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"
Meet Me By The River
The Gaslight Anthem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Poundin' sweat beneath these wheels
We tattooed lines beneath our skin
No surrender, my Bobby Jean
See, I've been here for 28 years
Poundin' sweat beneath these wheels
We tattooed lines beneath our skin
And we've been burned by all our fears
Just from growin' up around here
Our father's factories marked our cards
While Eden burned against the stars
And Sally said, Sally said
"I can't take no more regret"
It cut us deep into our souls
Came and climbed into our bed
And Sally said, Sally said
"Meet me by the river's edge"
We're going to wash these sins away
Or else we won't come back again
You know I had these ballroom dreams
That, as a child came to me
I was a boy in Grandma's arms
A mother's pride and a wounded heart
And I was full with fiery wonder
You wore Audrey Hepburn pearls
You were the only one who understood me then
You're the only one who will
And Sally said, Sally said
"I can't take no more regret"
It cut us deep into our souls
Came and climbed into our bed
And Sally said, Sally said
"Meet me by the river's edge"
We're going to wash these sins away
Or else we won't come back again
And now I drive the one-oh-one
On a California night
And I'm amazed at all the stars
Beneath that old Hollywood sign
And they waltz the ballet up the boulevard
To a place we never kept
And I'm not sure if we belong here
If I never really left or if I can go home
And Sally said, Sally said
"I can't take no more regret"
It cut us deep into our souls
Came and climbed into our bed
And Sally said, Sally said
"Meet me by the river's edge"
We're going to wash these sins away
Or else we won't come back again
No retreat, no regrets
No retreat, no regrets
No retreat, no regrets
Meet me by the river's edge
No retreat, no regrets
No retreat, no regrets
No retreat, no regrets
Meet me by the river's edge
The Gaslight Anthem's Meet Me By The River is a song about growing up, leaving home, and finding a way back. The song's protagonist has been pounding sweat beneath the wheels for 28 years, tattooing lines beneath his skin, and trying to find his way through life. He's been burned by his fears and regrets, and his father's factories have marked his card. Eden has burned against the stars, and he's lost a part of himself in the process. But he's holding onto a dream he had as a child when he was full of fiery wonder, and Audrey Hepburn pearls belong to the only one who understood him back then.
Sally, his lover, is with him, and she's had enough regrets. They need to wash away their sins by the river's edge, or they won't be able to come back again. The song then takes a turn, and the singer finds himself driving on the one-oh-one on a California night, admiring the stars beneath the old Hollywood sign. He's amazed to see the ballet waltz up the boulevard to a place they never kept. He's not sure whether he belongs here, whether he never really left, or if he can go back home.
The song is full of emotions, and it speaks to the heart of anyone who's ever felt lost, uncertain, or alone. It's a tribute to the power of love and the hope it brings, even in the darkest moments of life.
Line by Line Meaning
See, I've been here for 28 years
I have spent a lot of time in this place, 28 years to be precise
Poundin' sweat beneath these wheels
I have worked very hard, sweating a lot, to get where I am today
We tattooed lines beneath our skin
We have marked ourselves with tattoos as a reminder of where we came from
No surrender, my Bobby Jean
I will never give up, Bobby Jean, no matter what happens
And we've been burned by all our fears
We have been hurt by the things we are afraid of
Just from growin' up around here
Simply because we grew up in this place
Our father's factories marked our cards
Our futures were determined by our fathers' jobs in the factories
While Eden burned against the stars
While our lives were overshadowed by problems, beauty still existed in the world
And Sally said, Sally said
Sally spoke to me, and what she said was important
"I can't take no more regret"
Sally was tired of feeling regretful about things in her life
It cut us deep into our souls
The regret we felt affected us at the core of our being
Came and climbed into our bed
Our regret was so strong that it invaded our private space
"Meet me by the river's edge"
Sally asked me to meet her by the river in order to wash away our sins
We're going to wash these sins away
Our goal was to cleanse ourselves of the negative things we had done
Or else we won't come back again
If we couldn't wash away our sins, we wouldn't be able to return to our normal lives
You know I had these ballroom dreams
I used to dream of being in fanciful ballrooms as a child
That, as a child came to me
These ballroom dreams were a big part of my childhood
I was a boy in Grandma's arms
I remember being held by my grandmother when I was young
A mother's pride and a wounded heart
My mother was proud of me, but still hurting from her own experiences
And I was full with fiery wonder
My youthful curiosity and imagination were abundant
You wore Audrey Hepburn pearls
You looked fashionable and sophisticated, wearing pearls similar to those Audrey Hepburn wore
You were the only one who understood me then
Back then, you were the only person who truly understood me
You're the only one who will
You are still the only person who truly understands me
And now I drive the one-oh-one
These days, I drive on the 101 freeway in California
On a California night
On a night in California
And I'm amazed at all the stars
I'm in awe of the stars in the sky
Beneath that old Hollywood sign
Underneath the famous Hollywood sign in Los Angeles
And they waltz the ballet up the boulevard
People dance gracefully up the street
To a place we never kept
They go somewhere that has no significance to us
And I'm not sure if we belong here
I'm not sure if this is where we are supposed to be
If I never really left or if I can go home
I'm not sure if I even left, or if I will ever truly feel at home
No retreat, no regrets
We will not back down or regret what we have done
Meet me by the river's edge
Come meet me by the river so we can wash away our sins together
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN FALLON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-hx4lq5ok7l
One of the best song from 59 sound. I like this song very much!!
@rosswalker4461
Listened to this album 100s of times and never gets old, in fact it sounds as fresh as the first time i heard it about 5 years ago, Simply genius from them as it always is.
@tawdryhepburn4686
ross walker and here it is 5 years later...
@bretthenry6723
Still listen to it like 50 times a year
@crk140
Easily some of the best music made in the past 20 years
@allanansume5524
I can't make my mind around the few likes and comments this song has. My English teacher does "musical listenings", and grabs a song and takes some words out so we complete it while listening. He showed us "here's looking at you kid" and I haven't stopped listening to this group since. Very underrated and it's a pity.
@rochesterjohnny7555
I haven't heard all of their songs yet, and once in awhile I'll hear one I haven't heard yet before like this one and say damn this is one of the best bands ever
@nicholasthill4356
Lookin' forward to seein this live at the 10th aniversary tour
@Thatsright561
Best song thanks for upload
@ThePortraitt
Can't wait to see these guys at Download Festival [: