The original lineup consisted of vocalist Jason Cruz, guitarists Jake Kiley and Rob Ramos, bassist Jim Cherry and drummer Adam Austin. After releasing a self-titled 7" record, they became one of the first bands to be signed to Fat Wreck Chords, the record label owned and operated by Fat Mike of the band NOFX. Austin left the band in 1992 and was replaced by Brad Morrison who also left the band and was replaced on drums by Jordan Burns, formerly of fellow Simi Valley natives Ten Foot Pole. Their first album, Another Day in Paradise, was released in May of 1994. Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues followed in 1996. In 1998 they released The Skinny Years...Before We Got Fat, a compilation album of their pre-Fat Wreck Chords material.
The band showed notable musical growth on their 1998 album Twisted by Design, which was both speedy and technical but also punk-based and with darker overtones. The album established a mixture of the fast, poppy sound the band had established with Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues but mixed it with more atonality and more abstract song structures. Bassist Jim Cherry left the band in 1999 and went on to play in Pulley and Zero Down, but died of heart failure in 2002. He was replaced by Chris Aiken, whose musical background had a strong impact on the 2000 album The Element of Sonic Defiance, which continued in the fast, melodic punk tradition of the band while introducing more hard rock and metal elements.
In 2002 the band released their fourth full-length album An American Paradox, their first release to appear in the Billboard Top 200. The initial production run contained a bonus song entitled "Don't Look Back". A video was filmed for the song "Cemetery" and was included on several punk rock video compilations. In 2003 they recorded and released a live album as part of the Fat Wreck Chords Live in a Dive series. Exile in Oblivion, was released in 2004, with a video filmed for the song "Analog." Strung Out released their sixth full-length album, Blackhawks Over Los Angeles on June 12, 2007.
In March 2009, Strung Out released a compilation of B-sides, demos, and covers called "Prototypes and Painkillers" with material from all eras of the band's history. Many of these tracks have been on various punk compilations and/or were included in their "Live in a Dive" recording.
On September 29, 2009, Strung Out Released a their 7th studio album titled Agents of the Underground.
Heart Attack
Strung Out Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When all faith is lost will you believe in me?
When the darkness falls never to be seen again by anyone.
When my heart attacks will you stand by me?
Will you guide me through the end?
All these broken things we leave behind
on this island lost under red November skies.
When my heart attacks will you stand by me through the seasons in my head?
We just need to build communication so I can feel where you're comin' from.
I don't have to hear a word you say to know how it's goin' down.
This life'll kill us before we ever get it right.
The weight of gravity pushin' on my mind,
every heartbeat just a beat in time.
This distant star what does it really mean at all?
When it all collapses down to the root note, when the sun begins to fade away.
I don't have to hear a word you say to know exactly how you're feelin'.
Your expression betrays and life's too short run away.
Let the sun come up burn us away.
What does it mean to a world without an end
when the heart won't heal and the body won't pretend.
And all these things and all these lies
become the weight that finally gets us in the end.
When my heart attacks will you stand by me through the seasons in my head?
We just need to build communication so I can feel where you're comin' from.
Now you can see where I'm comin from, so we can become something else.
I don't have to hear a word you say to know how it's goin' down.
This life'll kill us before.
Your life's too short run away.
Let the sun come up burn us away.
The lyrics to Strung Out's song Heart Attack express feelings of desperation and a need for support in the face of difficult times. The opening lines describe a world in chaos, with cities falling into the sea and darkness looming. The singer then asks the listener if they will believe in them when all faith is lost, and if they will stand by them when their heart attacks. This is followed by an acknowledgment of the brokenness of life, and the idea that this brokenness can be beautiful. The singer then pleads for communication and understanding, as they struggle with the weight of what life throws their way.
The overall message of the song seems to be one of needing someone to stand by you, especially in the difficult moments when it feels like everything is falling apart. The heart attack metaphor represents a breaking point, when someone's physical health and emotional well-being are both in danger. It's a powerful image that drives home the urgency and seriousness of the situation. Throughout the song, the singer is asking for support and understanding, and hoping that they can find a way to communicate and connect with someone who can help them navigate the rough waters of life.
Overall, Strung Out's Heart Attack is a powerful and emotional song that speaks to the struggles we all face at one time or another. It's a call for help, but also a reminder that beauty can be found in even the most broken things. The lyrics are honest and vulnerable, and the music is driving and powerful, creating a sense of urgency and intensity that perfectly matches the message of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Cities burn and fall into the sea.
The world is falling apart and in chaos.
When all faith is lost will you believe in me?
Will you still have faith in me when everything else fails?
When the darkness falls never to be seen again by anyone.
A metaphor for death and the unknown.
When my heart attacks will you stand by me?
Will you support me in my time of need, even if it's scary?
Will you guide me through the end?
Will you help me through my death?
All these broken things we leave behind
The mess we create as humans and the things we abandon.
will be the only beauty you will find
Ironically, the parts of life that are often unwanted can hold beauty.
on this island lost under red November skies.
A sense of loneliness and isolation.
When my heart attacks will you stand by me through the seasons in my head?
Through the ups and downs of my life and my emotions, will you stay by me?
We just need to build communication so I can feel where you're comin' from.
In order to truly understand someone, we need to communicate deeply.
I don't have to hear a word you say to know how it's goin' down.
There are often nonverbal cues and context that give insight into someone's feelings or situation.
This life'll kill us before we ever get it right.
Life is short and difficult, we may never fully figure it out.
The weight of gravity pushin' on my mind,
The burden and pressure of daily life.
every heartbeat just a beat in time.
Our existence is temporary and fleeting, like the rhythm of our heartbeats.
This distant star what does it really mean at all?
Questioning the meaning and purpose of life in the grand scheme of the universe.
When it all collapses down to the root note, when the sun begins to fade away.
A sense of impending doom or of everything falling apart.
Your expression betrays and life's too short run away.
We can't hide our true emotions or run from our problems forever.
What does it mean to a world without an end
Questioning the significance of human existence in an infinite and potentially meaningless universe.
when the heart won't heal and the body won't pretend.
When emotional or physical pain is too strong to ignore.
And all these things and all these lies
The deceptions and falsehoods that we encounter in life.
become the weight that finally gets us in the end.
Our past mistakes and regrets can weigh us down and ultimately define our lives.
Now you can see where I'm comin from, so we can become something else.
Once we truly understand each other, we can grow and change together.
This life'll kill us before.
Life is short and unpredictable.
Your life's too short run away.
Don't waste your precious time by running from your fears or problems.
Let the sun come up burn us away.
A metaphor for accepting our mortality and letting go of our burdens as we die.
Contributed by Christian G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.