Thursday released their debut album, Waiting, in late 1999 with original guitarist Bill Henderson, who left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Steve Pedulla. The band gained popularity with the release of their second album, Full Collapse, in 2001, and released their third album and major label debut, War All the Time, in 2003, which reached number seven on the US Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. Thursday released their fourth album, A City by the Light Divided, in 2006, and two further albums, Common Existence and No Devolución, before announcing an indefinite hiatus in 2011. In a January 2013 interview, Geoff Rickly confirmed that the band had actually disbanded. However, the band announced a reunion in 2016. Their reunion would conclude with a performance at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn, NY in March 2019.
The band has been considered influential to the post-hardcore music scene in the 2000s, and is credited as one of the key bands to popularize the darker emo sound and screaming vocals which came to prominence at the time.
Understanding In A Car Crash
Thursday Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
These broken windows, open locks, reminders of the youth we lost
In trying so hard to look away from you
we followed white lines to the sunset
I crash my car everyday the same way
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
(it starts and stops and starts and stops again)
We don't stand a chance in this threadbare time
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
I don't want to feel this way forever
A dead letter marked return to sender
The broken watch you gave me turns into a compass
It's hands still point to the same time 12:03, our last goodbye
So push the seats back a little further
I can see the headlights coming
So push the seats back a little further
Roll the windows down and take a breath
I can see the headlights coming
They paint the world in red and broken glass
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time runs through our veins.
(it starts and stops and starts and stops again)
We don't stand a chance in this threadbare time
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
I don't want to feel this way forever
A dead letter marked return to sender
The spinning hubcaps set the tempo for the music of a broken window
the cameras on and the cameras click
we open up the lens and can't stop
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
I don't want to feel this way forever
the lights are on and the cameras click
we open up the lens to broken glass
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
i don't want to feel this way for every
a dead letter marked return to sender
(I'll never understand
Understanding in a car crash)
The lyrics to Thursday's song "Understanding In A Car Crash" describe a tragic car accident that is both haunting and compelling. The opening lines paint a vivid picture of the aftermath of a crash, with a splintered piece of glass falling into the seat and reminders of lost youth all around. The singer reflects on their attempts to look away from the other person involved in the crash, only to follow white lines into the sunset and crash again in the same way every day. The chorus urges the listener to let go of the pain and passivity that come with grief, with time running through our veins like a threadbare clock that we can't stop.
The second verse builds on this theme of grief and longing, with the singer staring at a setting sun and feeling a sense of finality in their relationship with the other person. The imagery of the broken watch turning into a compass adds a layer of meaning to the lyrics, as if the singer is searching for direction in the aftermath of the crash but always ending up back where they started. The bridge and final chorus are particularly poignant, with the spinning hubcaps setting the tempo for a broken window and the cameras capturing every moment of pain and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Splintered piece of glass falls in the seat or gets caught
The broken glass from the accident falls into the seat or gets stuck in the car.
These broken windows, open locks, reminders of the youth we lost
The damaged car windows and unlocked doors are reminders of the youthful recklessness which caused the accident.
In trying so hard to look away from you, we followed white lines to the sunset
We try to avoid facing the aftermath of the accident and instead follow the white lines on the road ahead that lead towards the setting sun.
I crash my car everyday the same way
I am stuck in a continuous cycle of self-destruction, repeatedly crashing my car due to my own reckless behavior.
Time to let this pass
It is time to move on from the past.
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
It takes time to heal and come to terms with the accident and its consequences.
Time runs through our veins
The passage of time is an inevitable part of our lives and affects us deeply.
(it starts and stops and starts and stops again)
Time can seem to move in unpredictable and inconsistent ways.
We don't stand a chance in this threadbare time
We are powerless against the fleeting nature of time and its effects on us.
Staring at the setting sun
Gazing at the sun as it sets, a metaphor for the end of something.
No reason to come back again
There is no way to salvage or fix what has been lost.
The twilight world in blue and white
The world seems colorless and uncertain, on the brink of fading away.
The needle and the damage done
A reference to a Neil Young song, drawing a comparison to the harm and hurt caused by the accident.
I don't want to feel this way forever
I do not want to be stuck in this cycle of self-destruction indefinitely.
A dead letter marked return to sender
The feelings of the singer seem futile and unreturned, like a letter marked with the message to return to sender.
The broken watch you gave me turns into a compass
The gift given to the artist is a reminder of the past and the direction in which their life is headed.
It's hands still point to the same time 12:03, our last goodbye
The watch is stopped at the moment of the accident, serving as a memorial to the last conversation had between the artist and their loved one.
So push the seats back a little further, I can see the headlights coming
The singer prepares for the next accident, pushing their seat back and anticipating the headlights of the oncoming car.
Roll the windows down and take a breath
The singer takes a moment to prepare themselves for the impact of the collision.
They paint the world in red and broken glass
The effects of the crash are violent and overwhelming, painting the world in a gory and chaotic light.
The spinning hubcaps set the tempo for the music of a broken window
The sounds of the damaged car set a chaotic rhythm for the aftermath of the accident.
the cameras on and the cameras click
The artist is surrounded by the media and the press, who are documenting the aftermath of the accident.
we open up the lens and can't stop
The singer is unable to escape from the intense scrutiny of the media and their attention to the accident.
I'll never understand Understanding in a car crash
The artist is unable to comprehend the meaning behind the accident and the events leading up to it.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Geoffrey Rickly, Robert III Keeley, Steven Pedulla, Thomas Rule, Timothy Payne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@moonwhisperxiv
Every time this comment gets liked I will return here and listen to this amazing song.
@skybug1706
here's a comment to actually prompt you since likes don't create notifications
@starjam69
Keep coming
@kevinmckenzie2944
Come on back buddy 😂
@handsomebarber424
Saw this live last night , freaking epic!
@BigKingNasty
And again
@aldencoley6841
A band so awesome they named a day of the week after them
@viral0998hj
This is gold
@chriseames9063
😂😂😂sure
@charlie5795
😆🤣