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"
Blue Dahlia
The Gaslight Anthem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You gotta stay inside and wait for the night and then come on over to see me
And there's a poetry about these streets and skips through the skin, goes right underneath
And momma always knew I need a girl like you, to me I never believed
'Cause I've been so lonely, I can't imagine not come and stay with me
'Cause I've been so lonely, I can't imagine not come and stay with me
Where did you get them scars? How blue is your heart?
How long was your life?
Was it cold and strange like mine? Are you man enough to lay here?
She said I'm man enough, my baby, come see about me
Had a dream about you once, I can barely see your form
And I met you between the wax and the needle and the words of my favorite song
And your black hair was like a raven to your tanned skin over the beach
And your back drop were the auroras and my side kick was all discrete
And I've been so locked down, I've been long lost level on the ground
Where did you get them scars? How blue is your heart?
Is it sad enough to break? She said it's sad enough to break
How long was your life?
Was it cold and strange like mine? Are you man enough to lay here?
She said I'm man enough, my baby, come see about me
Did they take you to the carnival to get locked up on a ride?
Me, I got caught up with the fortune tellers and the ladies with the sleepy eyes
It took years, my baby, just to come clean, every street light a reminder
And all those apologies and the night was lonely next to mean
Even the night was lonely next to me
Where did you get them scars? How blue is your heart?
Is it sad enough to break? She said it's sad enough to break
How long was your life?
Was it cold and strange like mine? Are you man enough to lay here?
She said I'm man enough, my baby, come see about me
Come see about me, come see about me, come see about me, come see about me, come see about me
Whenever you're lonely
The Gaslight Anthem's song "Blue Dahlia" is a love song that talks about the singer's deep loneliness and desire for companionship. The first verse sets the scene for a hot summer where the singer is waiting for someone special to come over at night. He talks about the poetry in the streets, and how it connects to his skin and soul. He also mentions that his mother always knew he needed a girl like the one in question, but he never believed it himself. The chorus repeats the singer's feelings of loneliness and how he can't imagine not having this person by his side.
In the second verse, the singer talks about a dream he had of the same woman. He describes her black hair and tanned skin against the backdrop of the auroras. He also mentions his locked down state and how meeting this person was like a beacon of light. The bridge talks about the loneliness and apologies that have haunted the singer for years. However, he ends by asking the woman where she got her scars and if she's sad enough to break. She responds by saying she's man enough for him and that he should come see about her.
The lyrics of "Blue Dahlia" are incredibly introspective and emotional, and the music adds to the overall feel of the song. The slow and melancholic strumming of the guitar and steady drums reflect the singer's feelings of being lost and lonely. Additionally, the references to the carnival and the fortune tellers add to the overall mysterious and haunting atmosphere of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
On a hot self tree summer, steam just lies above them trees
The singer sets the scene on a hot summer day, and observes the steam that seems to be hovering over the trees.
You gotta stay inside and wait for the night and then come on over to see me
Due to the heat, it is better to stay indoors during the day, wait for the cool of the night, and then visit the singer.
And there's a poetry about these streets and skips through the skin, goes right underneath
The streets have a certain charm that can be experienced rather than articulated, and it seems to penetrate through the skin.
And momma always knew I need a girl like you, to me I never believed
The artist's mother seems to have recognized the type of person the artist needed in their life, but the artist didn't believe her until now.
'Cause I've been so lonely, I can't imagine not come and stay with me
The artist is incredibly lonely and can't imagine anyone not wanting to come and stay with them.
Where did you get them scars? How blue is your heart?
The singer is wondering about the scars on their love interest and how blue their heart is, i.e. how sad and broken they are.
Is it sad enough to break? She said it's sad enough to break
The singer asks their love interest if their sadness is enough to break them, and they confirm that it is.
How long was your life? Was it cold and strange like mine?
The artist is curious about their love interest's life experiences, wondering if it was also filled with loneliness and strangeness like theirs.
Are you man enough to lay here? She said I'm man enough, my baby, come see about me
The artist is asking if their love interest can handle the intensity of their relationship, and their love interest believes they can and wants to be with the artist.
Had a dream about you once, I can barely see your form
The artist had a dream about their love interest, but the details are hazy.
And I met you between the wax and the needle and the words of my favorite song
The singer imagines that they met their love interest while listening to their favorite song on vinyl, in a moment between the wax and the needle.
And your black hair was like a raven to your tanned skin over the beach
The artist remembers their love interest's black hair being striking against their tanned skin while standing on the beach.
And your back drop were the auroras and my side kick was all discrete
The singer imagines the northern lights being the backdrop of their encounter, with their own intuition as their secret weapon.
And I've been so locked down, I've been long lost level on the ground
The singer has been emotionally closed off and stuck in a low place for a long time.
Did they take you to the carnival to get locked up on a ride?
The singer is curious if their love interest has ever been to a carnival and been stuck on a ride against their will.
Me, I got caught up with the fortune tellers and the ladies with the sleepy eyes
The artist has had their own run-ins with fortune tellers and women who seem tired and uninterested.
It took years, my baby, just to come clean, every street light a reminder
The artist admits that it took them years to be honest, but every street light reminds them of their love interest.
And all those apologies and the night was lonely next to mean
The singer has apologized many times, but despite that, the night still feels empty without their love interest.
Come see about me, come see about me, come see about me, come see about me, come see about me
The singer requests that their love interest comes to see them, emphasizing their desire and urgency.
Whenever you're lonely
The song ends with the artist offering their love and support to their love interest whenever they are lonely.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian Fallon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bedspringkiss
Seriously, "I met you between the wax & the needle and the words of my favorite song" are just some really profound lyrics. What a brilliant song this is!!
Seong-Cheol Huh
Only after reading your comment did I finally realize that those lyrics were referring to old vinyl records and turntables... Thank you!!
bedspringkiss
Seong-Cheol Huh My fave Gaslight lyrics!! I had Brian handwrite them for me, and I got them tattooed 💜
Seong-Cheol Huh
Sweet!
ross walker
In my top 5 Gaslight tunes, An absolute belter of a song and I could listen to it allday and never get bored, Genius.
am__15 1515
The chorus is everything
Taylor Dempsey
Best song ever. Period
David Burke
Outro chorus is god
Lee Neale
powerful :)
TohleJeDan
These are probably the best lyrics Brian has ever wrote.