The last thing The Honeydogs' lead singer songwriter, Adam Levy, wants his … Read Full Bio ↴The last thing The Honeydogs' lead singer songwriter, Adam Levy, wants his band to be is a Sunshine Committee. You know, the cloying co-workers who attempt to bring a little Trojan Horse happiness to the dysfunctional corporation on the eve of mass layoffs with flowers, pizza, ribbons, lace, and cupcakes? No, the Honeydogs have chosen a tough path, singing about serious subject matter always avoiding the maudlin and producing some music of great emotional intensity, complexity and beauty.

Starting with 2001's brilliant day darkener, Here's Luck, the band charted a course of, as Paste magazine said, capturing "the Zeitgeist of this anxious era." The follow-up, 10,000 Years, was hailed as the bands' masterpiece—a concept album based on Levy's experiences in social work telling the story of a poor urban test tube kids’s rise and fall during a genocidal apocalypse in the not-so-distant future. In 2006 the band released Amygdala, a record thematically exploring fear in its varied forms—abandonment, losing children, war & death, aging, social decay.

In 2009 the band emerges with an offering considerably more hopeful in these desperate times. The tracks on Sunshine Committee reflect a complex, often nuanced intersection of art and humanity while marking a return to a more live, rocking sound.

Once featured guests, Matt Darling on trombone and Steven Kung on trumpet have now become integral core members of the band, adding a vintage Stax/Volt-Muscle Shoals unctuousness to the record. Bass player Trent Norton’s writhingly hooky parts almost singularly define the new improved sound. Levy and Brian Halverson have further perfected their guitar matrimony, playing off each other and swapping leads and obbligatos. Peter Sands, given extra real estate space, layers clavinets, harpsichords, pianos, Hammond organs, Chamberlains, and various odd keyboards from his museum of myriad electronic instruments. Drummer Peter Anderson directs traffic like an empathic inner city principal, alternately slamming and playing with great economy, sensitivity and restraint.

As always, the band refers to the traditional soul and rock touchstones while creating something interesting, unpredictable, insightful, and moving: shades of the Stones' Exile on Main Street, Fresh-era Sly Stone, twilight Hendrix and Revolver-esque Beatles, all with Levy's surreal, evocative and enigmatic lyrics winding sinuously through the savory mix.

Sunshine Committee is the band’s first truly self-produced effort, with the entire band involved in the conception, engineering and editing of the record. Granted permission to record this and his children’s record (Bunny Clogs) at the Institute of Production and Recording where Levy is a teacher, the EP's production provided top students with a “laboratory” environment in which to experiment with various mics and recording techniques, comment on arrangement and performance, and assist in the editing process.

Capping off the roster of contributing talent, friend and mainstay John Fields, freshly finished with recording the Jonas Brothers, offered up his mixing expertise to the band.

On the eve of this, the Honeydog's 10th release, with solo projects and new records percolating, the band emerges confident in their ability to reinvent their sound while keeping alive the best musical and thematic features that have been their trademarks for nearly 15 years.

Chasing the sun
The Honeydogs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Words, the writing's on the wall
But it's Greek to me
I heard some [unverified] singing
But it don't speak to me
Not this sweet to me

My ears are always burning
'Cause I think I'm the one

But if you're concern
You can stop me from
Chasing the sun

I saw, saw your light [unverified]
And they brought down the house
We're on another caper
Bad motel wallpaper
And I screwed them all
Yeah, that's all she would

My ears are always, burning
'Cause I think I'm the one
But if you're concern
You can stop me from
Chasing the sun

Stars are all lined up
For the [unverified]
And the fingernail clippers with the moon
In the autumn sky
Still wondering why I'm here

It's hit or miss
Then again, piss
It's the death march
And though, the things
That don't kill us
Will make us last
It still kicks our ass

My ears are always, burning
'Cause I think I'm the one
But if you're concern

You can stop me from
Chasing the sun, the sun

Overall Meaning

The Honeydogs's song Chasing The Sun appears to be a reflective piece about the confusion and constant search for meaning in life. The first few lines are about seeing signs, literally and metaphorically, but not understanding what they mean. The Greek language is foreign to the singer, much like the messages they receive seem to be. There is also an allusion to music that does not speak to the singer, suggesting a feeling of disconnection with a large part of society. The lyrics then take on a more personal tone, describing how the singer's ego sometimes gets in the way of progress. He thinks he is the one, the chosen one, and that his destiny is in his own hands. However, he acknowledges that there are others who may need to intervene if he starts heading down the wrong path. The theme of chasing after something intangible, like the sun, is present throughout the song, as is the idea that life is a journey that often involves missteps and confusion.

The second part of the song seems to describe a moment of clarity or insight, where the singer sees a light, perhaps a metaphor for inspiration or enlightenment. The setting is a bad motel, hinting at a certain level of despair or hopelessness. The mention of capers and screw-ups suggests a life of wild experimentation but, again, without real direction or guidance. As the song ends, there is a sense of resignation, with the singer wondering why he is still here, still searching for answers. The references to the stars and the moon seem to highlight the vastness and beauty of the universe, but also leave the singer feeling small and insignificant. The last lines, "It's hit or miss, then again, piss / It's the death march / And though, the things / That don't kill us / Will make us last / It still kicks our ass" paint a picture of life as a rollercoaster ride, full of highs and lows, but with no real destination in sight.

Line by Line Meaning

Words, the writing's on the wall
The message is clear and obvious

But it's Greek to me
I can't understand it

I heard some [unverified] singing
I heard some noise, but it doesn't resonate with me

But it don't speak to me
It doesn't affect me

Not this sweet to me
It's not enjoyable to me

My ears are always burning
I'm always paying close attention

'Cause I think I'm the one
Because I believe I'm important

But if you're concern
If you're worried

You can stop me from
You can prevent me from

Chasing the sun
Pursuing something unattainable

I saw, saw your light [unverified]
I noticed something about you that may or may not be true