The band's original lineup was Louisa Rachel Solomon on bass and lead vocals, Elijah Oberman on violin and vocals, Temim Fruchter on drums and vocals , and Ian Brannigan on guitar. In December of 2009 Brannigan was replaced by new guitarist Fureigh.
My Dear One, The Shondes' follow-up to The Red Sea, was released on May 4th, 2010 by Fanatic Records. This was followed with an ep, also on Fanatic, called Lines & Hooks + 3 featuring the titular single (a track from My Dear One) and three previously unreleased songs. The band's third LP, Searchlights, was released on September 20, 2011 on Exotic Fever.
Ocean to Ocean
The Shondes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Roll the windows down/ It's all engine sounds and endless highway
Driving state to state, I learned geography this way
Dear everyone back home, and all of New York
I miss you so, and I really want you to know
You're so far away from me
I keep looking for your face in everything
We drive all night to find the shore, so many miles more
Under the stars, as we go ocean to ocean
We drive all night to find the coast, so many miles to go
This is the darkness we know so well
There are so many things that I want to tell you
There's a part of me, a part of me in the Catskills
There's a part of me that I left in the Hollywood Hills
Tonight is perfect, after the show
Get in the car with a pounding heart and turn up the radio
All the skylines are unfamiliar
Though the desert stars are almost as brilliant
Only the Pacific, though it tastes a little different
Is big enough to feel like home for just a moment
Like home, like home for just a moment
Like home, like home for just a moment
The Shondes's song "Ocean to Ocean" takes the listener on a journey of longing, displacement, and the search for home. The lyrics paint a picture of being far away from loved ones and the familiar, driving through the night, while being comforted by the sound of the engine and the endless stretch of highways. The longing for home is palpable, as the singer reminisces about the people and places left behind. The line "I keep looking for your face in everything" speaks to the deep sense of connection and attachment one feels for the people and places they call home, almost seeing them in every corner of the world.
As the journey continues, the sense of displacement is heightened by the unfamiliarity of the skylines and stars, except for the Pacific ocean, which provides a brief moment of solace. The singer speaks of wanting to share everything that they have experienced and witnessed, but the distance and time zones make it seem almost impossible. The quest for finding a pocket of home under the stars as they go "ocean to ocean" is a universal longing that many can relate to, especially in a world where migration and displacement have become more commonplace.
The song touches upon themes of migration, longing for home, and the search for a sense of belonging. It captures the bittersweet reality of being away from home, the joy in discovering new places and things, but also the heartache of missing loved ones and familiar surroundings.
Line by Line Meaning
Another time zone, we're a little lonely, but not alone
Although in a different time zone, we feel a little lonely, but not completely alone.
Roll the windows down/ It's all engine sounds and endless highway
We roll the windows down, all we can hear is the sound of our engine and an endless highway ahead of us.
Driving state to state, I learned geography this way
By driving from one state to another, I learn geography in a unique way.
Dear everyone back home, and all of New York
I write this letter to everyone back home and all of New York.
I miss you so, and I really want you to know
I miss you all so much and I truly want you to know that.
You're so far away from me
You all are so far away from me.
I keep looking for your face in everything
I keep searching for your faces in everything I see.
We drive all night to find the shore, so many miles more
We drive all night to find the shore, with many miles left to go.
Tonight we make a pocket of home
Tonight, we create a sense of being at home.
Under the stars, as we go ocean to ocean
As we travel from ocean to ocean, the stars accompany us.
We drive all night to find the coast, so many miles to go
We drive all night to reach the coast, with many miles ahead of us.
This is the darkness we know so well
This darkness that surrounds us is something we know too well.
There are so many things that I want to tell you
There are so many things I want to share with you all.
There's a part of me, a part of me in the Catskills
There's a part of me that belongs in the Catskills.
There's a part of me that I left in the Hollywood Hills
There's a part of me that I have left behind in the Hollywood Hills.
Tonight is perfect, after the show
Tonight feels perfect after the show we just played.
Get in the car with a pounding heart and turn up the radio
With a nervous heart, we get into the car and turn the radio up.
All the skylines are unfamiliar
Every skyline we encounter is unfamiliar to us.
Though the desert stars are almost as brilliant
Although the stars in the desert are almost as bright as the ocean, it still isn't the same.
Only the Pacific, though it tastes a little different
Only the Pacific ocean, even though it feels a little different, feels like home.
Is big enough to feel like home for just a moment
The Pacific ocean is vast enough to make us feel at home, even if it's just for a moment.
Like home, like home for just a moment
For a small moment, the Pacific ocean feels like home to us.
Writer(s): Fruchter Temima Sarah, Fureigh Rebecca, Solomon Louisa Rachel, Oberman Nora Crone
Contributed by Carson S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.