I can no longer enjoy anything else in my life.
Something's wrong.
It's clear that there is a major issue or challenge that needs to be addressed.
My vision is changing.
My perspective on the situation is shifting and I'm beginning to see things in a new light.
I get scared.
Even though I'm trying to be tough and handle the situation on my own, I'm frightened and overwhelmed by it.
It keeps taking.
This situation is only draining more and more resources and energy from me.
My eyelids are shaking.
The stress and anxiety of the situation is impacting my physical well-being.
I'm still afraid.
Despite trying to stay strong and resilient, I'm still scared of what's to come.
It's taking me.
The situation is having a profound impact on me and changing who I am as a person.
It's anti-matter.
This situation is not only harmful and destructive, but it's actively working against me and my well-being.
It ruins and it shatters.
This situation is breaking me down and causing significant damage to my mental and physical health.
Where I go is void of direction.
I'm lost and don't know where to turn or what to do next.
There are no other questions.
This situation is all-consuming and nothing else seems to matter or be of significance.
There are facts and there's pressure, separation and fractures.
The situation is complex and multifaceted, with many different contributing factors and consequences.
From the left to the right to the whites of my eyes that pry at the lights that come when we die consciously.
The situation impacts me deeply, from my thoughts and emotions to my physical senses.
Bring rest to me.
I need peace and calm to recover from the damage that this situation has caused.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MIKE AMBROSE, JORDAN PAUL BROWN, DANIEL LEVI CODDAIRE, AUDELIO FLORES, JOE SAUCEDO, MATTHEW OPRE WILSON, BRIAN MCTERNNAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind