The Gaslight Anthem’s music embraces many elements of blues, classic rock, and punk rock. The band has described their sound as “Bruce Springsteen singing for a Cure cover band, with a tinge more aggression.” The group’s fondness for Springsteen, a significant influence on their music, is celebrated by fans and critics alike. Representative of such views, one critic wrote, “The Gaslight Anthem are like something out of speculative fiction: this is what pop music would be if Springsteen hadn’t listened to his producer, let the Ramones record ‘Hungry Heart,’ and launched the C.B.G.B.’ers into megastardom.”
The band released its first LP, Sink or Swim, in 2007 through XOXO Records, and toured with many reputable bands, including Against Me!, The Draft, Dead to Me, and Fake Problems.
The Gaslight Anthem’s second release, a 4-song EP entitled Señor and the Queen, was released on January 29th, 2008 by Sabot Productions.
Their second full-length, The ‘59 Sound, was released on August 19, 2008 on Side One Dummy Records. The album debuted at #70 on the Billboard top 200. It was produced by Ted Hutt, who has produced albums for The Bouncing Souls, Flogging Molly, and MxPx.
On August 6, 2008 they became the first band to ever appear on the cover of Kerrang! magazine without the publication having previously written a single word about them.
In Fall 2008, the band toured with Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, and Thrice.
On December 9, 2008, the Gaslight Anthem made their television debut on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, performing the song the “The ‘59 Sound.” On January 30, 2009, they appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, again playing “The ‘59 Sound.”
Their third full-length, American Slang, was released on June 15, 2010, on Side One Dummy Records. The Bring It On Songfacts reports that it finds the band moving away from the fictional lyrics and '50s-inspired sound of their previous records.
In 2010 they appeared on the main stage at the Reading and Leeds festivals in the UK along with Arcade Fire, The Libertines and Modest Mouse.
Their fourth full-length, Handwritten was released on July 23, 2012 in the UK, and on July 24 in the US. The lead single, "45", was aired for the first time worldwide as Zane Lowe's Hottest Record in the World on April 30, 2012 on BBC Radio 1 and was released on iTunes on May 8, 2012. Handwritten was called by The Rolling Stone their "biggest sounding, most straightforward album"
01. Senor And The Queen
The Gaslight Anthem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you carry your lovers around in a heart like a tomb with a view?
I wanna know how you lose, pretty baby, does it show in your eyes?
Were you born to be a runner, or are you a casual sigh?
Did the boys at school break your precious heart in two?
And in every sad, sad country song
Is there a little bitty piece of 'em still hanging on?
And we'll bury these old ghosts here
Where'd you get those eyes?
What do you see with those eyes, pretty darling, in the dead of the night?
Are you saying your prayers or are you glowing like the metal on the edge of the knife?
Baby whose name sounds right on the lips of my queen?
Am I speaking in riddles, or do you feel what I mean?
Are you dying to move, or are you dying to be the one moved?
And would you shake, shake, shake, shake, shake Senora?
If I could make you feel like he used to make you feel
I'll swing you a song and I'll dance you a dance right now
And would you shake, shake, shake, shake, shake Senora?
If I could make you feel like he used to make you feel
I'll swing you a song and I'll dance you a dance right now
And we'll bury these old ghosts down
We'll bury these old ghosts down
Down, down, down
Down, darlin', down
Down, down
The Gaslight Anthem's song Senor and the Queen is a collection of questions directed towards a woman. The first set of questions is asking her if she dances and if she carries her lovers’ memories around with her. The next set of questions is asking if she has experienced heartbreak and if she has a little bit of her past lovers still with her. The song also touches on religion with the question about whether she is praying or glowing like the metal on a knife. The chorus repeats a question of whether the woman is willing to dance and move on from her past loves.
The song seems to be about moving on from past relationships and letting go of the ghosts from those relationships. As the chorus says, "We'll bury these old ghosts down." The questions throughout the song seem to be the singer attempting to understand the woman's past and see if there is a possibility for a future with her. Additionally, the song has themes of religion and mortality, with the line about praying and the mention of a heart like a tomb with a view.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna know how you dance pretty baby, by the light of the moon
I want to understand how you dance beautifully under the moonlight
Do you carry your lovers around in a heart like a tomb with a view?
Do you hold onto your past relationships like a burial ground with a view?
I wanna know how you lose, pretty baby, does it show in your eyes?
I want to know how you react when you lose, does it reflect in your eyes?
Were you born to be a runner, or are you a casual sigh?
Were you meant to leave, or is it just a temporary feeling?
Did the boys at school break your precious heart in two?
Did the boys at school break your heart?
And in every sad, sad country song
In every melancholic country song
Is there a little bitty piece of 'em still hanging on?
Is there a tiny bit of them that still remains in your heart?
You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine, my dear
You share your story, and I'll share mine
And we'll bury these old ghosts here
Together, we will put our past behind us
Where'd you get those eyes?
I'm mesmerized by your eyes, where did you get them from?
What do you see with those eyes, pretty darling, in the dead of the night?
I wonder what you see at night with those beautiful eyes
Are you saying your prayers or are you glowing like the metal on the edge of the knife?
Are you praying or shining like the blade of a sharp knife?
Baby whose name sounds right on the lips of my queen?
Who is the person who resonates with the name of my beloved?
Am I speaking in riddles, or do you feel what I mean?
Am I being too complex, or are you understanding my emotions?
Are you dying to move, or are you dying to be the one moved?
Do you want to take control or be swept away?
And would you shake, shake, shake, shake, shake Senora?
Would you dance with me Senora?
If I could make you feel like he used to make you feel
If I could make you feel like a past lover did
I'll swing you a song and I'll dance you a dance right now
I'll sing to you and dance with you right away
We'll bury these old ghosts down
We'll leave our past behind
Down, down, down
Far behind us
Down, darlin', down
Far away, my beloved
Down, down
We'll forget our past completely
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN FALLON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind