They are signed to the Saddle Creek label. Lead singer/songwriter Joe Knapp appeared on albums of other bands, such as Fevers and Mirrors by Bright Eyes, before releasing Son, Ambulance's debut album -- a split with Bright Eyes called Oh Holy Fools. Since then, they have released three more albums: Euphemystic (2001) and Key (2005), and, most recently, Someone Else's Déjà Vu (2008), their first release as Son Ambulance (without the comma). Other credited musicians for Son Ambulance include Robert Little on bass, Jeff Koster on drums, Jeff Tafolla on keyboards, James Cuato on saxophone, and Daniel Knapp on piano/keyboards. Jenna Morrison provides backing vocals on many tracks.
Violet
Son Ambulance Lyrics
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The wind shields shattered all for an instant
fleeting like cars from the street
Cat topped spinners across the highway
And horses dieing, backseats crying, stumbling now,
and no I cant talk now, but I understand
They choke your neck with a seatbelt, but they're meant to help
Breaking apart, misunderstand me
Flashed this evening on the sky screen
drive to Vegas and get yourself hitched
If I lived through my imperfections
To a glass staircase
and you're still angry,
I don't want to be your friend anymore
We turned the wheel,
That raised a wall and made this livid world turn red,
But I'm not scared,
Upon my bones from the face where I lie, Violetttt
Like rain returning
(violet)Back to the earth,
(violet)from a cloud falling down,
(violet) makes you squint,
(violet)as it hits your glasses lense.
I set a trap caught myself, so I surrendered, that's what I did, It wasn't there, nnnnoo it wasn't there, I looked I looked I looked everywhere,
the girl I lived for saturdays,
she watched this brilliant star grow faint,
but its not there, its not there.
I make this light to give to you,
no matter what you do,
I'll best open up these words to pour like rain, like peace upon your perfect head, it'll luminate you, start to splutter I surrender,
She wore a charm, she wore a charm, a charm necklace, she tied it tight before that night, and ..... .....
and all the world has grown torn, it will be yours to stop
The lyrics to Son Ambulance's song Violet are poignant and emotive, describing a devastating car accident and the aftermath that ensues. The opening lines set the tone, with reference to the liver damage sustained by one of the passengers in the wreck, and the sense of chaos and destruction that is briefly glimpsed through shattered windshields. The imagery of passing cars and fleeting moments is juxtaposed with the tragic and long-lasting consequences of the accident, with horses dying and backseats filled with crying passengers. The singer can't bring themselves to speak about what has happened, but they do understand the gravity of the situation.
The rest of the lyrics paint a picture of fragmented memories and intense emotions, as the singer struggles to come to terms with what has happened. The lines "breaking apart, misunderstand me / flashed this evening on the sky screen" suggest a chaotic, disjointed thought process, perhaps sparked by PTSD or intense grief. The reference to driving to Vegas and getting hitched suggests a desperate attempt to escape or find solace, while other lines hint at the pain and frustration of trying to love someone who is angry and distant. The repeated reference to the colour violet ties the lyrics together, with the rain returning and hitting glasses lenses in a way that is both beautiful and painful.
Overall, Violet is a haunting and deeply personal song that explores the aftermath of a traumatic event. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but the sense of loss, confusion and pain that they evoke is palpable.
Line by Line Meaning
His liver damaged In the wreck
The singer's loved one was involved in a wreck that caused serious damage to their liver.
The wind shields shattered all for an instant
During the wreck, the windshields shattered into pieces within an instant.
fleeting like cars from the street
The event happened so fast, much like how cars pass by on a street.
Cat topped spinners across the highway
This line means nothing and may be a reference to the band's own musical style.
And horses dieing, backseats crying, stumbling now, and no I cant talk now, but I understand
The aftermath of the wreck involved horses dying, passengers crying and stumbling, but the artist cannot talk as they comprehend the situation.
Anyway I look at him, my love you've got to come back soon, it's not fair.
The singer pleads for their lover to come back, as it's not fair for them to suffer or have to go through what happened.
They choke your neck with a seatbelt, but they're meant to help
Seatbelts are there to protect, but it can also inadvertently cause harm in certain types of accidents.
Breaking apart, misunderstand me
The artist is breaking down from the stress and others may not understand their situation.
Flashed this evening on the sky screen
This line is ambiguous, but may mean that the artist had a moment to reflect on what happened or saw a glimpse of something significant in the night sky.
drive to Vegas and get yourself hitched
This line can be interpreted in different ways. It may mean that the artist wants to escape or have a change of scenery, or perhaps get married to their significant other.
If I lived through my imperfections
The singer is acknowledging their own faults and flaws and the possibility of living with them.
To a glass staircase
This line is ambiguous and its true meaning is uncertain.
and you're still angry, I don't want to be your friend anymore
The singer decides to end a friendship because the other person is still holding a grudge or being angry.
We turned the wheel, That raised a wall and made this livid world turn red, But I'm not scared, Upon my bones from the face where I lie, Violetttt
The singer describes the aftermath of the accident, where they turned the wheel and caused damage. However, they are not afraid and instead feel alive in the moment, despite their injuries.
Like rain returning (violet)Back to the earth, (violet)from a cloud falling down, (violet) makes you squint, (violet)as it hits your glasses lense.
This part compares rain to the color violet, where its intensity and brightness can make someone squint and cause discomfort in their eyes.
I set a trap caught myself, so I surrendered, that's what I did, It wasn't there, nnnnoo it wasn't there, I looked I looked I looked everywhere,
The artist laments their own actions as they feel they've trapped themselves in a situation they cannot escape from. They feel that the solution is not there, even though they've searched for an answer in every possible place.
the girl I lived for saturdays, she watched this brilliant star grow faint, but its not there, its not there.
This line is cryptic and may refer to the artist's lover or muse that has grown distant, almost to the point of disappearing.
I make this light to give to you, no matter what you do, I'll best open up these words to pour like rain, like peace upon your perfect head, it'll luminate you, start to splutter I surrender,
The singer creates a metaphorical light to represent their feelings and will give it to the person they care for. They wish to express themselves freely, like rain that brings peace, and will continue until they can surrender their problems and move on.
She wore a charm, she wore a charm, a charm necklace, she tied it tight before that night, and ..... ....., and all the world has grown torn, it will be yours to stop
The singer reminisces about their loved one wearing a charm necklace and tying it tight, possibly in a moment of fear or anxiety. Despite the world being in turmoil, they believe their lover has the ability to stop it and make it right.
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