Josh English and Will Bartlett met by virtue of being the only two Slint fa… Read Full Bio ↴Josh English and Will Bartlett met by virtue of being the only two Slint fans at Southern Oregon State University.

Even after Will moved to Boston, the two remained close friends, and talked about someday forming a new band. Josh eventually realized that he cared more about playing with a drummer that rocks than living in Portland. So, he packed his bags for Beantown. Before Josh had even arrived, Will asked James, his guitar player friend from work,to jam with them.

Originally from Ft. Worth, Texas, James had come to Boston to study music at the famous Berklee College of Music, alma mater of Steve Vai. Although the first couple of rehearsals were spent aping Judas Priest riffs (like all great first rehearsals), it wasn't long before they had enough material of to play a show.

Six Going on Seven first appeared in print as Puppet Show (clearly the band had seen the movie Spinal Tap). The name Six Going on Seven was inspired by Will's nephew, who happened to be six years old going on seven at the time. It was a humble beginning, but with the first show under their belts, the Sixes were hungry for more. The next gig was with Girls Against Boys, a considerable step up. The performance that night lead to the release of a seven-inch on Boston Label Hydrahead Records. Word of this great new band soon spread to New York, where it caught the attention of Some records.

Also in its nascent stage, Some viewed Six Going on Seven as it's dream come true. Meeting through mutual friend and future band producer Brian McTernan, Some and the Sixes hit it right off. The band recorded its first album (and Some's) with Brian at Skid Row member Dave "the Snake" Sabo's studio in New Jersey. Self-Made Mess received rave reviews, backed up by strong national record sales. Buoyed by success, Six Going on Seven took the show on the road, doing two national tours and playing locally every chance they had in between.

Now, a year and a half later, we are proud to bring you the band's second album Heartbreak's Got Backbeat. With Brian McTernan back on board as producer, the record vastly expands on the vision that Self Made Mess hinted at. Clocking in at thirty minutes of dense, devilishly satisfying music, Heartbreak's Got Backbeat is the Reign in Blood of emo. Whether it's "How to sell the Brooklyn Bridge" "New/Improved" or "Portsmouth," the band's genius pervades.

Portsmouth
Six Going On Seven Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let's take the long way around, turn right here.
Go down this hill we can leave the car at Cathedral Park Pier.
Her parents used to live right over there.
I think they moved; I have no idea where.

Now I need some kind of backup plan
To kill this time left on my hands...
Consume the sound of you not there.

See the gray-blue house with the picket fence,
A half block up on the left off Portsmouth?
That was my tree when I was just a kid.
I buried toys in the yard; I'm sure they're still there.

Now I need some kind of backup plan
To kill this time left on my hands...
Consume the sound of you not there.

Now I need some kind of backup plan
To kill this time left on my hands...
Consume the sound of you not there.
You're not there.
You're not there.

Now I need some kind of backup plan
To kill this time left on my hands...
Consume the sound of you not there.

Now I need some kind of backup plan
To kill this time left on my hands...
Consume the sound of you not there.

Now I need some kind of backup plan

To kill this time left on my hands...
Consume the sound of you not there.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Six Going On Seven's song "Portsmouth" tell a story of a person who is taking a trip down memory lane in their hometown. They are reminiscing about the places they used to go, like Cathedral Park Pier and the gray-blue house with the picket fence off Portsmouth. They talk about how they used to bury toys in the yard of the house and wonder if they are still there. They also mention that the parents of someone they know used to live in the area, but they are not sure where they moved.

The theme of the song is nostalgia and lost time. The singer is trying to fill their time with memories and the sounds of their past because they are missing someone who is not there. They are searching for a "backup plan" to distract them from this feeling of loss.

Overall, the song is a reflection on the power of memories and how they can be a comfort in difficult times. It is also a reminder that we should cherish our time with loved ones because it can be fleeting.

Line by Line Meaning

Let's take the long way around, turn right here.
Let's take the scenic route, turning right at this juncture.

Go down this hill we can leave the car at Cathedral Park Pier.
Let's park our car at Cathedral Park Pier by traveling down this hill.

Her parents used to live right over there.
Her parents used to reside in that location.

I think they moved; I have no idea where.
I believe they relocated, but I am unaware of their new location.

Now I need some kind of backup plan To kill this time left on my hands... Consume the sound of you not there.
I require an alternate plan to occupy myself in this spare time, allowing me to distract from the absence of your presence by focusing on the ambient sounds around me.

See the gray-blue house with the picket fence, A half block up on the left off Portsmouth? That was my tree when I was just a kid. I buried toys in the yard; I'm sure they're still there.
Observe the gray-blue house with the white fence located half a block to the left off Portsmouth street; it belonged to me when I was young. I would often bury toys in the yard and expect they are still there.

You're not there.
You are absent.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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