After self-releasing several digital EP’s in late 2009 and early 2010, they, along with best friends and sibling band Caddywhompus, decided to found Chinquapin Records as an avenue to officially manifest their shared appreciation for the infinite creative, artistic and personal rewards to be reaped from operating a purely DIY organization. In the short time since, Chinquapin has become a flourishing center of activity for a modest but growing community of people with the singular goal of creating quality music.
Their latest offering, Gifts, may prove to be the most earnest quintessence of the uncompromisingly guarded yet wholly collaborative nature of Sun Hotel’s songwriting. Suffusing every guitar string, bass rattle and whisper with wave after wave of echo-imbued reverb, in-house living room recording prodigy Ross Farbe manages to balance the pop leanings of the album’s infectious hooks with deafening walls of white noise while the concussive rhythms of their multi-percussion setup create a chaotic rumble throughout. Elsewhere, the bass and lead guitar tandem of John St. Cyr and Alex Hertz, respectively, overlay each track’s epic structure with a thick, warm tone equal parts nostalgia and melancholy as Scurlock wistfully sings of a subject matter that charmingly belies the raucous, visceral thrill of a live Sun Hotel experience.
Alchemy
Sun Hotel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
if you don't keep the cold off of me
all my life i was sure that you would leave
if you don't take all my energy
all the while you went on tour in the 70's
your older bro was in the house smoking weed
and when your dad was on the phone with the police
i come undone
at the thought of waking up
without anyone
often times i can not think of anything
when you wear the clothes
but you don't know what they mean
all your life you've been shown everything
you were turning shit into gold
alchemy
you want a future filled with kids
and old and rusted promises
you'd rather shed off all your gifts
than be the one who is patient
you got a closet filled with skins
and old and rusted skeletons
you take insignificance
and cut it out until it's perfect
i was the first to open my eyelids
you rehearse complaining to Jesus
all of the time you thought you were working
if you want to i could keep you up all hours
talking 'bout who
should be filled with love
and flowers
i got confused
i thought it was all for mother
though they haunt you
i won't be your slave no longer
i gotten used to
feelings that don't change when you're older
i just sat through another boring day in the future
in the living room
the only way to sleep hungover
i thought you knew
all the simple ways that matter
you say you could use
another couple weeks to think it over
i get confused
i thought you would change
much sooner
The song Alchemy by Sun Hotel is an introspective and poignant piece of music that explores the complexities of relationships and the emotions that often accompany them. In the first verse, the singer references their inability to sleep and being cold without their partner, hinting at the idea that their partner may be the only one who can provide them with the warmth and support they need. The second line suggests that the singer is dependent on their partner to keep them feeling safe and secure; without their partner's presence, they feel vulnerable and exposed. The third line expands on this idea, with the singer admitting that they have always been afraid their partner would leave them.
The second verse shifts focus to the partner's experiences and traumas. The singer suggests that the partner's older brother was a drug user and that their father may have been abusive. This history of neglect and abuse has clearly left scars on the partner, who has struggled to find meaning and purpose in life. Despite this, the partner has a desire for a future filled with love and family, and a willingness to shed their past and embrace new experiences. The final verse highlights the singer's confusion and feelings of betrayal. They feel that their partner is not fulfilling their end of the relationship, and that they have been left behind while the partner pursues other interests. The song concludes with a sense of ambiguity, leaving the listener to contemplate the complex and often contradictory emotions that relationships can inspire.
Line by Line Meaning
often times i can not stay asleep
The singer has trouble sleeping.
if you don't keep the cold off of me
The singer requires physical comfort and warmth to stay asleep.
all my life i was sure that you would leave
The singer has a deep-seated fear of abandonment.
if you don't take all my energy
The artist feels drained and depleted by their relationship with the other person.
all the while you went on tour in the 70's
The other person was absent from the artist's life during a significant period of time.
your older bro was in the house smoking weed
The singer's partner had a sibling who engaged in drug use.
and when your dad was on the phone with the police
The partner's father was involved in a potentially dangerous situation with law enforcement.
he told your mom that you should all be scared of me
The artist was implicated in a situation that caused fear among the partner's family.
i come undone
The artist experiences emotional turmoil.
at the thought of waking up
The artist is anxious about the prospect of beginning each day.
without anyone
The singer feels alone and without meaningful connections.
often times i can not think of anything
The artist struggles with mental clarity and focus.
when you wear the clothes
The singer's partner is seen as a representation of their outward appearance and persona.
but you don't know what they mean
The singer feels that their partner is superficial and unable to connect deeply.
all your life you've been shown everything
The partner has been exposed to privilege and abundance throughout their life.
you were turning shit into gold
Despite having access to resources, the partner still struggles to find true meaning and happiness.
alchemy
The partner seeks to transform their experiences and possessions into something valuable and worthwhile.
you want a future filled with kids
The partner desires a future that includes starting a family.
and old and rusted promises
The promises made by the partner are outdated and unreliable.
you'd rather shed off all your gifts
The partner is unwilling to accept or utilize their own talents and abilities.
than be the one who is patient
The partner is impatient and unwilling to wait for things to naturally unfold.
you got a closet filled with skins
The partner has many layers and secrets to their true self.
and old and rusted skeletons
The partner is haunted by past traumas and negative experiences.
you take insignificance
The partner doesn't value the small or ordinary things in life.
and cut it out until it's perfect
The partner obsessively tries to eliminate imperfections.
i was the first to open my eyelids
The singer is self-aware and in-tune with themselves.
you rehearse complaining to Jesus
The partner seems to use religion as a way to complain about their problems.
all of the time you thought you were working
The partner was overly preoccupied with their job or career.
if you want to i could keep you up all hours
The artist is offering companionship and support to the partner.
talking 'bout who
The singer wants to have deep conversations with the partner.
should be filled with love
The singer believes that everyone deserves to experience love and affection.
and flowers
The partner relates happiness and positivity to nature and the environment.
i got confused
The artist is unsure or uncertain about something.
i thought it was all for mother
The artist believed that their partner's motivations were related to their mother.
though they haunt you
The partner is affected by past traumas or negative experiences in their life.
i won't be your slave no longer
The artist is ready to assert their independence and free themselves from the partner's control.
i gotten used to
The singer has become accustomed to something.
feelings that don't change when you're older
Certain emotions remain the same regardless of age or life experience.
i just sat through another boring day in the future
The singer is experiencing a sense of monotony and predictability in their life.
in the living room
The artist is in a familiar and domesticated setting.
the only way to sleep hungover
The artist is struggling with substance abuse or addiction.
i thought you knew
The singer believed that their partner understood something important.
all the simple ways that matter
The singer values simplicity and authenticity in life.
you say you could use
The partner is admitting to needing something from the artist.
another couple weeks to think it over
The partner needs more time to make a decision or come to a conclusion.
i get confused
The artist is unsure about something or struggling to make sense of a situation.
i thought you would change
The singer had hoped or expected their partner to change in some way.
much sooner
The artist expected their partner to change earlier than they did.
Contributed by Kayla O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.