Landing their first record deal with Twin/Tone in 1984, Soul Asylum recorded a total of four albums for the local label: Say What You Will... Everything Can Happen in 1984 (later reissued as Say What You Will, Clarence... Karl Sold the Truck), Made To Be Broken in 1986, While You Were Out in 1986, and the EP Clam Dip and Other Delights in 1988. The band then switched to A&M, releasing Hang Time in 1988 and And the Horse They Rode In On in 1990 under that label. Although they enjoyed some success as a live band, Soul Asylum suffered from low album sales and considered disbanding.
In 1992, they signed with Columbia Records to produce Grave Dancers Union, a record that would come to transform them from underground college rockers to international superstars. The first two singles off the album, Somebody To Shove and Black Gold, both came in at high positions at the Modern Rock and Album Rock charts, but it was the album's third track and it's video of missing teens that led them to their major breakthrough. Runaway Train peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, raised album sales to double-platinum level, and won Soul Asylum the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 1994.
In 1995, Soul Asylum followed up the success of Grave Dancers Union with Let Your Dim Light Shine, which climbed to #6 on the Billboard 200 and featured the #1 Modern Rock track Misery. After releasing Candy From A Stranger in 1998, the band members took a break from recording and didn't release a new studio album for the better part of seven years. During the interim singer Dave Pirner released a solo album and Dan Murphy toured and recorded with Golden Smog.
They reunited in 2004 to record their ninth full-length album, The Silver Lining, brought together by the news of Mueller being diagnosed with throat cancer. Up until this point, Soul Asylum had always included Murphy, Mueller, and Pirner, despite several line-up changes. This changed on June 17th, 2005, when Mueller passed away after finishing his work on several tracks on the new album. The Silver Lining was released in 2006 and dedicated to Karl Mueller's life and memory, with Murphy expressing that, "For me, this record is Karl."
In late 2005, ex-Replacements bassist (and current Guns N' Roses bassist) Tommy Stinson and former Prince drummer Michael Bland joined Soul Asylum in tribute to the late Karl Mueller. They completed their American tour in support of The Silver Lining in late 2006. In November and December 2006 they opened for Cheap Trick on their American tour. On March 10th, 2007, Soul Asylum joined Cyndi Lauper, Mint Condition, and Lifehouse to hold a concert to benefit Wain McFarlane, the leader of the legendary reggae band Ipso Facto, to help pay for the expenses of a kidney transplant.
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See You Later
Soul Asylum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweet manipulator
And how I thank you dearly
For helping me see clearly
Yes sir no sir let me go
Sir I don't even want to know
Sir I've had all that I can take today
But I found out so long ago
It don't matter if it shows
And it's up in the air tonight
Yes it's up in the air tonight
Now you're anticipating
That nostalgia's waiting
With your social statement
Boxed up in the basement
Yes ma'am no ma'am let me go ma'am
I don't even give a damn
Ma'am I suppose I'll stand another day
I booked my flight despite my plans
I hope this flight it never lands
And it's up in the air tonight
Yes it's up in the air tonight
Cause I've got all night
To lie here on the floor
I got all night
Just like the night before
So make it soon
And I guess I'll see you later
I guess I'll see you later
I guess I'll see you later
I guess I'll see you later
We're so up in the air tonight
The lyrics of Soul Asylum's song "See You Later" seems to be about a toxic relationship. The singer seems to be addressing their manipulative partner and bidding them farewell. The singer thanks their partner for helping them see clearly but seems to be exhausted by their tactics. The lyrics "Yes sir no sir let me go, Sir I don't even want to know, Sir I've had all that I can take today" demonstrates the singer's frustration with their partner's power plays and how they have had enough.
The song goes on describing the singer's feelings of being lost and uncertain about the future as they were anticipating feeling nostalgic. The lyrics "Cause I've got all night, To lie here on the floor, I got all night, Just like the night before, So make it soon" conveys the singer's feeling of being stuck and unsure of what to do next. The phrase "We're so up in the air tonight" at the end of the song reveals that the singer feels uncertain and unsure about what could happen next.
Overall, the song seems to be about a relationship gone wrong, where the singer is bidding their manipulative partner goodbye, feeling unsure and uncertain about what is coming next, despite feeling relieved that they are free from the toxic relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I guess I'll see you later
The singer is preparing to part ways with someone and says goodbye.
Sweet manipulator
The person being addressed has a tendency to manipulate others.
And how I thank you dearly
Despite the manipulation, the singer is grateful for something this person has done.
For helping me see clearly
As a result of the person's actions, the artist has gained clarity about something.
Yes sir no sir let me go
Sir I don't even want to know
Sir I've had all that I can take today
The artist is tired of being told what to do and wants to be left alone for the rest of the day.
But I found out so long ago
It don't matter if it shows
And it's up in the air tonight
The singer has learned that sometimes it doesn't matter if something is visible or not, and there is uncertainty in the future.
Now you're anticipating
That nostalgia's waiting
With your social statement
Boxed up in the basement
The person being addressed is expecting to feel sentimental about something in the future, but their opinions about society are outdated and irrelevant.
Yes ma'am no ma'am let me go ma'am
I don't even give a damn
Ma'am I suppose I'll stand another day
The artist is once again asking to be left alone, not caring about the consequences, but knows they will survive another day in the end.
I booked my flight despite my plans
I hope this flight it never lands
And it's up in the air tonight
The artist has made plans to leave, but hopes they can stay in the air forever, not knowing what the future holds.
Cause I've got all night
To lie here on the floor
I got all night
Just like the night before
So make it soon
And I guess I'll see you later
The artist has nothing to do and just wants to wait for something to happen, saying goodbye but not knowing when they'll see the other person again.
We're so up in the air tonight
All of the uncertainty and lack of direction is overwhelming.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID PIRNER, DAVID ANTHONY PIRNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind