Band member Adam Granduciel (born Adam Granofsky in Dover, Massachusetts) moved from Oakland, California to Philadelphia in 2003, where he met Kurt Vile and began playing music with him. They began playing as The War on Drugs in 2005, and self-released a demo EP. While Vile and Granduciel formed the backbone of the band, they had a number of accompanists early in the group's career, before finally settling on a lineup that added Charlie Hall as drummer/organist, Kyle Lloyd as drummer and Dave Hartley on bass. Granduciel had previously toured and recorded with The Capitol Years, and Vile has several solo albums. The group gave away its Barrel of Batteries EP for free early in 2008. Their debut LP for Secretly Canadian, Wagonwheel Blues, was released in 2008.
Reviewers of the band's music make note of its Americana overtones. The group's sound has been described as influenced by Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and My Bloody Valentine.
The lineup underwent several changes, and by the end of 2008, Kurt Vile, Charlie Hall, and Kyle Lloyd had all exited the group. Granduciel and Hartley were joined by drummer Mike Zanghi as the group slimmed to three members.
After Zanghi's exit in 2010, Steven Urgo took over drum duties and Robbie Bennett joined on keys.
In Reverse
The War on Drugs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Talking bout the war with me
And the background is at night
Don't want to hesitate
Will they tell me where you're hiding?
But through the haze there's no one there
Wondering if you care
Calling out your name in the darkness
When I'm done with my time here
And my keepsake is strong
Through the railways
But I never mind going
And I realize now that the road is bare
And I hear it all through the grand parade
And I don't mind you disappearing
'Cause I know you can be found
Maybe living on the dark side of the street, damn
When we're living in the moment
And losing our grasp
Making it last with the grand parade in our past
Sometimes I wait for the cold wind to blow
As I struggle with myself right now
As I let her darkness in
But I don't mind chasing you through the back ways for the keys
It evaporates and fades like a grand parade
And I don't mind you disappearing
When I know you can be found
When you living on the dark side of the street, damn
We're just living in the moment, making our past
Losin' our grasp through the grand parade
I'll be here or I'll fade away
Never cared about moving, never cared about now
Not the notes I'm playing
Is there room in the dark, in between the changes?
Like a light that's drifting, in reverse I'm moving
The War on Drugs's song In Reverse describes the complexity of a relationship and the struggle to hold onto it. The lyrics "You've been out on the street, Talking 'bout the war with me" suggest that the singer and their partner are in conflict, and the uncertainty of the relationship is reflected in the line "Wondering if you care, Calling out your name in the darkness."
As the song progresses, the singer seems to come to terms with the fact that their partner may be gone for good. They sing "And I don't mind you disappearing, 'Cause I know you can be found, Maybe living on the dark side of the street," which implies that they understand their partner's need to separate, but there is still the possibility of reconciling in the future. The theme of acceptance is reiterated throughout the chorus, with the lines "When we're living in the moment, And losing our grasp, Making it last with the grand parade in our past." The 'grand parade' here could represent memories or moments that the singer cherishes but knows they cannot hold onto forever.
Towards the end of the song, the singer becomes introspective and turns their attention to their own struggles. The line "Sometimes I wait for the cold wind to blow, As I struggle with myself right now," suggests that the singer is dealing with their own demons and emotions. However, the song ends on a hopeful note with the line "Like a light that's drifting, in reverse I'm moving," meaning that even if progress is slow, the singer is still moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been out on the street
Addressing someone who has been publicly criticizing and opposing the singer
Talking bout the war with me
Talking about past conflicts and disagreements with the singer
And the background is at night
The current situation is dark, unclear and mysterious
Don't want to hesitate
The singer wants to take quick action
Will they tell me where you're hiding?
The singer wants to know the whereabouts of the person they are addressing
But through the haze there's no one there
Despite efforts to find the person, they are nowhere to be found
Wondering if you care
The singer is questioning whether the other person cares about or values their relationship
Calling out your name in the darkness
The singer is seeking out the other person, even in difficult or uncertain circumstances
When I'm done with my time here
Reflecting on the end of a certain phase of life
And my keepsake is strong
The singer has something valuable that they will carry with them into the future
Through the railways
The singer is moving forward and leaving behind what has come before
But I never mind going
The singer is comfortable with this process of moving on
And I realize now that the road is bare
The singer acknowledges that the future is uncertain and they have little direction
And I hear it all through the grand parade
The singer hears messages from different sources, but it's difficult to distinguish what's important
And I don't mind you disappearing
The singer is not too concerned about their relationship with the other person
'Cause I know you can be found
The singer is confident that they can reconnect with the other person if necessary
Maybe living on the dark side of the street, damn
The other person may be in a difficult or undesirable situation
When we're living in the moment
Living in the present moment with little regard for the future
And losing our grasp
The singer and the other person are losing their connection or understanding of each other
Making it last with the grand parade in our past
Despite facing challenges, the singer and the other person want to maintain their relationship
Sometimes I wait for the cold wind to blow
The singer is waiting for inspiration or a sign
As I struggle with myself right now
The singer is grappling with personal challenges
As I let her darkness in
The singer is influenced by another person's negative energy
But I don't mind chasing you through the back ways for the keys
The singer is willing to go to great lengths to connect with the other person
It evaporates and fades like a grand parade
Chasing after the other person may not lead to lasting results
And I don't mind you disappearing
The singer remains unfazed by the other person's presence
When I know you can be found
The singer is confident that they can reconnect with the other person if necessary
When you living on the dark side of the street, damn
The other person may be in a difficult or undesirable situation
We're just living in the moment, making our past
The singer and the other person are not too concerned with the future, and are focused on enjoying the present
Losin' our grasp through the grand parade
Despite remaining connected, the relationship between the singer and the other person is tenuous or uncertain
I'll be here or I'll fade away
The singer may remain present or not, depending on the circumstances
Never cared about moving, never cared about now
The singer is not overly concerned with change or the present moment
Not the notes I'm playing
The singer is not necessarily creating any distinct or memorable experience
Is there room in the dark, in between the changes?
The singer questions whether there is an opportunity for forward movement
Like a light that's drifting, in reverse I'm moving
The singer is moving backwards or losing ground, despite striving to move forward
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Songtrust Ave
Written by: Adam Granofsky
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind