Track… Read Full Bio ↴About “Now” by The Sweetest Condition (Edge of the World 2015)
Track No. 05 on The Sweetest Condition's debut album, “Edge of the World,” is called “Now.” This song is about taking back control. It’s about embracing your inner strength. When you feel stuck—whether at the bottom of a bottle, in a dead-end job, or in a painful relationship—it’s time to break through and get out. Take a risk. Take charge of your life. There’s no turning back.
“Now” is also the first music video The Sweetest Condition recorded for this album—a experiment in learning the intricacies of lighting and film editing. Trial by fire. (Most of the work was completed by Jason Reed Milner, who also composed the music for this song.)
PRESS REVIEWS:
"This is top-drawer industrial-synthpop that is well-produced, has a killer hook and had me hunting out the album after one listen." –Adam Williams/DJ:Traumahound, A Model of Control, “Tuesday Ten: 248: Tracks of the Month (January 2016),” London, England, Feb. 2, 2016
“‘Now’ tells the story of a protagonist who is trying to escape the pull of alcoholism. A fairly simple verse and piano accompaniment gives way to a powerful set of choruses that amp up the energy with a wall of synth, guitar and highly distorted background vocals. ‘Now’ is one of the most powerful tracks on this excellent album [‘Edge of the World’].” —Chuck Frey, Modern Synthpop, Wisconsin, Jan. 12, 2016
LYRICS:
Now
© The Sweetest Condition 2015
(Music: Jason Reed Milner/Lyrics: Leslie Irene Benson)
Whispers from the hall.
I can hear them calling,
trading their white lies
in exchange for mine.
Thought I found the truth
inside every bottle,
‘til I saw the worm
hiding at the bottom.
They say the only way out is through.
I’m so confused.
I can’t fall apart NOW!
Why stay in the cage?
Why carry the burden
weighing on my mind,
if I am the warden?
They try to pull me into their game.
I’m not falling for it!
I think I might be losing my mind;
Look who’s laughing NOW!
They say the only way out is through.
only if it’s through you.
I’ll walk right through you!
I found a way out of this place,
and I’m taking it!
I found a way out of this town, and
I’m leaving you NOW!
I can’t fall apart now.
This song is available on Bandcamp, iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon MP3 and Google Play Music as a digital download, and on CD Baby as part of a physical CD.
Now
The Sweetest Condition Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Music: Jason Reed Milner/Lyrics: Leslie Irene Benson)
Whispers from the hall.
I can hear them calling,
trading their white lies
in exchange for mine.
inside every bottle,
‘til I saw the worm
hiding at the bottom.
They say the only way out is through.
I’m so confused.
I can’t fall apart NOW!
Why stay in the cage?
Why carry the burden
weighing on my mind,
if I am the warden?
They try to pull me into their game.
I’m not falling for it!
I think I might be losing my mind;
Look who’s laughing NOW!
They say the only way out is through.
only if it’s through you.
I’ll walk right through you!
I found a way out of this place,
and I’m taking it!
I found a way out of this town, and
I’m leaving you NOW!
I can’t fall apart now.
The Sweetest Condition's song "Now" seems to explore the theme of breaking free from the chains of society's expectations and perceptions. The lyrics portray a sense of frustration and disillusionment with the people around the singer- she can hear them "trading their white lies in exchange for mine", implying that the people around her are constantly putting on masks and concealing their true selves. The singer also alludes to her own reliance on alcohol to find truth and meaning, until she discovers the "worm hiding at the bottom" and realizes that she cannot find true enlightenment through fleeting pleasures.
The chorus seems to be a rallying cry for the singer to break free from her own cage and to stop carrying the burden of society's expectations- she questions why she should be the warden of her own mind and why she should stay trapped in her own negative thought patterns. The repeated line "I can't fall apart NOW!" implies that the singer has been on the edge of breaking down and is trying to hold on to her sanity.
In the final verse, the singer proclaims that she has found a way out- she is leaving the town and the people who have been weighing her down. The phrase "I'll walk right through you!" seems to be a final challenge to those who have tried to bring her down, a signal that she is moving past them and beyond their influence.
Line by Line Meaning
Whispers from the hall.
I can hear people telling lies about me in the hallway.
I can hear them calling,
The people talking about me are beckoning me to listen to their lies.
trading their white lies
They are exchanging falsehoods with each other.
in exchange for mine.
They are spreading lies about me in return for me keeping their secrets.
Thought I found the truth
I believed that drinking was the solution to all my problems.
inside every bottle,
I thought I would find the answers to my problems at the bottom of a bottle.
‘til I saw the worm
Until I realized that there was something unpleasant lurking beneath the surface.
hiding at the bottom.
The worm was hidden deep inside the bottle.
They say the only way out is through.
People say that the only way to overcome your problems is to face them head-on.
I’m so confused.
I am feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about what to do.
I can’t fall apart NOW!
I cannot let my emotions get the better of me at this moment.
Why stay in the cage?
Why should I continue to be trapped in my current situation?
Why carry the burden
Why allow the weight of my problems to continue to hold me back?
weighing on my mind,
My problems are causing mental and emotional strain.
if I am the warden?
If I am in control, why should I let my problems control me?
They try to pull me into their game.
Other people are trying to draw me into their drama.
I’m not falling for it!
I am not going to be manipulated and drawn into their problems.
I think I might be losing my mind;
I am feeling like I am starting to crack under the pressure.
Look who’s laughing NOW!
I am now the one in control and calling the shots.
only if it’s through you.
I will only get through this with the help of others.
I’ll walk right through you!
I am determined to overcome any obstacles in my way.
I found a way out of this place,
I have found a way to escape my current situation.
and I’m taking it!
I am seizing this opportunity.
I found a way out of this town, and
I am leaving this place behind.
I’m leaving you NOW!
I am cutting ties with anyone or anything that has been a negative influence on me.
I can’t fall apart now.
I cannot let my emotions get the better of me and let my problems overcome me.
Leslie Irene Benson
See comments for lyrics & meaning.
Leslie Irene Benson
Buy “Edge of the World” – Debut Album by The Sweetest Condition:
▶ Bandcamp: http://thesweetestcondition.bandcamp.com/.../edge-of-the...
▶ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/.../edge-of-the-world/id1022680715
▶ Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Edge-World-Explicit.../dp/B012JA48OC
▶ Physical CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thesweetestcondition1
International fans can get the digital downloads on Bandcamp, iTunes, Apple Music or Amazon MP3 by searching the websites in your local region.
Leslie Irene Benson
About “Now” by The Sweetest Condition ("Edge of the World" 2015)
Track No. 05 on our debut album, “Edge of the World,” is called “Now.” This song is about taking back control. It’s about embracing your inner strength. When you feel stuck—whether at the bottom of a bottle, in a dead-end job, or in a painful relationship—it’s time to break through and get the hell out. Take a risk. Take charge of your life. There’s no turning back.
“Now” is also the first music video we recorded for this album—a DIY experiment in learning the intricacies of lighting and film editing. Trial by fire. (Most of the work was completed by the amazing Jason Reed Milner, who also composed the music for this song.)
LYRICS:
Now
© The Sweetest Condition 2015
(Music: Jason Reed Milner/Lyrics: Leslie Irene Benson)
Whispers from the hall.
I can hear them calling,
trading their white lies
in exchange for mine.
Thought I found the truth
inside every bottle,
‘til I saw the worm
hiding at the bottom.
They say the only way out is through.
I’m so confused.
I can’t fall apart NOW!
Why stay in the cage?
Why carry the burden
weighing on my mind,
if I am the warden?
They try to pull me into their game.
I’m not falling for it!
I think I might be losing my mind;
Look who’s laughing NOW!
They say the only way out is through.
only if it’s through you.
I’ll walk right through you!
I found a way out of this place,
and I’m taking it!
I found a way out of this town, and
I’m leaving you NOW!
I can’t fall apart now.