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"
Positive Charge
The Gaslight Anthem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I would say that to myself often
Like I was dressing up for a coffin to lie down in
I can't say I know
I was overcome the distance
I was lost in my own incidents in my mind
Were you calling me from outside of a dream?
I was invincible many years ago when I was so much stronger
I wanna smile like a letter from an old friend
My arms are wide as oceans
How I've missed you and feelin' good to be alive
Wherever I'd go
There were whispers in the vestibules
Reminders of my time with you on my own
It's hard to know when your mind declares a war on you
Like the thoughts inside my skull would do, like I was blind
And I'm sure I saw the signs, but didn't know
I wanna live, I wanna love you a little longer
I was invincible many years ago when I was so much stronger
I wanna smile like a letter from an old friend
My arms are open oceans
How I've missed you and feelin' good to be alive
Need a spark
I need a positive charge
Plug it into my veins, make me love this life again
I need a spark
I need a positive charge
Plug it into my brain and make me love my life again
I wanna live, I wanna love you a little longer
I was invincible many years ago when I was so much stronger
I wanna smile like a letter from an old friend
My arms are open oceans
How I've missed you and feelin' good to be alive
How I've missed you, how I've missed you
Feelin' good to be alive
How I've missed you, how I've missed you
And it's good to be alive
How I've missed you, how I've missed you
How I've missed you, how I've missed you
And it's good to be alive
The Gaslight Anthem's song "Positive Charge" is a poignant exploration of feelings of loneliness, nostalgia, and the desire for human connection. The opening lines, "Where did you go? I would say that to myself often/ Like I was dressing up for a coffin to lie down in," immediately set an introspective and somewhat melancholic tone. The singer seems to be reflecting on a past relationship that was once meaningful but has since diminished or even ended altogether. Indeed, with lyrics like "It's hard to know when your mind declares a war on you/ Like the thoughts inside my skull would do, like I was blind," it seems that the singer is struggling to come to terms with the past and move forward.
Despite this, however, the chorus provides a glimmer of hope and a desire for something to reignite the singer's passion for life. "I need a spark/ I need a positive charge/ Plug it into my veins, make me love this life again," they sing. This sentiment is echoed later in the song when the singer says, "My arms are open oceans/ How I've missed you and feelin' good to be alive." In essence, the song seems to be a plea for someone or something to come along and shake the singer out of their funk, reminding them of the beauty and joy that can still exist in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Where did you go?
I often pondered where you disappeared to.
I would say that to myself often
These thoughts consumed me on a regular basis.
Like I was dressing up for a coffin to lie down in
My mindset was akin to getting ready for death.
I can't say I know
I'm not exactly sure how or why this happened.
I was overcome the distance
The emotional distance between us was too much for me to bear.
I was lost in my own incidents in my mind
I became trapped in my own negative thoughts.
Were you calling me from outside of a dream?
It felt like you were reaching out to me in some distant reality.
I wanna live, I wanna love you a little longer
I desire to embrace life and cherish our relationship more deeply.
I was invincible many years ago when I was so much stronger
I used to feel unbeatable and more resilient in the past.
I wanna smile like a letter from an old friend
I long to feel the joy that comes from being connected to someone you care about.
My arms are wide as oceans
I am open and embracing of everything that comes with being alive.
How I've missed you and feelin' good to be alive
I have missed the positive feelings that come with being alive and being connected to others.
Wherever I'd go
No matter where I was, I couldn't shake off these negative ruminations.
There were whispers in the vestibules
There were hidden reminders of our past together all around me.
Reminders of my time with you on my own
These reminders brought back memories of the time we spent together.
It's hard to know when your mind declares a war on you
It's difficult to understand when your thoughts turn against you.
Like the thoughts inside my skull would do, like I was blind
It was as if my mind had betrayed me and left me in the dark.
And I'm sure I saw the signs, but didn't know
I may have had an inkling that something was wrong, but didn't fully comprehend it.
Need a spark
I am in desperate need of something to reignite the fire within me.
I need a positive charge
Something positive to lift me up and give me hope.
Plug it into my veins, make me love this life again
Inject this positive charge into me so I can learn to appreciate life again.
Plug it into my brain and make me love my life again
Let this positive charge permeate my mind and rekindle my love for living.
How I've missed you, how I've missed you
I ache for the connection we used to share.
Feelin' good to be alive
I relish in feeling alive and hopeful once again.
And it's good to be alive
It's truly a blessing just to be alive and experience all life has to offer.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian Michael Fallon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Agt.Kraemer
Don‘t know how many tears of joy and melancholy I have shed since Friday morning.
I will never forget London 2018 where a venue full of TGA fans were singing and howling along to every single song they played. The boys sometimes didn‘t even use their mics just to listen to us. It was incredible.
I have never had so many goosebumps in one night. And I was sure everyone else felt this way.
https://youtu.be/RNH1r_0C1w8
❤
Damn, it is so good to have you back. How I missed you!
I bow down before you.
🙇♂️
@bilalchaudhry5636
I've waited almost a decade for this
@richardcrane8103
Me too
@BojoDick
I feel you
@tascha1501
So true!!
@gretausaite2756
Haha same. Almost as long as The Ataris!
@wendellmays4419
Glad it’s here
@TheHellfireMichi
My father passed in October 2021, the last thing we did together was listening to Handwritten from his old vinyl player while chatting a bit. I made him discover The Gaslight Anthem some years before and he liked them so much that he wanted all your LPs.
I can't describe how happy I am to hear a new song from you. I cried some tears that have been stuck in my eyelids for quite a while.
@Agt.Kraemer
❤
@kylehegedus5498
Sorry to hear about your loss.
@lauren7575
❤