Most of the band's albums, starting with their 2006 debut album Act I: The Lake South, the River North, are concept albums and a part of a common storyline, planned to conclude with a sixth album. The most recent addition is 2016's Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional. Additionally, they have released albums unrelated to the Acts; The Color Spectrum in 2011, Migrant in 2013, and the EP All Is As All Should Be in 2017.
The band began as a side project of Casey Crescenzo when he was a full-time member of The Receiving End of Sirens. The Dear Hunter was originally intended as a vehicle for music Crescenzo had written that didn't fit with the sound of The Receiving End of Sirens. In the winter of 2005 Casey recorded the Dear Ms. Leading demos. He created 10 copies on burned CDs that were circulated amongst his friends and posted online for download. While elements and characters featured on the demos would reappear on the subsequent Acts, Crescenzo has confirmed that there was a transformation in how he represented these themes and persons; while the story had its origins in his personal life, the Acts removed most autobiographical elements in favor of fiction.
Satisfaction
The Dear Hunter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is welcomed like a train wreck
I bow my head and bring it to my knees instead of grazing
How about another time?
How about another time?
Can't you just see that you can never be satisfied?
Until you try to satisfy.
The feeling of bliss is welcomed when I'm weak
Yet bliss is bitter sweet
Until you can find someone who understands
The weakness that you feel
How about another time?
How about another time?
Can't you just see that you can never be satisfied?
Until you try to satisfy
Cause you can never be satisfied
Until you try to satisfy.
The Dear Hunter's song "Satisfaction" is a ballad that speaks to the struggles and conflicts that come with seeking fulfillment in life. The first verse speaks about the singer receiving a kiss from someone they care about, but instead of feeling happy, they feel shattered like a "train wreck." This suggests that even though the singer desires love and affection, they are unable to fully accept it due to their own personal struggles. They "bow their head" and "bring it to their knees" instead of embracing the love they crave. The singer questions whether there will ever be a "next time" for them to try and find true fulfillment through love.
The chorus of the song offers a poignant message about the futility of seeking satisfaction through external sources. The line "Can't you just see that you can never be satisfied? Until you try to satisfy" suggests that until we make an effort to find true happiness within ourselves, we will never be able to find lasting satisfaction. The song suggests that love and affection cannot be the only sources of fulfillment in life, and that true happiness can only be achieved through personal growth and self-discovery. The second verse speaks about the temporary nature of happiness, even when it is achieved. The singer finds "bliss" when they are at their weakest, but it is "bittersweet" and requires someone who understands their struggles and weaknesses.
Overall, "Satisfaction" takes an honest look at the complexities of human desire and the struggle to find true fulfillment. It suggests that external sources of satisfaction will always be short-lived, and that lasting happiness can only be found by looking within.
Line by Line Meaning
A kiss from your lips onto my redden cheek
Receiving affection from you, even in the form of a small gesture, fills me with joy
Is welcomed like a train wreck
The intensity of your affection is so great that it is overwhelming, like a disastrous collision
I bow my head and bring it to my knees instead of grazing
Rather than simply accepting your affection, I am humbled by it and feel compelled to submit to you
How about another time?
Perhaps we could experience this feeling again in the future?
Can't you just see that you can never be satisfied?
Recognize that you will always seek more, never fully content
Until you try to satisfy.
You must attempt to fulfill your desires, even if they are never completely quenched
The feeling of bliss is welcomed when I'm weak
Being vulnerable, I am grateful for the temporary relief of happiness
Yet bliss is bitter sweet
Though pleasurable, the impermanence of happiness can make it painful
Until you can find someone who understands
Only by finding another who can empathize with your struggles can you hope to experience lasting fulfillment
The weakness that you feel
The vulnerable emotional state that often accompanies the quest for satisfaction
Cause you can never be satisfied
You must come to terms with the reality that ultimate contentment may be unattainable
Until you try to satisfy.
Despite this, you must continue to pursue fulfillment, as the journey itself may bring meaning
Contributed by Ethan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Haley Hart
Do you still maybe have audio files of the demo you're willing to share? I can't find it even in individual tracks anywhere!
DearHunterFan15
@Haley Hart
I'm not 100% certain, myself. I know that some preorder bonuses or purchases gave some people the demos too, and that was probably shared throughout the internet. That's my speculation on that.
Haley Hart
Very true! I think I will. How did these tracks end up circulating in the first place? I'm super curious!
DearHunterFan15
If I have them uploaded you could always use Youtube-Mp3.com to convert them videos to MP3's or other sites. :-)
Benjamin Parsons
Very Act II vibe. Like a combination of the whole of AcT II, if vocals were done by casey, with layering by Linkin Park