Trails and Ways is a band from Oakland, CA, with a sound incorporating boss… Read Full Bio ↴Trails and Ways is a band from Oakland, CA, with a sound incorporating bossa nova, indie rock, disco and radio pop influences. The four bandmates, (Hannah and Keith on guitar, Ian on drums, and Emma on bass) cast off from the co-op houses at UC Berkeley in the depths of the great recession. They headed to live as far afield as Ceará in Brazil and Galicia in Spain before reuniting in Oakland to start the DIY bedroom recording project that became Trails and Ways.

Sure Thing
Trails and Ways Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you be the Marx, I'll be your Engels, babe.
If you be the plot, I can be your ruse (boom).
Union baby I could be your dues.
If I'm in prison baby you're my tunnel loose.
Cause you're the suffragette, and I'm the new vote.
You are the Miles, I could be your blue note (true though).
You are the bloc, and I can be the Soviet
You can be the talk, and I can be the walk.

Even when the sky comes falling,
Even when the sun don't shine,
I got faith in you and I,
So put your pretty little hand in mine.
Even when we're down to the wire babe,
Even when it's do or die,
We can do it baby simple and plain.
This love is a sure thing.
If you be my Jimmy, I'll be your Grace Lee.
If you're the picket baby, I could be your tough feet (line it up).
If you're Benjamin I can be your quote,
Neruda baby, I can be your boat (all aboard).
Spraypaint, I'm the thinner,
Jackie O, I'm Berliner
And it's you, what can I do to deserve that,

Angie Davis, I'll be dissent
Ya say that I'm the one, cause boy you are a ten (but nothing normative)

Overall Meaning

In Trails and Ways' song "Sure Thing", the lyrics speak to the idea of partnership and working together, using a series of comparisons to historical figures, movements, and concepts. The song opens with the line "If you be the Marx, I'll be your Engels, babe", referencing the philosopher Karl Marx and his collaborator Friedrich Engels, and sets the tone for the rest of the song's comparisons. The lyrics go on to talk about being "the plot" and "the ruse", and being "the suffragette" and "the new vote", all using historical or political concepts to talk about the idea of complementarity within a relationship.

The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea of faith and trust in one's partner, even when things get tough. The lines "Even when the sky comes falling, Even when the sun don't shine, I got faith in you and I, So put your pretty little hand in mine" speak to a deep sense of commitment and partnership that transcends external circumstances. The song ends with the lines "Ya say that I'm the one, cause boy you are a ten (but nothing normative)", rejecting traditional norms of attraction and instead emphasizing the shared respect and mutual admiration between partners.

Line by Line Meaning

If you be the Marx, I'll be your Engels, babe.
I am willing to support and collaborate with you in a relationship just like how Marx and Engels supported each other's ideas.

If you be the plot, I can be your ruse (boom).
I can come up with creative and cunning ways to help you achieve your goals and objectives.

Union baby I could be your dues.
I am willing to pay the necessary costs and fees to be a part of a union with you.

If I'm in prison baby you're my tunnel loose.
Even if I am in a difficult or challenging situation, I know that I can rely on you to help me escape or find a way out.

Cause you're the suffragette, and I'm the new vote.
You are a strong and influential feminist, and I am happy to support and vote for you.

You are the Miles, I could be your blue note (true though).
You are a talented and skilled musician, and I am happy to provide complementary and supportive music.

You are the bloc, and I can be the Soviet.
You are a powerful and dominant entity, and I am happy to be a part of and work with you.

You can be the talk, and I can be the walk.
You are good at talking and expressing ideas, and I am good at taking action and making those ideas happen.

Even when the sky comes falling,
Even when things are going badly or there is a crisis,

Even when the sun don't shine,
Even when things seem bleak or hopeless,

I got faith in you and I,
I trust and believe in our ability to get through difficult times together.

So put your pretty little hand in mine.
Let's hold hands and support each other.

Even when we're down to the wire babe,
Even when we are faced with a difficult or challenging situation and time is running out,

Even when it's do or die,
Even when the stakes are high and failure is not an option,

We can do it baby simple and plain.
We can achieve our goals together by keeping things simple and straightforward.

This love is a sure thing.
Our love is stable, strong, and certain.

If you be my Jimmy, I'll be your Grace Lee.
If you support me and my dreams, I will support and help you achieve yours.

If you're the picket baby, I could be your tough feet (line it up).
If you want to protest or stand up for something, I will be right there with you and provide support.

If you're Benjamin I can be your quote,
If you are a famous and influential figure, I will be happy to contribute to your legacy and help you to be remembered.

Neruda baby, I can be your boat (all aboard).
Just like how Neruda wrote romantic poetry, I am happy to support and transport you to new experiences and opportunities in life.

Spraypaint, I'm the thinner,
Just like how spraypaint can be used to create art, I am happy to help refine and edit your ideas or creations.

Jackie O, I'm Berliner
Just like how Jackie O was a symbol of elegance and style, I am happy to support and add flair to your life.

And it's you, what can I do to deserve that,
I am grateful for your love and support, and I want to show my appreciation by doing things for you.

Angie Davis, I'll be dissent
Just like how Angie Davis was a political activist and dissenter, I am willing to support and stand up for your beliefs and values.

Ya say that I'm the one, cause boy you are a ten (but nothing normative)
You think that I am special and amazing, and I think that you are too (without falling into conventional norms or standards).

Contributed by Samuel V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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