Howard and Crisp met while in college in Wilmington, North Carolina. That fall, they moved to nearby Raleigh to form The Rosebuds. Merge Records discovered their demo in early 2003 and released Make Out as a full-length debut album that October.
The Rosebuds Unwind EP, an EP with six songs, was released in April 2005, followed by Birds Make Good Neighbors in September. Night of the Furies was released in April 2007 and "Life Like" in October 2008.
The Rosebuds will release their next album in the summer of 2011 on Merge Records.
My Punishment for Fighting
The Rosebuds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The breath of lovers shout like clicking heels
The kids are running, a boundlessness I once knew
A bigger man would have to fall if guilt drained all his youth
Follow the river past the city gate
Near the county access is where I'll wait
And it's just a nightmare 'cause I'll never again see you
I could never be all you need me to
My punishment is living without you
I could never leave and come to comfort you
My guilt is not your burden now that you know it's true
Dress yourself in courage when you go down there
Tell the county courthouse just where I'll be
And don't ever look back, run as far as you can go
'Cause I'll never be able to love anymore
I could never be all you need me to
My punishment is living without you
I could never leave and come back home to you
Don't suffer for my fighting, don't sacrifice your view
I could never leave and come to comfort you
My punishment is living without you
I could never give a simple life to you
Don't suffer for my fighting, don't sacrifice your own view
The Rosebuds's song My Punishment for Fighting is a poignant and reflective piece that tells the story of a person who is lamenting their decisions in life that led to the loss of a loved one. The first verse of the song introduces the setting, with references to streetlights and lovers' breaths. The nostalgia in the lyrics is palpable as the singer harkens back to a time when they felt alive and unrestricted. However, the memory of this time also causes the singer to feel guilt, knowing that their choices have made them lose the freedom they once enjoyed.
In the second verse, the singer talks about waiting near the county access, almost as if they are waiting for something to happen. They acknowledge that they have lost their love and that they will never see them again. The guilt they feel is overwhelming, and they recognize that no bigger man could endure it. The chorus of the song reinforces the theme of punishment, with the singer acknowledging that they were not enough for their loved one and that their actions have brought about this punishment of living without them.
The third verse then details the singer giving directions to someone, likely their loved one, as they prepare to turn themselves in to the county courthouse. They ask their loved one not to suffer for their fighting and not to sacrifice their view. They acknowledge that their choices have made it impossible for them to continue to love, and they will endure the punishment of living without love.
Overall, the song is a beautiful yet melancholic exploration of regret, guilt, and punishment. The singer's recognition of the consequences of their actions and the pain they have caused is poignant and moving.
Line by Line Meaning
The street lights flicker the bright ideal
The bright city lights symbolize the high hopes and aspirations we have in life.
The breath of lovers shout like clicking heels
The sound of passion between lovers echoes through the night like the sound of heels on pavement.
The kids are running, a boundlessness I once knew
The carefree energy of children reminds me of a time when I felt free and unrestricted.
A bigger man would have to fall if guilt drained all his youth
If I let guilt consume me, I would lose the very essence of what makes me who I am.
Follow the river past the city gate
If you follow the river, you'll find me waiting outside the city limits.
Near the county access is where I'll wait
I'll be waiting close to the county's borders, as if I'm planning to flee.
And it's just a nightmare 'cause I'll never again see you
The thought of never being able to see you again is a recurring nightmare that I can't escape.
A bigger man would surely fall if he lost his love too
Losing the one you love is a heavy burden that can bring even the strongest man to his knees.
I could never be all you need me to
I know I'm not enough for you, and my shortcomings have caused much pain and heartache.
My punishment is living without you
Being separated from you is the harsh penalty I must pay for my mistakes.
I could never leave and come to comfort you
Even if I could be with you again, I know I can't erase the past and make up for all the hurt I've caused.
My guilt is not your burden now that you know it's true
You don't have to feel responsible for the pain I caused, now that you know the truth about everything.
Dress yourself in courage when you go down there
Be brave and strong when you have to face the consequences of my actions.
Tell the county courthouse just where I'll be
Let them know where to find me, because I'm ready to face the consequences of my actions.
And don't ever look back, run as far as you can go
Don't torture yourself by dwelling on what could have been. Move on and find happiness without me.
'Cause I'll never be able to love anymore
My heart is forever broken and I'll never be able to love anyone else the way I loved you.
Don't suffer for my fighting, don't sacrifice your view
Don't let my mistakes and struggles affect your own happiness and perspective on life.
I could never give a simple life to you
I've caused too much drama and conflict in your life to ever give you the peaceful, simple life you deserve.
Contributed by Natalie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
yolk151
great film clip! what program did you use to put this together? i really like the clips you used and how the color changes on the still images, making you feel different emotions. awesome.
Charlys Maykon
I love this!!!
Tinkeroftime
gorgeous sound~ gorgeous imagery~ music you make me feel more alive. Thanks uploader KyrilloZzZ for the awesome~
Laura Escobar-Rajaram
Looked for this song after hearing it on Pandora
Tinkeroftime
also why did it take me so long to find this song :\___/!
Michael Parousis
its windomws movie maker.. pretty easy to do it.. just need the correct images :)
Ferruh Akalın
--------,-<-<@ love , caressed my soul..
Trash Guy
old channel