1) The Choir were a ro… Read Full Bio ↴There have been two bands known as The Choir:
1) The Choir were a rock band in the mid-1960s from Cleveland Ohio, best known for the oft-covered song "It's Cold Outside". With the addition of singer Eric Carmen, they became The Raspberries in 1970. The band consisted of Dann Klawon on rhythm guitar, Dave Smalley on vocals & rhythm guitar, Wally Bryson on vocals, lead guitar, & bass, and Jim Bonfanti on vocals & drums.
2) The Choir (originally The Youth Choir) is an atmospheric alternative Christian rock band, led by Derri Daugherty on guitar and vocals, Steve Hindalong on drums -- who also writes most of the band's lyrics -- and Dan Michaels on lyricon, electric flute and saxophone. Originally formed in Southern California in the early 1980s, the band members moved to the Nashville, Tennessee area in the 1990s. Past members include guitarist Marc Byrd and bass guitarists Michael Sauerbrey, Robin Spurs, Bill Batstone, and the late Tim Chandler.
Each band member also has a depth of musical history outside of The Choir. Hindalong produced four successful City On A Hill albums, writing the well-known song "God of Wonders" with Marc Byrd. Daugherty has been a member of the Christian-alterna-pop-supergroup The Lost Dogs since it started in 1991, and Hindalong joined the group in 2006. Chandler was the bass player for years for Daniel Amos and that band's alter egos The Swirling Eddies, and passed away in 2018. Byrd was a member of Common Children, recorded with his wife Christine Glass as Glassbyrd, and is currently half of the post-rock duo Hammock. Michaels has been a Senior Vice President of Fair Trade Services (formerly INO Records) since 2000.
triangle
The Choir Lyrics
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Should I treat you like a guest
I may be ten years old
But I can tell you're obsessed
I would keep it to myself
But now the rug is showing wear
So forgive me if I stare
You do that triangle
You do that triangle in my house
We prayed for you in Sunday School
And Laura's rabbit too
They gave it shots to numb the pain
It made me think of you
Sometimes daddy has a six-pack
But you always have a pair
So forgive me if I care
You do that triangle
You do that triangle
You do that triangle in my house
From the cooler to the chair to the garbage can
From the cooler to the chair to the garbage can
From the cooler to the chair to the garbage can
From the cooler to the chair to the garbage can
You do that triangle
You do that triangle
You do that triangle in my house
The Choir's song Triangle is a reflective piece about a young boy's observations of a guest in their home. The beginning lyrics, “I love you like a brother, should I treat you like a guest,” highlight the complex and ambiguous nature of the relationship. The boy is aware that the guest has an obsession, and although he is young, he can sense that something is not quite right. However, he chooses to keep this observation to himself but now the rug is showing wear, and he can no longer ignore the issue. He struggles with whether or not to speak about what he has noticed.
The chorus repeats “You do that triangle in my house,” which is an ambiguous reference to something that the guest is doing. The triangle could represent a physical act, an emotional or mental state, or even an instrument in music. It is unclear, which adds a sense of mystery to the song. The boy and his family pray for the guest's well-being in Sunday School, highlighting their concern for him despite his strange behavior. The lyrics, “Sometimes daddy has a six-pack, but you always have a pair,” could allude to the guest's tendency to always have a pair of something on him, or it could signify his addiction to drugs, which again, adds to the song's enigmatic nature.
Overall, Triangle by The Choir is a thought-provoking and mysterious song, which portrays the confusing, mature, and devastating nature of relationships in a very subtle way.
Line by Line Meaning
I love you like a brother
I have love and affection for you similar to the way I feel towards my sibling.
Should I treat you like a guest
I am unsure of how to interact with you, as though you are an outsider in my life.
I may be ten years old
Although I am young, I have enough knowledge and experience to understand your unhealthy fixation.
But I can tell you're obsessed
I can see that you are excessively fixated on someone or something.
I would keep it to myself
I would normally keep my observations and thoughts about you to myself.
But now the rug is showing wear
I can no longer hide the fact that there is something wrong or unhealthy with your behavior.
So forgive me if I stare
I am staring at you to try and understand your obsession and figure out how to deal with it.
You do that triangle
Your behavior follows a pattern that includes three elements.
You do that triangle in my house
Your behavior is happening in my personal space or affecting my life.
We prayed for you in Sunday School
Others know about your behavior and are even praying for you to change.
And Laura's rabbit too
Even innocent animals are not immune to the negative effects of your behavior.
They gave it shots to numb the pain
Even the innocent animals are receiving medical treatment to deal with the harm you are causing.
It made me think of you
The harm caused to the innocent animal makes me think about how your behavior is also causing harm.
Sometimes daddy has a six-pack
My father sometimes drinks alcohol in excess.
But you always have a pair
You always have a set of something, possibly alluding to a negative behavior or lifestyle choice.
So forgive me if I care
I am concerned for you and cannot help but care about how your behavior is impacting you and those around you.
From the cooler to the chair to the garbage can
A pattern of behavior that includes moving or using objects in a specific order or location.
You do that triangle in my house
Your pattern of behavior is happening in my personal space or affecting my life.
Contributed by Jason R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mongooz24
Sounds like it's about an alcoholic and the triangle he makes from the cooler (to get a drink) to the chair and then the can...
@Conflicted100
That's exactly what it is.
@Samsrandomnonsense
what's this song supposed to be about? I've looked up the lyrics and still can't make sense of it. Any ideas?
@Conflicted100
" From the cooler, to the chair, to the garbage can." The song is written from the viewpoint of a child whose brother or other relative living in the house is caught up in alcoholism.