The Thermals' sixth LP and debut for Saddle Creek, Desperate Ground, was produced by John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth) in Hoboken, NJ. Agnello and The Thermals completed the record and evacuated the studio just hours before Hurricane Sandy ravaged New Jersey, a fate quite fitting when you consider the product. Desperate Ground is a true scrappy and scratchy return-to-form for The Thermals, with all the raw power and unhinged adolescent energy that made their early LP's so insanely enjoyable. Lyrically, Desperate Ground is a brash and irresponsible ode to human violence, a black celebration of the inevitability of war and death. A dark and yet joyous affair, Desperate Ground tells the (murky) tale of a lone rogue in the night. One man, one path, one sword. An unceasing urge to destroy. A never-ending battle against the forces of nature. A destiny impossible to avoid.
In early 2013 The Thermals signed to Saddle Creek, a label they've known and admired for many years. The Thermals and Saddle Creek have a long history of sleeping on floors together: The Thermals have toured with Cursive and Ladyfinger, and Hutch and Kathy organized the first Bright Eyes show in Portland way back in 1999.
The Thermals were most famous for turning down $50,000 from Hummer, discovering the elusive fourth chord in punk rock (F#m) and for soundtracking that scene in Weeds where Mary-Louise Parker jumps in the pot-filled pool in her underwear.
The Thermals announced they were splitting in April 2018.
The Thermals lineup was Hutch Harris, Kathy Foster and Westin Glass.
St. Rosa and the Swallows
The Thermals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Passing these old rusted warning signs
What did they say?
I think they said "Run!"
Passing the roofs of excuses we've made
Passing these open windows
What made me turn away?
St. Rosa, she flies, she flies with the swallows
St. Rosa, I feel I could follow back to Capistrano
And I will hold you tight
Through the cold days and the frozen nights
Passing our enemies
Passing our friends
Passing the means we used to tell the difference between
It's subtle
I try to remember if I was ever lonely
If I was ever low
Hell, hell yes, I was low
How did I fight the black days and the static nights?
St. Rosa, she flies, she flies with the swallows
St. Rosa, I feel I could follow back to Capistrano
And I will hold you tight
Through the cold days and the frozen nights
Passing all the days I switched to Auto-mode
Days for which I've nothing to show
Pausing all the days I'm afraid I'll forget
The day's only clear for a second
The day's only clear for a second
Day's only clear for a second
But I will hold you tight
Through the cold days and the frozen nights
Yeah, but it's cold, cold, cold
The lyrics of The Thermals' song St Rosa And The Swallows describes a journey of passing through various life experiences and phases, both good and bad. The first verse talks about passing various landmarks that hold meaning and memory, such as the corners where the singer has kissed in the rain, old rusted warning signs, and roofs of excuses they've made. The warning signs suggest impending danger, and the singer seems to have heeded it by running away, but it's unclear what they were running from.
In the chorus, the singer references St Rosa and the swallows, using them as symbols of hope and inspiration to follow back to Capistrano, where the swallows migrate every year. St Rosa is the patron saint of gardeners and, in some traditions, of travelers, so it makes sense for the singer to use her as a guide, especially as she is associated with the birds that keep coming back. The chorus also suggests that the singer has found someone to hold on to, someone who can help them through the tough times of cold days and frozen nights.
The second verse talks about passing both enemies and friends, and how it is sometimes hard to tell the difference between them, and how subtle the distinction can be. The singer also reflects on their past, wondering if they were ever lonely, low, or afraid during the "black days" and "static nights," which could be a reference to depression or other mental struggles. The bridge talks about how the days quickly pass by, sometimes without leaving any trace, and how the singer fears forgetting the ones that mattered.
Overall, the song provides a message of hope and resilience, as the singer looks to St Rosa and the swallows for guidance and to a loved one for support, even during the cold and dark times.
Line by Line Meaning
Passing the corners we've kissed in the rain
Driving past the places where we've shared romantic moments in the rain
Passing these old rusted warning signs
Seeing old, worn-out signs that used to warn us about something
What did they say?
Wondering what the old warning signs used to say
I think they said "Run!"
Believing that the old warning signs were telling us to run away from something dangerous
Passing the roofs of excuses we've made
Driving past the places where we've made excuses for ourselves
Passing these open windows
Seeing open windows that we could have climbed through but chose not to
What made me turn away?
Wondering what stopped us from taking advantage of the open windows
How did I fight the black days and the static nights?
Reflecting on how we got through tough times that felt empty and stagnant
St. Rosa, she flies, she flies with the swallows
Thinking about St. Rosa, who seems free and unburdened like the swallows that fly with her
St. Rosa, I feel I could follow back to Capistrano
Feeling like we could follow St. Rosa to a place where we can feel free and unencumbered
And I will hold you tight
Promising to hold on tight to something or someone that makes us feel safe
Through the cold days and the frozen nights
Persisting through tough times, when things feel difficult and desolate
Passing our enemies
Seeing people who have wronged us in the past
Passing our friends
Seeing our friends who have supported us in the past
Passing the means we used to tell the difference between
Seeing something that used to help us distinguish between people or things
It's subtle
Realizing that the things we used to rely on don't have as much weight as we once thought
I try to remember if I was ever lonely
Reflecting on whether or not we've ever truly felt alone
If I was ever low
Considering whether or not we've ever been at our lowest point
Hell, hell yes, I was low
Admitting that we have been at our lowest point, and it was terrible
Passing all the days I switched to Auto-mode
Reflecting on times when we went through the motions without really feeling present
Days for which I've nothing to show
Days that didn't produce anything tangible or valuable
Pausing all the days I'm afraid I'll forget
Trying to remember the days that we don't want to forget, but might
The day's only clear for a second
Feeling like the things we remember are fleeting and unclear
Day's only clear for a second
Repeating that the moments of clarity we have don't last long
But I will hold you tight
Reiterating the promise to hold onto something or someone that makes us feel good
Through the cold days and the frozen nights
Sticking with the promise to endure through tough times
Yeah, but it's cold, cold, cold
Acknowledging that things are difficult and uncomfortable, but continuing to persevere
Contributed by Jeremiah J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.