The band formed in 2006 with Perdomo and Cody Payne (rhythm guitar and backing vocals) joined by Bryan Czap (lead guitar) and Tyler Minsberg (drums).
TDS independently released a five song EP There Is No Such Thing as Science in 2007, which drew the attention of Hopeless Records. They released their debut EP with Hopeless Records, entitled If You Could Only Keep Me Alive, with a similar track listing. The band's debut studio album, Reach for the Sun was released on May 5, 2009. The album reached #42 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.
On May 14, 2010, the band announced they would be playing Reach for the Sun from front to back on their first headlining tour. Tyler left the band in late 2010.
An Acoustic Performance Of Reach For The Sun was digitally released on March 15, 2011. In the summer of 2011, TDS played a Warped Tour schedule and released their second full-length album, titled War Paint which was on released on July 19, 2011. Tyler returned to the band in 2011 for a short stint before leaving again that same year. Bryan Czap left the band in 2012.
The band released their 3rd studio album, Golden Record, on August 6, 2013 with Ben Cato on drums and Matt Kennedy on lead guitar and backing vocals. Cody Payne remained on rhythm guitar and backing vocals.
In September 2013, AJ Perdomo left the band, citing Cody Payne as the driving force behind the decision.
In February 2017 Cody Payne was sentenced to a year in prison after being charged with a Felony burglary conviction.
In July 2017, the band announced that they were reuniting as a trio without Cody Payne. On October 19, 2017 The Dangerous Summer announced their next album coming out in 2018. The Dangerous Summer was released on January 26, 2018. The first single was Fire, followed by Ghosts and Valium. All 3 singles were released prior to the album release date.
The band had stated influences from Kings of Leon, Taylor Swift, Third Eye Blind, Bright Eyes, U2, Phil Collins, Explosions in the Sky, Jimmy Eat World, and Andrew McMahon. "The Dangerous Summer" is taken from the novel of same name written by Ernest Hemingway.
A Space To Grow
The Dangerous Summer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of The Dangerous Summer's song A Space To Grow express the inner struggle of being confined within one's mind and the desire to break free from it. The opening line, "Six long hours in my head," denotes the inability to switch off the mind and detach from one's thoughts. The next line, "I watched people in cars. It made me feel like I'm living," suggests that living in solitude is not a way to live, and sometimes, observing others living their lives can give us the impetus to live ours.
The song's protagonist is tired and emotionally drained, seeking solace in the company of others. "Let's live outside of the city and blame the ones that I loved for all the shit that I carried when I was never enough" indicates that the singer feels suffocated in the city and seeks a new life, and blames their loved ones for not being able to live up to expectations. The lyrics' tone takes a hopeful turn as the singer finds a temporary sanctuary, "I found a cut somewhere where we could all lay," and acknowledges that the world is not breaking their heart but is their own world.
The chorus, "So pray with me," highlights that there is no easy way out of the struggles of life, but seeking solace in prayer can help. The singer pledges to give everything they own to those in their heart, indicating a willingness to be selfless and embrace life's uncertainties.
Line by Line Meaning
Six long hours in my head, I watched people in cars.
I spent six hours lost in thought, watching people drive by. It made me realize that living life is not as difficult as we make it out to be.
Let's live outside of the city and blame the ones that I loved for all the shit that I carried when I was never enough.
I want to leave the city and escape the problems that I carried with me because I didn't feel like I was enough. I'm blaming the people I loved for those problems.
I found a cut somewhere where we could all lay.
I discovered a place where we could all rest and find peace.
The world was waking up and I'm learning now, that my heart isn't breaking down; it's my world.
As I experienced the world waking up, I started to realize that it's not my heart that's breaking; it's my world that's causing the pain.
So pray with me, pray with me, pray with me, 'cause I'm spent.
I'm feeling exhausted and drained, so please pray with me.
Those long confusing hours with my mind turned on.
During those long and confusing hours, my mind was constantly active and thinking.
The world was getting louder. I found myself on edge; my feet were over water, just a song in my head that reminded me I'll never be alone.
The world was becoming more chaotic and overwhelming. I felt anxious and nervous, but a song in my head reminded me that I'm not alone.
It's frank, and it's fucked but I'm learning now that my heart isn't breaking down; It's my world.
The situation is blunt and messed up, but I'm realizing that my heart isn't broken; the world is the problem.
So I'll take another look at my life and give everything I own to all the people in my heart.
I want to reexamine my life and give everything I have to the people who mean the most to me.
You're not a machine, I'm sure of that. You're every bit like me. You gave up on your dreams and now you're stuck with that.
You're not a machine, and I know that you share the same struggles as me. You let go of your dreams and now you're living with the consequences of that decision.
You settled for the pencil days. I'm a paint brush in a way. I'm simple, yeah, I'm plain. I'm colored all the same.
You chose a life that's dull and uninspired, while I see myself as a creative force that adds color to the world. I'm humble and plain, but I bring something unique to the table.
I have meaning if you find it in yourself. I'll sell myself or not, like I really give a fuck I'm just an artist on a shelf.
My work has meaning, but it's up to you to find it within yourself. I don't care whether or not it sells; I'm just an artist sharing my work with the world.
Contributed by Carter K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.