SLIVER
The Gaslight Anthem Lyrics

The Gaslight Anthem’s song “Silver” is a nostalgic and mournful tune that reminisces about childhood memories of a boy who is left in his grandfather's care while his parents attend a show. The boy is unhappy about this and starts to throw a tantrum, begging his grandma to take him home. Throughout the song, he repeats the phrase “Grandma, take me home” multiple times, conveying the desperation he feels to be away from his grandparents' house. The mashed potatoes and meat that are served for dinner are hard to eat, and the boy seems unhappy about being able to chew it. He is then encouraged by his grandma to stop crying and to go ride his bike outside. In doing so, he injures his toe, only adding to his distress.

Later in the song, the boy eats ice cream and falls asleep watching TV. He ultimately wakes up in his mother's arms, and the plea of “Grandma, take me home” slowly fades away. The song displays a sort of sadness and longing for something more than just the mundane routine of life. It speaks to the feeling of being caught between two worlds, between the excitement of going out to a show and the mundanity of everyday life. The song is relatable in its depiction of the sorrow of growing up and realizes that it's not easy to let go of childhood memories.