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"
I Coul'da Been A Contender
The Gaslight Anthem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been dancing on this killing floor for years
And of the few things I am certain, I'm the captain of my burden
I'm sorry doll, I could never stop the rain
Once you said I was your hero
You would dance with me on a dime
We could spin this world right right right round
I was gonna get this real big engine
I was gonna get them Broadway stars
You were gonna be my Judy Garland
We were gonna share your tin man heart
There's a dirty wind blowin', there's a storm front comin' in
There's an SOS on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails and heart attacks and broken dreams tonight
We used to drive all night
All over town
We'd go waltzing Matilda
When Matilda came around
I sang them blues to you
There's a dirty wind blowin', there's a storm front comin' in
There's an SOS on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails and heart attacks and broken dreams tonight
There's a dirty wind blowin', there's a storm front comin' in
There's an S-O-S on the seas tonight
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
It's heads or tails and heart attacks and broken dreams
And heart attacks and broken dreams
Atlantis is my only dream tonight
The Gaslight Anthem's song "I Coul'da Been A Contender" is a powerful ballad that speaks deeply to the struggles of life. The song tells the story of a man who has been dancing on the "killing floor" for years. He's broke, hungry, hard up and lonely, and he's captain of his burden. He's sorry that he couldn't stop the rain, but he's still fighting to survive. The lyrics describe a life of struggle where dreams don't always come true, and the weight of the world can feel crushing.
The song speaks of a love that was once shared, but has now faded away. The singer remembers a time when he was someone's hero and they would dance together on a dime. They had big dreams of Broadway stars, with the singer's lover being his Judy Garland. They would share each other's hearts, but now it seems like nothing but broken dreams and heart attacks.
The chorus describes a storm approaching, with an SOS on the seas. The singer urges himself to hold fast and steady, as the world around him continues to spin. Yet amidst it all, he dreams of Atlantis, the only dream that remains.
Overall, "I Coul'da Been A Contender" is a song that speaks to the struggles of life, and the need to keep fighting through even the toughest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm broke and I'm hungry, I'm hard up and I'm lonely
I am in a state of financial and emotional deprivation
I've been dancing on this killing floor for years
I have been struggling for a long time
And of the few things I am certain, I'm the captain of my burden
I am in control of the burden I bear
I'm sorry doll, I could never stop the rain
I am unable to prevent bad things from happening
Once you said I was your hero
You used to see me as a hero
You would dance with me on a dime
You would dance with me at any moment
We could spin this world right right right round
We had the power to change the world
And catch back up on the flip side
We could always recover from hard times
I was gonna get this real big engine
I had plans to achieve great success
I was gonna get them Broadway stars
I had aspirations to reach Broadway level success
You were gonna be my Judy Garland
You were going to be my partner on this journey
We were gonna share your tin man heart
We would go through life together without fear
There's a dirty wind blowin', there's a storm front comin' in
There are difficult times ahead
There's an SOS on the seas tonight
There is a sense of urgency and danger
Steady now, steady now, soldier, hold fast now
Stay calm and resilient
It's heads or tails and heart attacks and broken dreams tonight
The outcome is uncertain and there are potential consequences
We used to drive all night
We used to live life to the fullest
All over town
We were adventurous and went everywhere
We'd go waltzing Matilda
We had good times and enjoyed life
When Matilda came around
When we were feeling happy and content
I sang them blues to you
I confided in you with my struggles
And heart attacks and broken dreams
There is a risk of failure and disappointment
Atlantis is my only dream tonight
I have a desire for something unattainable
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN FALLON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind