But if you require a description of the band before reading more about We Shot The Moon, let’s just say that A Silver Lining possesses shades of Jack’s Mannequin, Coldplay, Switchfoot, Muse, and Weezer. According to Jones, the band specializes in “quirky rock” that’s layered, thick, and replete with ambient noise, and it’s for that reason “we fall through the cracks, which I think, ultimately, is a good thing. We don’t fit in to the the super-indie hipster crowd. We’re not gimmicky--we’re real, we hit wrong notes live and that’s ok.”
Born not long after the death of Jones’ previous band, Waking Ashland, which dissolved amid internal strife and struggle, We Shot The Moon ended what was four months of musical limbo for Jones. “I was working this terrible pizza delivery job, and I was literally washing dishes when I got this call from my friend (Sherwood’s) Dan (Koch), and he asked me what I was doing, so I told him…‘Well, I’m washing dishes, Dan,’” recalls Jones. But Koch told him he shouldn’t be driving large pies all around town, because he wasn’t done playing music.
“Dan really inspired me to start writing songs again, and that’s basically how the band was formed,” JONES says. He added various players to the band’s ranks, including drummer Trevor Faris, with whom he’d had plans to start a band with before Waking Ashland took shape, and, just to make sure he didn’t back out, bought a 15-passenger van. “I knew if I bought a van, I would have to do it,” he says. “So I did and I haven’t looked back since.”
Last year, We Shot The Moon played more than 300 live dates, and Jones says they’ll play 365 this year if they must, because A Silver Lining is an album they’re just itching to rip through onstage. This fall, they’ll be headlining a run of shows with support from Mansions and The Record Life on the West Coast and Lights Resolve and Destroy on the East Coast.
A Silver Lining contains 11 tracks, including the radio-ready opener “Miracle,” “In Good Time,” and “Amy,” a song inspired by a woman JONES met last year on tour, “and I kind of had that moment where you meet someone, and everything clicks.” Unfortunately, things didn’t work out. “At least I got a song out of it. She had her own baggage, and I didn’t mind it, because I thought we would help each other out.”
Other A Silver Lining standouts include “Should Have Been” and “Woke Her Up,” which JONES says most people will relate to, as it tackles those moments in life when maybe we’ve second-guessed our decision or direction. “It’s one of my favorite songs on the record,” JONES explains. “I’ve never been so honest in my writing, and I hope, through the honesty, our audience is really able to connect.”
Most songs carry a positive message. “The Brightside,” for instance, imparts the message that “you shouldn’t give up on your life and that you need to keep a positive perspective, because sooner or later, things will work themselves out.” The song features orchestral sounds, compliments of producer Mike Green (Paramore, The Matches), who JONES says “pushed our sound to a new level.”
The album’s first single, “Red Night,” is something of a departure for the band, as it’s admittedly the edgiest song on the record. “The guitars get right down to business,” Jones enthuses. “It’s very overdriven, and that’s new for us. It’s a complete rock song, with more guitar riffs. In the past, the riff stuff was done more on piano, so, it’s us branching out, and going in a slightly different direction. I think it may hint at the future sound of this band…depending on what the response is.”
White Horse
We Shot the Moon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For me to make it through.
I go to the lake make a great escape,
take a day or two to find a better field.
On a silver plate a little bit too late
Just hanging by a thread to every word you said.
You always get too late, every single day.
So get down, get off your horse.
Your secret is breaking fall.
It's time to crawl, it's time to fall.
So get down, get off your horse.
I praying for the rain to come and wash you away.
The Luca ding 163,
It's the poison in my head. It's light and spread away.
Luca ding 163
I giving you just takes.
So get down get off your horse.
Your secret is breaking fall.
It's time to crawl, it's time to fall.
So get down, get off your white horse.
Sounds in my head, ringing luca me
Sounds in my head, tell me someting's off.
The lyrics of We Shot the Moon's "White Horse" depict a story of a protagonist who is trying to break free from a toxic relationship, given the repeated letdowns and disappointments they've experienced. The song begins with an assertion that the singer needs a break and wonders what they need to do to win their significant other's heart. The singer tries to escape by going to the lake in order to reorient themselves and find a better future.
However, the chorus reveals that the singer's partner is not willing to change, and the singer decides that it is time to end things. The lyrics emphasize that the singer is done with their partner's excuses as well as the excuses made by the partner’s false narratives in order to project their ego. The singer is finally taking control of the situation and is not willing to let themselves be dragged down by anyone else's harmful behavior. The sounds in their head indicate that their intuition is warning them that something is wrong.
The lyrics are striking insofar as they are very personal and seem to reflect a particular experience of pain and disappointment. The straightforwardness of the lyrics that the singer should get off his/her “white horse,” which is a metaphor for the partner who is always right and real, given that white horses are depicted as noble creatures in literature and art, the listener would be able to conclude that their partner is never wrong. When it comes to song performance, "White Horse" features a mix of instrumentation with a catchy melody, upbeat drums, and guitar riffs. The song creates an emotional journey that leads to a sense of desperation and liberation toward the end.
Line by Line Meaning
Gonna get a break. What's it gonna take for me to get you
I need a break from this situation, what do I need to do to get through to you?
For me to make it through.
I need to make it through this difficult time.
I go to the lake make a great escape, take a day or two to find a better field.
I escape to the lake to find peace and clarity, to find a new path forward.
On a silver plate a little bit too late Just hanging by a thread to every word you said.
You've offered me everything too late, and I'm barely holding on to your empty promises.
You always get too late, every single day. The look upon your face, I never was your taste.
You're always too late, and I see now that we were never meant to be.
So get down, get off your horse. Your secret is breaking fall. It's time to crawl, it's time to fall.
It's time for you to face reality and admit your fault, time for you to humble yourself and fall from your prideful high horse.
I praying for the rain to come and wash you away. The Luca ding 163, It's the poison in my head. It's light and spread away. Luca ding 163 I giving you just takes.
I pray for the rain to wash you away and cleanse me of the toxic influence you have on me. I recognize that giving to you only takes from me.
So get down get off your horse. Your secret is breaking fall. It's time to crawl, it's time to fall. So get down, get off your white horse.
Once again, it's time for you to humble yourself and recognize the truth. Time for you to fall from your high horse and admit your mistakes.
Sounds in my head, ringing luca me Sounds in my head, tell me someting's off.
I hear something in my mind, telling me that something is wrong.
Contributed by Jason R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.