Superchunk is an indie rock band which formed in 1989 in the college town o… Read Full Bio ↴Superchunk is an indie rock band which formed in 1989 in the college town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. The band consists of Mac McCaughan (vocals, guitar), Laura Ballance (bass), Jim Wilbur (guitar) and Jon Wurster (drums). McCaughan and Ballance founded the indie record label Merge Records mostly to distribute the band's material, but has since grown into one of the largest indie record labels in the United States.

After a pair of well-received singles, Superchunk released Superchunk in 1990, a critically-lauded LP. In spite of the ensuing interest from major labels, Superchunk decided to stay independent, going with Matador Records for their second, just as critically-lauded LP, No Pocky for Kitty, followed by a collection of singles, Tossing Seeds and another pair of well-reviewed LP's, On the Mouth and Foolish.

Superchunk singer Mac McCaughan and bassist Laura Ballance decided to release future albums on their own Merge Records, which they had started in 1989. The band continued touring and recording, appearing on Lollapalooza and backing a minor hit in "Hyper Enough" (from Here's Where the Strings Come In). In 1999, Superchunk released Come Pick Me Up.

McCaughan was a member of Seam and has also recorded several albums as Portastatic. Initially a solo project, Portastatic has evolved into a full band, which currently includes Superchunk's Jim Wilbur as a member. Before forming Superchunk, McCaughan was a member of the Slushpuppies, Wwax, and Bricks.

In 2008, the band announced they would be performing live shows and working on new material. That new material manifested itself as 2009's Leaves in the Gutter EP, which was followed by a full-length in 2010.

In 2013 bassist Laura Ballance announced that she would no longer tour, due to a worsening hearing condition (hyperacusis). However, the band continues to release new material, including the 2018 album "What a Time to be Alive."

Digging for Something
Superchunk Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I hear there's a classic mess out on Old 86,
A ride out there could be the thing to get us fixed
I left a shadow there last month stuck in the ground
Could still be around

And we laughed when the paddle boat sank
We were dancing on the propane tank
Everybody in the half-light out on the lawn

They were kicking up dust 'til they were gone

Oh oh oh, they were digging for something

Who's the shadow now? the party moved inside
I don't know how to dance this slow but I can try
One funny thing, I claimed to know the host
Yeah but I lied
Let's go you early riser

And we laughed when the paddle boat sank
We were dancing on the propane tank
Everybody in the half-light down at the pond
They were sinking in mud 'til they were gone

Oh oh oh, they were digging for something

It's just getting dark and you're waking up
Waking up, waking up
It's just getting dark and you're waking up
Waking up, waking up

Oh oh oh, they were digging for something

Overall Meaning

"Digging for Something" by Superchunk is an upbeat alt-rock song with a catchy melody and a reflective message. The song evokes a sense of nostalgia for a time in the past when life was simpler, and there was a sense of camaraderie among the people. The lyrics describe a party scene where everyone is digging for something in their lives, be it love, success, or purpose. There is a palpable sense of urgency in the lyrics, as the singer is determined to find what they are looking for and is willing to go to great lengths to get it.

The opening lines describe a destination, Old 86, where the singer believes they can find what they are looking for. The shadow mentioned in the lyrics may refer to a feeling of being stuck in the past or attached to a particular moment in time. The second verse sees the party moving inside, and the singer struggling to fit in with the dance moves. The singer claims to know the host of the party but admits to lying about it. The sense of urgency to find what they're looking for is heightened in the chorus as everyone is "digging for something."

The last two lines of the lyrics, "It's just getting dark and you're waking up / Waking up, waking up," suggest that the singer has found what they were looking for, but it may have come at a cost. The song leaves a lot of room for interpretation, but the overall theme seems to be about searching for purpose and meaning in one's life while enjoying the present and connecting with others.

Line by Line Meaning

I hear there's a classic mess out on Old 86,
I had heard rumors of a great party on Old 86, a ride out there could fix our boredom

A ride out there could be the thing to get us fixed
If we take a ride out there, we might find something to switch up our current mood

I left a shadow there last month stuck in the ground
Last month I left behind the essence of myself when I was there, it may still be lingering

Could still be around
The residual feeling could still exist around that area

And we laughed when the paddle boat sank
We found humor and joy in the misfortune of the others when the paddle boat sank

We were dancing on the propane tank
We were having an enjoyable time on the dangerous propane tank

Everybody in the half-light out on the lawn
In the dim lighting, everyone was gathered out on the lawn

They were kicking up dust 'til they were gone
They were having fun, kicking up dust until they eventually left

Oh oh oh, they were digging for something
They were searching for something fun to do or something exciting to happen

Who's the shadow now? the party moved inside
I am no longer the life of the party, since it moved inside

I don't know how to dance this slow but I can try
I'm unsure about how to keep up with this slow beat but I'm willing to give it a try

One funny thing, I claimed to know the host
I pretended to know the host, but in reality, I didn't

Yeah but I lied
I wasn't being truthful when I said I knew the host

Let's go you early riser
Come on, let's go and start our day early

Everybody in the half-light down at the pond
In the low light, everyone was gathered by the pond

They were sinking in mud 'til they were gone
They were enjoying themselves, sinking in the mud until they eventually left

It's just getting dark and you're waking up
It's starting to get dark, but you're just now getting up

Waking up, waking up
Rousing yourself from sleep

Oh oh oh, they were digging for something
They were searching for something thrilling or something exciting to do

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: James August Wilbur, Jonathan Patrick Wurster, Laura Jane Ballance, Ralph Lee Mccaughan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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