The music played here are the varying prophecies and sentiments of a now missing ex-banker and his allies who quit in disgust during the hedonism, inauthenticity and callousness of the boom years. Songs such as Dreamer and Shame on You eerily foretold the crash to come in poetic tones, while the distraught time spent on the other side of the tracks is penned beautifully in songs such as Did you Ever.
Where are they now, these unsung heroes of our time? With no money to continue and a curse of tinnitus in the ears the singer became unhinged and impossible to work with. He hasn't been seen for 2 years as he left drowning his pain in the only medication he could find... leaving behind these unfinished tapes and a story incomplete...
For now, it's our little secret... but the recent financial crisis has made these visions seem all the more coherent and while we cannot find the singer, we are attempting to resurrect the story with remastered tapes and a talented producer... we'll post the results here in due course.
Myspace at www.myspace.com/thedogdays
www.last.fm/music/Creel+Commission - previous band
Helping hand
The Dog Days Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You called me twice
I wouldn't listen to your advice
As the phone lay off the hook
All my motives you mistook
But I felt your helping hand
There's a saying told by man
You shouldn't catch a falling friend
I don't know but you'll soon see
That there is no promised land
Oh, so don't let it go to waste
We're all too often
Reeled in by fate
I'm just a damaged fool
And you're reaching out too soon
I tore the words from every page
To wear the wisdom of a sage
But the cloak it never fits
I'm always naked under it
Won't you ever understand?
So i'm told that all you need
Is to ask and you'll receive
But the problem never hides
Its the same old foolish pride
And it stops the helping hands
Yeah, so don't let it go to waste
We're all too often reeled in by fate
I'm just a damaged fool
and you're reaching out too soon
So... don't let us go to waste
We're all too often reeled in by fate
I'm just a damaged fool
And I'm reaching out to you...
Still I turn & Still you yearn
For the gesture to be returned
Bridges builtBridges burned
Wonder if we'll ever learn
That it's just a helping hand
The song "Helping Hand" by The Dog Days talks about the struggles of a person with their own pride and how it hinders them from receiving the help that they need. The lyrics are written in the perspective of someone who is stubborn and resistant to anyone who tries to lend a helping hand. They portray themselves as a "damaged fool," who tears words from every page to wear the wisdom of a sage but never feels it fits. The singer seems to carelessly throw away the advice and recommendations of their well-meaning friends, causing those friends to become frustrated and eventually give up helping. The singer also reflects on the underlying reasons for their prideful behavior, acknowledging that their foolish pride is the problem that prevents them from receiving help. Despite their reservations, the singer reaches out to the person, acknowledging that the help they received earlier was appreciated, and they want to return the favor.
The lyrics of "Helping Hand" successfully communicate the complicated emotions that someone may experience when it comes to accepting help from others. It portrays the inner battle of wanting to be self-sufficient while struggling simultaneously.
Line by Line Meaning
You called me once
You reached out to me for help
You called me twice
You followed up with me again
I wouldn't listen to your advice
I ignored your suggestions
As the phone lay off the hook
I didn't pick up the phone
All my motives you mistook
You misinterpreted my intentions
But I felt your helping hand
However, I appreciated your offer to help
There's a saying told by man
There's a common expression
You shouldn't catch a falling friend
You shouldn't get too involved with someone who is struggling
Why you'd want to fall with me
I don't understand why you'd want to get involved in my struggles
I don't know but you'll soon see
However, you'll soon realize
That there is no promised land
That there's no guarantee of success or happiness
Oh, so don't let it go to waste
So, don't waste this opportunity to help each other
We're all too often Reeled in by fate
We're often influenced by unpredictable circumstances
I'm just a damaged fool
I'm flawed and struggling
And you're reaching out too soon
And I'm not ready or able to accept your help yet
I tore the words from every page
I tried to gain wisdom from any source available
To wear the wisdom of a sage
To emulate a wise person
But the cloak it never fits
But the wisdom never quite applies to my situation
I'm always naked under it
I'm still vulnerable and exposed
Won't you ever understand?
Can't you see my struggle?
So i'm told that all you need
I've heard that all you have to do
Is to ask and you'll receive
Is to request help and you'll get it
But the problem never hides
But the issue is never that simple
Its the same old foolish pride
It's my stubbornness that prevents me from accepting help
And it stops the helping hands
And it prevents me from receiving assistance
Still I turn & Still you yearn
I continue to refuse help and you want to offer help
For the gesture to be returned
You want me to help you in return
Bridges built Bridges burned
Our relationship is in flux, as we've had positive and negative interactions
Wonder if we'll ever learn
I wonder if we'll ever figure out how to help each other
That it's just a helping hand
That sometimes, all that's needed is a small amount of assistance
Contributed by Julian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.