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"
The Navesink Bank
The Gaslight Anthem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Said the sign I read that was hangin' above her bed
And the sirens all were wailin', but a man can ignore the signs
Gotta keep a good eye on the windin' road ahead
And my first sin was a young American girl
My first sin was a young American girl
With the punks and the dime store saints
Kept faith and a switchblade stuffed beneath my coat
And I ran with dirty angels, slept out in the rain
We were scared and tired and barely 17
And my first sin was a fear that made me old
My first sin was a fear that made me old
Now I walk down by the shipyards
Near the place where I was born
Sayin' "Oh, Maria, if you'da known me when"
But she only smiles
By the light on the Navesink banks
Sayin' "Listen baby, I know you now"
Then she steps into the river
And I just stand by the moon
Thinkin' 'bout a ghost I hear at night
And she says "Your first sin was a lie you told yourself"
"Your first sin was a lie you told yourself"
The Gaslight Anthem's song The Navesink Bank presents a continuous theme that runs through most of their music- the exploration of the American experience. In this song, the lyrics paint a picture of a young American who finds himself trapped in a cycle of despair that he cannot break free from. The song begins with the line "all hope abandon, ye who enter here," which is a reference to Dante's Inferno and serves as a warning of the dangers to come. The singer's life is a series of bad decisions and "sins" that leave him feeling old before his time. In the face of all this, however, he keeps moving forward, always looking for something, always searching for a better life.
The song's chorus is particularly poignant, with the repetition of the line, "My first sin was a young American girl." This line serves as a reminder that the singer's problems are not due to any inherent flaws in his character but rather to the brutal realities of life in America. The song ends with the haunting image of the singer standing by the river, watching as the woman he loves steps into the water. She tells him that his first sin was a lie he told himself, a lie that he could be happy in a world that seems determined to bring him down.
Line by Line Meaning
All hope abandon, ye who enter here
The sign seen above the woman's bed read 'all hope abandon, ye who enter here.'
Said the sign I read that was hangin' above her bed
The singer read the sign hanging above Maria's bed.
And the sirens all were wailin', but a man can ignore the signs
Despite hearing the sirens, the singer didn't pay attention to the warning signs.
Gotta keep a good eye on the windin' road ahead
One must be careful and vigilant while navigating life's winding path.
And my first sin was a young American girl
The artist's first sin involved a young American girl.
And I spent time 'neath the trestles
The singer hung out under the bridges.
With the punks and the dime store saints
He associated with the counterculture and the pious poverty-stricken individuals.
Kept faith and a switchblade stuffed beneath my coat
The artist held onto his belief system and carried a dangerous weapon for protection.
And I ran with dirty angels, slept out in the rain
He accompanied shady characters and frequently slept exposed to the weather.
We were scared and tired and barely 17
The artist and his friends were adolescent and had emotional burdens and constant exhaustion.
And my first sin was a fear that made me old
His initial mistake was a fear that affected him deeply.
Now I walk down by the shipyards
Currently, the artist walks by the port.
Near the place where I was born
He is close to the region where he was raised.
Sayin' "Oh, Maria, if you'da known me when"
The singer vocalizes how different life could be if Maria knew him in the past.
But she only smiles
Maria merely grins.
By the light on the Navesink banks
Maria stands under the illumination of the Navesink banks.
Sayin' "Listen baby, I know you now"
Maria reassures the artist of her understanding.
Then she steps into the river
Maria then proceeds to immerse herself in the water.
And I just stand by the moon
The singer is left to think and stand in the moonlight.
Thinkin' 'bout a ghost I hear at night
He thinks about a ghostly presence he hears during evenings.
And she says "Your first sin was a lie you told yourself"
Maria reveals that the artist's first sin was a personal deception.
"Your first sin was a lie you told yourself"
Again, Maria insists that the artist's premature blunder pertained to self-deception.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN FALLON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind