Valencia met by playing local shows together around the tri-state area in separate bands. George Ciukurescu and JD Perry grew up together; attending elementary school, high school, and their first year of college. They joined a band in 2001 called The Capgun Heroes with Brendan Walter and former member Sean Mundy. Shane Henderson sang in the band Attracted to Miss and Max played drums in The Emphasis. They formed the band that is known today as Valencia in 2004. The band is named after the wife of the protagonist, Valencia, in the book by Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughter House 5.
In 2005 Valencia signed to I Surrender Records after the label's owner, Midtown's drummer Rob Hitt, heard their demo tape. After playing the Warped Tour in 2005, they released their first album, This Could Be A Possibility, in October 2005, which was re-released in September 2006.
In 2006, the band was named SPIN Band of the Day and was a finalist for Band of the Year, but lost to Nightmare of You. In May 2006, the band stopped touring because of the death of Shane's girlfriend in a freak lawn mower accident. In July 2006, Valencia traveled to Japan to play the Fuji Rock Festival.
In 2007 the band toured with Boys Like Girls, The Audition and All Time Low in the U.S. Valencia also toured with We the Kings, The Cab, Charlotte Sometimes, and Sing it Loud in April 2008.
In 2009 Valencia performed at the Soundwave festival with New Found Glory, Say Anything and Billy Talent. The band opened for blink-182 in June 2009 on their summer reunion tour.
Valencia's second album, We All Need a Reason to Believe was released on August 26, 2008, featuring 11 new tracks. The album leaked in its entirety on August 16, 2008. On August 19, 2008 it was made available as a full stream on the band's Myspace page. "Safe To Say" is on the soundtrack for MLB 09 The Show. Valencia spent summer 2009 touring with Every Avenue.
Band member Brendan Walter was one of 32 sued by the RIAA in its first round file-sharing suits. During an interview on WCUR's Foundation Radio on December 9, 2010, host Adam Barnard asked about the circumstances surrounding this incident. Walter stated that he had been chosen at random due to the fact that he had illegally downloaded music by American rock band Smash Mouth.
Valencia's third album, "Dancing With A Ghost" was released October 12, 2010. After a long break from touring, the band went back on tour for their new album in October of 2010. The tour includes a few shows of headlining along with shows with bands like Say Anything, Saves the Day and Motion City Soundtrack. The band's tour will also make it all the way to Australia.
In October of 2011, Shane Henderson released a statement regarding the band's decision to go on an indefinite hiatus after 2011. Following a farewell tour in Japan, the band played a final show on December 28th at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, PA to a sold-out crowd.
Better Be Prepared
Valencia Lyrics
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Just trying to lose myself in skylines
And forget that I lost my mind when I couldn't hold her
And now that I feel all the weight on my shoulders I fall
So here's a couple words for you
To let you know what I've been through
I've got this off track set, my everything is fine
And I'll breathe you in tonight
I'll find my own way home
You know I'll be fine
You got me walking through the back door, back door
Hoping that I'll find you sitting there
You know that I will find you somehow
And I better be well prepared
So change the way that I believe
The stories old but not complete
I need that off track set, my everything is fine
If I'm ever gonna meet you on the other side
And I'll breathe you in tonight
I'll find my own way home
You know I'll be fine
You got me walking through the back door, back door
Hoping that I'll find you sitting there
You know that I will find you somehow
And I better be well prepared
To walk through the back door, back door
With my head in my hands
Cause I can find you somehow
I better be well prepared, I'm gonna be prepared
I need to get out of the city lights
And make my way to the countryside
I'll drive down the roads, the roads we both know
Will lead me to the place I've missed the most
I'll get to your house, I'll rush through the door
I'll climb up the stairs, you know I'm scared
That I am changed
You got me walking through the back door, back door
Hoping that I'll find you sitting there
You know that I will find you somehow
And I better be well prepared
To walk through the back door, back door
With my head in my hands
Cause I can find you somehow
And I better be well prepared, I'm gonna be prepared
The lyrics of Valencia's song Better Be Prepared depict the story of someone who is trying to forget the memories of a lost love by travelling to cities and towns, hoping to lose themselves in skylines. The singer feels the weight of their lost love on their shoulders and yearns to find them again. They strive to change their beliefs and find their way back to the place they miss the most. The lyrics suggest that they have a chance to rekindle their lost relationship but they need to be prepared for it.
The chorus of the song is a powerful declaration of the singer's determination to find their way back to their love. "You got me walking through the back door, back door, hoping that I'll find you sitting there, you know that I will find you somehow, and I better be well prepared" suggests that the singer is excited but also nervous about what they might find when they reach their love's place. The lyrics convey a mix of emotions including hope, fear, and determination.
Valencia's song Better Be Prepared is a powerful reflection of the human experience of love, loss, and longing for connection. It encourages the listener to stay hopeful and determined even in times of difficulty.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm making my way to cities and towns
I am traveling and moving from place to place, trying to escape my thoughts and emotions.
Just trying to lose myself in skylines
I am getting lost in the beauty of cityscapes to forget about my inner turmoil.
And forget that I lost my mind when I couldn't hold her
I am trying to forget how much it hurt me to lose a loved one I couldn't keep close to me.
And now that I feel all the weight on my shoulders I fall
I am overwhelmed with the burden of my emotions and it is causing me to fall apart.
So here's a couple words for you
I want to express my feelings to you.
To let you know what I've been through
I want you to understand my struggles and hardships.
I've got this off track set, my everything is fine
I have a plan to get back on track and everything will be alright.
If I know I got a ticket to the other side
I have faith that things will get better and there is hope for the future.
And I'll breathe you in tonight
I will think of you and try to find comfort in memories of you.
I'll find my own way home
I will make it through these tough times and find my way to happiness.
You know I'll be fine
I am assuring myself that everything will be alright in the end.
You got me walking through the back door, back door
I am hoping to reconnect with you, even if it means entering your life from the backdoor.
Hoping that I'll find you sitting there
I am hoping to see you and find comfort in your presence.
You know that I will find you somehow
I have faith that I will be able to reconnect with you in some way or another.
And I better be well prepared
I want to be ready for whatever comes my way in the process of finding you.
So change the way that I believe
I need to change my mindset and approach in order to overcome the challenges I am facing.
The stories old but not complete
My experiences have taught me lessons, but there is still much I have yet to learn.
I need that off track set, my everything is fine
I have a plan to get myself back on track and everything will be alright.
If I'm ever gonna meet you on the other side
I have faith that things will get better and I will eventually be able to reconnect with you.
To walk through the back door, back door
I am determined to reconnect with you, even if it means entering your life from the backdoor.
With my head in my hands
I am feeling overwhelmed and lost.
Cause I can find you somehow
I have faith that I will be able to find a way to reconnect with you.
I better be well prepared, I'm gonna be prepared
I want to be ready for whatever comes my way in the process of finding you.
I need to get out of the city lights
I need to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
And make my way to the countryside
I seek the peace and serenity of rural life.
I'll drive down the roads, the roads we both know
I will travel down familiar roads in the hopes of reconnecting with you.
Will lead me to the place I've missed the most
The destination I'm heading towards is where I feel most at home.
I'll get to your house, I'll rush through the door
I am excited to see you and will run to greet you.
You know I'm scared
I am anxious and nervous about seeing you again.
That I am changed
I have gone through a lot and have been transformed by my experiences.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRENDAN WALTER, GEORGE CIUKURESCU, JONATHAN PERRY, MAX SORIA, SHANE HENDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind