Henry Olmino, Jeronimo Gomez and Mathew Crum had played together in As Friends Rust for the first demo. The band soon broke up, and they moved on to Red Letter Day in which they oriented towards the indie rock sound.
After some years of playing together, the band recruited Jolie Lindholm from their college, and called themselves "The Rocking Horse Winner" after a short story by D. H. Lawrence. The band was quickly signed after making a split demo.
Their first album State of Feeling Concentration came out on Ohev Records in 2001. It was recognized among the underground and indie scene, and got the band to start touring.
The band moved on to Equal Vision Records for their last album, during a period where the label was signing less heavy bands. This would be the last of the band, and each member moved onto self projects.
From Wikipedia
...
"Offering a sound similar to the classic Sundays/Blake Babies era of female-fronted alternative rock, Rocking Horse Winner first appeared in 2002 with the debut album Horizon. Finding a spot on the Warped Tour and guesting on the first Dashboard Confessional album, the band stepped into the studio with producer James Paul Wisner to record the album in the winter of 2001 for a spring release the following year." - Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide
Novelty
The Rocking Horse Winner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Past the lights
Think of the years
All my life
I've been here
But they don't know me anymore
Not a sound I know
I'm fine, while i hear static on the radio
It's now clearer
Thoughts are focusing
Things are better, and softer
Words, mean more, much more to me
They ask about me like they care
I'm just a novelty
They're not like me
Driving faster, 45
Still not a sound
Their grip is looser now,
much looser now i know I'm fine, with static on the radio
I'm gone
The Rocking Horse Winner's song "Novelty" is a poignant reflection on the feeling of disconnection from one's environment and others. The song opens with the singer driving out of the city, leaving behind the lights and the years that have passed. The city that was once so familiar to him no longer knows him, and he is no longer attuned to its sounds. The only thing that he can hear on the radio is static, yet he is comforted by the colors in stereo that surround him.
As the singer moves further away from the city, his thoughts become more focused, and he feels better and softer. The words that he hears on the radio mean more to him now. Despite this sense of newfound clarity, the people in the city "ask about [him] like they care" - but he knows that he is just a novelty to them. They are not like him, and he drives away from them faster and faster, until he is gone.
The song's lyrics invoke a sense of longing for connection, as well as a feeling of being an outsider in one's own environment. The singer's journey is one of self-discovery, as he moves further away from the place that he once called home and embraces the silence and the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Heading out city limits
Leaving the familiar surroundings of the city, trying to explore a new life.
Past the lights
Leaving behind the chaotic and bright lifestyle of the city.
Think of the years
Reflecting on the past moments and years of life.
All my life
The whole life has been lived in a certain way that now doesn't seem fulfilling or meaningful.
I've been here
Stuck in a place for so long that it starts to feel like a dead end.
But they don't know me anymore
Feeling alienated from the people who were once familiar but now don't seem to understand or relate anymore.
Not a sound I know
Nothing seems familiar or recognizable, everything seems foreign.
I'm fine, while I hear static on the radio
Despite the disorientation and unfamiliarity around, still trying to be okay with things as they are but there is a sense of confusion and chaos in the air.
Colors in stereo
Seeing life in a new, vibrant way that feels like a much needed change.
It's now clearer
Things that weren't clear before are now starting to make sense.
Thoughts are focusing
A sense of clarity is bringing thoughts into focus, allowing for deeper introspection.
Things are better, and softer
The new perspective on life is causing things to feel calmer and more manageable.
Words, mean more, much more to me
Realizing the power and significance of words and their impact on life, relationships, and communication.
They ask about me like they care
People are asking about life and well-being, but it feels superficial and not genuine.
I'm just a novelty
Feeling like an outsider or a curiosity, not a genuine member of society or community.
They're not like me
Feeling like a misfit or someone who doesn't fit in with the norms and culture of society.
Driving faster, 45
Trying to escape the current environment and move towards something new and different.
Still not a sound
Even in motion, everything still seems unfamiliar and confusing.
Their grip is looser now, much looser now
The hold of old surroundings is starting to fade away, opening up the opportunity for new beginnings.
I know I'm fine, with static on the radio
Even in chaos and confusion, trying to maintain a sense of calmness and acceptance.
I'm gone
Heading towards a new horizon, leaving behind the old ways of life and creating a new identity.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind