The One AM Radio has released 3 full-lengths: This Too Will Pass (2007), A Name Writ In Water (2004), and The Hum of the Electric Air! (2002); a split 7" with Ted Leo, and a 7" on Troubleman Unlimited, as part of their Solo Singles Series (along with The Album Leaf, Bob Nanna, Tim Kinsella, Tara Jane O'Neil) and another split 7" with Jeromes Dream on Alone Records. The One AM Radio has remixed and been remixed by a number of other artists. Daedelus enlisted Hrishikesh as a guest collaborator for a track on his album Exquisite Corpse.
The son of Indian immigrants, Hrishikesh was born and raised in Massachusetts. After graduating from Yale, and after many brief stints in several cities, Hrishikesh eventually relocated to Los Angeles, where he currently resides.
Mercury
The One AM Radio Lyrics
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On the window panes, the frost grew two inches deep, and I was caught in a long, endless sleep, dreaming I was freezing.
You came into my room suddenly, spilling out sheets of light over me.
The air was shimmering under the weight of the heat that you gave off so easily.
You said you could not stay.
You were burning up and away.
Not long after you'd gone, the cold came back along.
And now the ice, it will not melt, but I have not forgotten how that heat felt.
The One AM Radio's song Mercury describes the feeling of loneliness and despair that one can experience after going through a difficult period in life. The singer describes his house as being lost in darkness for weeks, which is symbolic of the emotional darkness he has been going through. The frost growing two inches deep on the window panes represents the emotional coldness that he has been feeling. He describes being caught in a long, endless sleep and dreaming that he was freezing, symbolizing the feeling of being stuck in his sadness.
However, hope shines through when the singer introduces the character of someone who enters his life and brings light to his darkness. This person brings "sheets of light" and "weight of the heat" that he gives off so easily. This light represents the hope that this person brings with them, and the warmth represents the happiness that they bring into his life. Unfortunately, this person cannot stay and is described as "burning up and away." This could represent a fleeting love or a short-term friendship that is unable to last.
After they leave, the singer goes back to his previous state of despair and loneliness. However, he remembers the feeling of warmth that this person brought with them and he has not forgotten how it felt. This represents the idea that even in darkness, hope and warmth can shine through and leave a lasting impact on us.
Overall, Mercury by The One AM Radio is a beautifully crafted song that symbolizes the ebb and flow of emotions, the temporary nature of happiness and the lasting impact that hope can leave on a person.
Line by Line Meaning
My house had lain lost in darkness for weeks.
The singer's house had been without light for a long time.
On the window panes, the frost grew two inches deep, and I was caught in a long, endless sleep, dreaming I was freezing.
The cold inside made the singer feel like they were frozen.
You came into my room suddenly, spilling out sheets of light over me.
The person being addressed entered the singer's room, bringing much needed light.
The air was shimmering under the weight of the heat that you gave off so easily.
The person being addressed was very warm and their presence could be felt in the room.
You said you could not stay.
The person being addressed explained that they couldn't stay for long.
You were burning up and away.
The person being addressed was very warm and their presence felt fleeting.
Not long after you'd gone, the cold came back along.
As soon as the person being addressed left, the cold returned.
And now the ice, it will not melt, but I have not forgotten how that heat felt.
Despite the current coldness, the artist still remembers the warmth of the person being addressed.
Writer(s): GREG JOSEPH, SCOTT BLASEY, DAVID MINARIK, ROBERT HERTWECK
Contributed by Leo C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.