1) The Broadways were … Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:
1) The Broadways were a punk band from Chicago, Illinois. The group formed in 1996 after the break-up of ska-punk band Slapstick, with their vocalist Brendan Kelly and trumpet player Dan Hanaway combining with Rob DePaola and Tricky Dick guitarist Chris McCaughan.
Musically, The Broadways frequently drew comparisons to Crimpshrine and Jawbreaker. The band is notable for the intelligent political, social, and introspective nature of their lyrics, as well as their complex, non-traditional song structures and above-average punk musicianship.
The band released Broken Star in 1998 on Asian Man Records before breaking up the same year. After the breakup, Kelly and McCaughan formed The Lawrence Arms, while Hanaway and DePaola started The Honor System. A collection of unreleased material and songs collected from their EPs was released posthumously in 2000 as Broken Van.
2) The Broadways were a R&B band from the mid-60's. Line up: Ronnie Coleman, Billy Brown, Leon Trent, Moe . They originally recorded as The Uniques but as The Broadways they released a couple of singles on MGM which are much prized by the Northern Soul fraternity. Billy Brown went on to become a member of The Moments. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFj5GwfqrtU
3) The Broadways are band from West London. They released their debut single 'Just A Dreamy Day' through New Slang Records of Kingston in Novemeber 2007 and it reached number 6 in the UK Indie Charts. The are currently putting the finishing touches to their debut album 'Greetings From The Broadway' with Arctic Monkeys producer Alan Smythe for release in Japan in August. For listeners of The Metros, The Clash and The Hold Steady. www.myspace.com/broadwaysuk
Under My Belt
The Broadways Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
More like a cigarette-athon, one three month day
Six more lanes, so much concrete seems irrational
I've never felt more unnatural, I watch exhaust blow
I see that you're dead behind your eyes
All this convenience could never fill the hole that I've dug inside
Real things seem hard to find
Armed to the teeth, let's kill off all the animals
Be the only species not extinct and then we'll have a feast
People seem so strange, it's like they've all been zombified
Blurred streetlights fill my crying eyes
I grew some food from the ground
One thing that made sense in this world that seems so fucking upside down
Washed away, this winter's reoccurring theme
Of feeling lost and incomplete
Another winter under my belt
Strip malls have buried corn fields, alcohol is burying me
Cut me off while my heart's still beating
All these stupid games with their fancy names, they'll never make you free
They'll make you numb, they don't mean anything
The Broadways' song "Under My Belt" is a commentary on the unnatural and often overwhelming nature of modern society. The opening lyrics describe the feeling of exhaustion and overwhelm that people often experience in their daily lives, symbolized by the metaphor of running a marathon or smoking a continuous string of cigarettes. The image of "six more lanes" and "so much concrete" emphasize the idea of a world that is increasingly artificial and disconnected from nature. The singer speaks of feeling "unnatural" and watching "exhaust blow," a symbol of the pollution and degradation that are often the consequences of modern progress.
The second verse expands on the sense of disconnection and disorientation that the singer feels. The phrase "dead behind your eyes" suggests a loss of humanity or soul, perhaps due to the overwhelming convenience and materialism of modern life. The singer speaks of wanting to "kill off all the animals," a disturbing echo of the way that humans have already wiped out countless species in the name of progress. The blurred streetlights and crying eyes create a sense of chaos and sadness that pervades the entire song.
Despite this sense of despair, the final lyrics offer a glimmer of hope. The singer describes growing food from the ground, an act of creation and connection that counters the destruction and disconnection elsewhere in the song. This act of resistance is both personal and political, suggesting that there is a way to resist the numbing effects of modern society and find meaning and purpose in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Count these days, feels like I ran a marathon
These days feel like they've been incredibly long and difficult, like running a grueling race
More like a cigarette-athon, one three month day
It's been more like an endurance test of smoking constantly for three months straight
Six more lanes, so much concrete seems irrational
The amount of development and urbanization is overwhelming and doesn't make sense
I've never felt more unnatural, I watch exhaust blow
The way we are living and polluting feels unnatural and wrong, and watching car exhaust only reinforces this feeling
I see that you're dead behind your eyes
You seem empty and hollow inside, like you're not really living
All this convenience could never fill the hole that I've dug inside
No amount of material conveniences and distractions can make up for the deep feeling of emptiness inside
Real things seem hard to find
Authentic experiences and human connections feel scarce and difficult to come by
Armed to the teeth, let's kill off all the animals
We are becoming increasingly ruthless in our treatment of the natural world, and are willing to destroy entire species for our own benefit
Be the only species not extinct and then we'll have a feast
The ultimate goal seems to be our own survival and domination, even if it means destroying all other life on the planet
People seem so strange, it's like they've all been zombified
The way people are living feels robotic and lifeless, like they are going through the motions without really thinking or feeling
Blurred streetlights fill my crying eyes
The overwhelming artificiality of modern life brings tears to my eyes
I grew some food from the ground
One of the few things that feels meaningful and fulfilling in this world is growing food from the earth
One thing that made sense in this world that seems so fucking upside down
Growing food from the earth is one of the few things that feels truly right and good in this world, which often feels chaotic and backwards
Washed away, this winter's reoccurring theme
The recurring feeling of being lost and incomplete is only made worse by the cold, isolating winter season
Of feeling lost and incomplete
Feeling directionless and like something is missing from life
Another winter under my belt
Another cold and difficult winter season endured
Strip malls have buried corn fields, alcohol is burying me
The destruction of natural landscapes and the numbing effects of addiction are both contributing to a sense of feeling lost and disconnected
Cut me off while my heart's still beating
Don't let me fall into a numb and lifeless state before it's too late
All these stupid games with their fancy names, they'll never make you free
Pursuing materialistic and superficial goals will never lead to true freedom and fulfillment
They'll make you numb, they don't mean anything
These superficial pursuits will only lead to a numb and empty existence, devoid of real meaning
Contributed by Dylan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ethan
on Police Song
i love police do you