The Dead South has been hard at work since they formed as a band, having played several notable shows, some of which include: showcasing at Reeperbahn Festival 2014, Canadian Music Week 2014, Regina Folk Festival, Ness Creek Music Festival, Gateway Music Festival, Juno Fest 2013 - 2014, Grey Cup Festival 2013 where they opened for Serena Ryder, Saskatchewan Party Premier's Dinner, The Works Art and Design Festival, All Folk'd Up Festival, Frontier Days Festival, Long Days Night Festival, Picker's Cup Festival and the Cathedral Village Arts Festival.
On top of playing shows, The Dead South released an EP in June 2013 titled The Ocean Went Mad and We Were to Blame. Following the success of their debut release, The Dead South returned to the studio and recorded their first full-length album, titled Good Company, which was released in April 2014 to a capacity crowd at local venue, The Owl. Shortly after the release of Good Company, The Dead South showcased at Canadian Music Week in Toronto where they caught the attention of Jörg Tresp of Devil Duck Records (based out of Hamburg, Germany). He immediately signed the band, released the album in Europe, and has booked the band for numerous overseas tours.
Earlier in 2014, The Dead South entered the 104.9FM The Wolf Queen City Rocks battle of the bands competition where they won, coming out ahead of 24 other bands. Soon afterwards, they were selected to represent Saskatchewan in the nationwide CBC Searchlight competition for Canada's best new artist. They subsequently received local and national recognition along with airplay on 104.9FM The Wolf , CBC Radio 2 and several other radio stations, some of which include CJTR Regina Community Radio, CFCR Saskatoon Community Radio, and CBC Radio 1 in Saskatchewan.
The Dead South has been interviewed and featured in many newspapers across the province, some of which include the Leader Post, The Verb, Metro, Bridges, and QC. They have been on Global TV and CTV several times promoting their music and shows. The band was also on the cover of City Slicker, a Regina magazine, which featured a band profile after having won Queen City Rocks.
Since the inception of the band, The Dead South has continually pushed the energy of their live shows, as well as pushed what is possible between four ordinary acoustic instruments. The unique abilities and viewpoints of each band member make The Dead South an impossible band to duplicate, and a fixture of the Regina music scene that will not soon be leaving.
The Dead South is: Nate Hilts, Scott Pringle, Colton Crawford, Danny Kenyon
Blood on the Mind
The Dead South Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause now you're playing my game
If you don't do what I say
I'm gonna throw you in the river someday
See me floating down the river
That's where my body does lie
It sure was a cold SeptemberWith blood on everybody's mind
See my body on the shoreline
My thoughts are spilling in the stream
Picking strings all together
But everybody knows their scene
What did they put in the water
That we're drinking every night?
What did they do to the music man
When they tried to silence him that night?
Can you see it in the stars now?
That you ain't acting right
Your mind's been poisoned by the weather
The people and all of those lies
Don't listen to the wind blow
'Cause it ain't being very kind
Follow the path of all the others
So they can have their justice tonight
What did they put in the water
That we're drinking every night?
What did they do to the music man
When they tried to silence him that night?
What did they put in the water that night?
'Cause he's lying here dead on cold ice
It don't matter what he had to say
Because they already cut him down today
It don't matter what he had to say
Because they already cut him down today
What did they put in the water
That we're drinking every night?
What did they do to the music man
When they tried to silence him that night?
What did they put in the water
That we're drinking every night?
What did they do to the music man
When they tried to silence him that night?
When they tried to silence him that night
The lyrics of "Blood On The Mind" by The Dead South evoke a vivid interplay of themes including power, mortality, and societal corruption. The opening lines set a foreboding tone, where the singer asserts control over someone else, establishing a dynamic that hints at manipulation or coercion. The imagery of throwing someone in the river can be interpreted as a metaphor for eliminating dissent—silencing those who oppose or do not conform to the singer's wishes. This act symbolizes a loss of agency, a descent into darker waters, where one's fate is at the mercy of another, thereby drawing parallels to either personal relationships or broader societal implications where power dynamics are harrowing and life-threatening.
The subsequent lines introduce a haunting reflection on death and loss. The singer describes themselves as a body floating down the river, evoking imagery of isolation and change—a reminder that life is ephemeral and can be cut short unexpectedly. The mention of “blood on everybody's mind” underscored by the transitional phrase about a cold September introduces the idea of shared guilt or complicity in wrongdoing. It suggests that the coldness of that particular month is not just meteorological but metaphorical, hinting at a chilling clarity regarding human behavior and moral choices. It paints a picture of a society grappling with the legacy of violence, where thoughts and memories conjoin with the natural landscape, filtering down into the waters—a poignantly tragic symbol of unacknowledged suffering.
As the song progresses, the poetic exploration of the relationship between music, truth, and societal norms intensifies. The singer questions the contamination of ideas and spirits through the metaphor of "what did they put in the water," suggesting that the very fabric of the community's integrity has been compromised. Here, the music man represents not only the artist but a voice of dissent or truth, silenced by the powers that be. The tension escalates as the narrative reflects on attempts to silence dissenting voices, showcasing how those who challenge the status quo are often met with hostility and violence, effectively illustrating a society that is quick to ostracize and eliminate threats to its established order.
In the climax of the song, the repetition of the questions about the water underscores a sense of desperation and urgency, as if the singer is desperately seeking answers to enigmas surrounding their community's declining moral compass. By reiterating the plight of the music man, whose voice is systematically extinguished, the lyrics lament the consequences of apathy and complicity among the populace. This final confrontation with mortality, represented by a chilling image of death resting on cold ice, resonates with a poignant realization: that regardless of the truths spoken, societal mechanisms may swiftly deem them irrelevant. Thus, the profound closing lines reiterate the heedless tragedy of lost voices—a community locked in silence, haunted by the unsaid, as they drink from water that tastes bitter with deception and despair. This entire narrative paints a deeply resonant picture of the complexities of human existence, blending personal calamity with broader social critique.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm telling you to explain
I demand clarity and truth in this situation.
'Cause now you're playing my game
You've entered into my world of influence and control.
If you don't do what I say
Disobedience will invite consequences upon you.
I'm gonna throw you in the river someday
I'll dispose of you or your relevance when the time comes.
See me floating down the river
Witness my lifeless state drifting aimlessly.
That's where my body does lie
That’s the final resting place for my existence.
It sure was a cold September
A chilling time of loss and reflection occurred during that month.
With blood on everybody's mind
The weight of violence or guilt permeates the thoughts of many.
See my body on the shoreline
Observe the remnants of my life washed ashore.
My thoughts are spilling in the stream
My ideas and memories are being lost, flowing away uncontrollably.
Picking strings all together
Weaving together narratives and emotions from these experiences.
But everybody knows their scene
Everyone is aware of their role in this unfolding drama.
What did they put in the water
What has influenced us or corrupted our collective being?
That we're drinking every night?
What harmful beliefs or substances are we consuming regularly?
What did they do to the music man
How was the artist or musician oppressed or silenced?
When they tried to silence him that night?
What actions were taken to stifle his voice during that fateful event?
Can you see it in the stars now?
The truth is becoming evident in our surroundings and fate.
That you ain't acting right
Your behavior has strayed from what is just or moral.
Your mind's been poisoned by the weather
External influences have tainted your thoughts and perceptions.
The people and all of those lies
Deceptive narratives propagated by society have corrupted your truth.
Don't listen to the wind blow
Avoid being swayed by fleeting and harmful external thoughts.
'Cause it ain't being very kind
The whispers of the world are filled with cruelty and malice.
Follow the path of all the others
Conform to societal norms and expectations.
So they can have their justice tonight
So that the establishment can perpetuate their version of fairness.
What did they put in the water
What are the hidden influences affecting our lives?
That we're drinking every night?
What negative impacts are we accepting as part of our routine?
What did they do to the music man
How was the artist treated in a way that stripped him of his power?
When they tried to silence him that night?
What violent act was committed against him to mute his message?
What did they put in the water that night?
What was the sinister element introduced during that pivotal moment?
'Cause he's lying here dead on cold ice
His life has been extinguished under cold circumstances, devoid of warmth.
It don't matter what he had to say
His words no longer carry weight or importance.
Because they already cut him down today
He was silenced and subdued before his voice could resonate further.
It don't matter what he had to say
His message has been rendered irrelevant by those in power.
Because they already cut him down today
His fate was sealed by those who wished to suffocate his expression.
What did they put in the water
What toxic ideas or stories have infiltrated our reality?
That we're drinking every night?
What harmful influences have we accepted into our lives as normal?
What did they do to the music man
How was the individual responsible for music harmed or oppressed?
When they tried to silence him that night?
What actions were taken to erase his voice from the narrative?
When they tried to silence him that night
Reflecting on the moment of oppression against an artistic voice.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Colton Crawford, Daniel Kenyon, Nathaniel Hilts, Scott Pringle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@LostInTheNebula
Honestly, the best damn band that has existed
@sarahdiehl3056
I agree. I sprinted when I saw today was the dayyyyy
@medvezhonoknusha
I absolutely agree with you! The best band! 💯💯💯❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
@METAL__MECHANIC
Amazing band. Not my typical style of music, but they do it so well. They remind me of Sublime, not in sound, but they have a base with so many different styles attached to it.
@thomaslehmann9559
You are absolutely right
@karlaruter3221
I soo much agree 😊.
@NotThisBrayne
A new The Dead South album restores my faith in humanity a little and really uplift my spirits. Thanks guys you truly kick ass!
@courtneytowery8152
Taking my 10 year old son to see his first concert in Montana in August. Wish my parents would’ve taken me to a show like this when I was young.
@Dispatcher67
You won’t be disappointed I saw them in Missoula last Summer.
@kathleenmccrory9883
I took my daughter and niece to their first concert at 14 and 13, respectively. It was the Allman Brothers at Red Rocks. The next year, I took them to see Keb Mo in Breckenridge. It was a great experience. It will be for you too.