Under the moniker Youth Lagoon, Powers has unveiled a trilogy of studio albums, each offering a distinct introspective journey into his personal hopes and fears. His inaugural creation, "The Year of Hibernation," exposes the intricacies of anxiety and psychological dysphoria. This debut album serves as a candid portrayal of the labyrinthine corridors of the mind, providing listeners with a unique window into Powers' innermost sentiments.
Powers' sophomore release, "Wondrous Bughouse," ventures into the realm where the physical and spiritual intersect. Here, Youth Lagoon's music metamorphoses into an otherworldly landscape, a sonorous exploration mirroring the complex interplay between tangible reality and ethereal dimensions.
In a departure from his earlier themes, "Savage Hills Ballroom," the conclusive chapter of Youth Lagoon's trilogy, embraces discomfort rather than evading it. This album germinated from Powers' nocturnal explorations through the suburbs of Idaho, reflecting society's tendency to present flawless facades. "Savage Hills Ballroom" showcases a musical and visual evolution, born from an unflinching engagement with one's vulnerabilities and blemishes. The album captures Powers' realization that genuine human connection thrives not in perfection, but in the shared experience of imperfection.
Powers' decision to draw the curtains on the Youth Lagoon project in early 2016 marked a pivotal juncture in his artistic odyssey. He characterized the trilogy as a journey through an isolated and solitary spectrum, a terrain he had outgrown. This denouement signaled Powers' yearning to explore new creative vistas beyond the confines of his past work.
The trajectory of this evolution gains poignancy when juxtaposed with a personal tragedy. While touring Europe, Powers received the shattering news of a dear friend's drowning in a local river. This heartbreaking incident catalyzed a profound shift in Powers' songwriting approach. He came to recognize the intricate threads that bind humanity and the uniqueness found within flaws. This awakening infused "Savage Hills Ballroom" with a renewed perspective, giving birth to an album that encapsulates the beauty emerging from embracing vulnerabilities.
The collaboration with co-producer/engineer Ali Chant for "Savage Hills Ballroom" prompted Powers to cross continents, relocating to Bristol, UK. The album's creation unfolded meticulously within Toybox Studios, a subterranean recording haven housed in a vaulted Georgian basement. This transformative experience in an unfamiliar land fueled the evolution of Youth Lagoon's sonic identity and creative vision.
July
Youth Lagoon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the fireworks on the fourth of July
It's just my lady, our friends, and I
Smoking cigars and yelling at cars as they drive by
We scaled a ladder ascending to the roof
While five years ago I weeped and no one knew
Holding my guitar, I strummed a tune
As the neighbor lights off the small bombs we watch
from the rooftop safely, so safely
If I had never let go, then only God knows where I would be now
I made a bridge between us then I slowly burned it
Five years ago, in my backyard I sang love away
Little did I know that real love had not quite yet found me
The lyrics of Youth Lagoon's song July tell the story of a Fourth of July celebration with friends and a loved one. The night sky is being pillaged by fireworks, and the singer is smoking cigars and yelling at cars as they drive by with his lady and their friends. They climb up to the rooftop where five years ago, he recalls weeping alone. This time around, he is holding his guitar and strumming a tune, singing the words "I love you but I have to cut you loose."
The song speaks to the singer's realization that he set himself apart from his own emotions in previous years, and at that moment on the rooftop, the past is apparent to him. A sense of nostalgia emerges when he sings about burning the bridge between himself and his former love. He admits that he may not have been ready for real love and that the pain of the past drove him to that rooftop night. The fireworks in this song symbolize both the beauty and the destruction of love, as well as the promising future of starting anew.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of melancholy as the singer grapples with his feelings, with the backdrop of the celebratory Fourth of July festivities. The song touches on the themes of regret, the pain of lost love, and the promise of new beginnings.
Line by Line Meaning
Explosions pillaging the night
The loud noise of fireworks is echoing through the night
From the fireworks on the fourth of July
The source of the noise is the fireworks that celebrate Independence Day
It's just my lady, our friends, and I
The singer is spending the night with his girlfriend and some friends
Smoking cigars and yelling at cars as they drive by
They are smoking cigars and shouting at cars from the rooftop
We scaled a ladder ascending to the roof
They climbed a ladder to get to the rooftop
While five years ago I weeped and no one knew
Five years ago, the singer was crying alone and no one knew about it
Holding my guitar, I strummed a tune
The singer played a song on his guitar
I sang "I love you but I have to cut you loose"
He sang a song that expressed his love but also his need to move on
As the neighbor lights off the small bombs we watch
They watch as the neighbor sets off small fireworks
from the rooftop safely, so safely
They are admiring the fireworks from the safety of the rooftop
If I had never let go, then only God knows where I would be now
The singer wonders where he would be if he hadn't moved on from his previous relationship
I made a bridge between us then I slowly burned it
He built a connection with someone but then purposely destroyed it
Five years ago, in my backyard I sang love away
The singer used to sing about lost love in his backyard five years ago
Little did I know that real love had not quite yet found me
The singer didn't know that he had not yet found real love
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: TREVOR POWERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
sagacious rage of 1993 babies
#danthemanplaylists
LYRICS :
Explosions pillaging the night
From the fireworks on the fourth of July
It's just my lady, our friends, and I
Smoking cigars and yelling at cars as they drive by
We scaled a ladder ascending to the roof
While five years ago I weeped and no one knew
Holding my guitar, I strummed a tune
I sang "I love you but I have to cut you loose"
As the neighbor lights off the small bombs we watch
from the rooftop... safely, so safely
If I had never let go, then only God knows where I would be now
I made a bridge between us then I slowly burned it
Five years ago, in my backyard I sang love away
Little did I know that real love had not quite yet found men?
beatriz
this just sounds so great for playing really loud in the middle of the night and just sitting there in the dark listening to it
Hypno Toad
Same
dangermoose2000
+chaoticlifford first Mercury Rev lp Yerself is Steam used to be my record for that...come in drunk from the pub, lights out, volume up, primal scream the lyrics until hungry
Tiraha Schaumkell
me
Trinity Frank
Or listening to it really loud while watching fireworks
CA SEE
🔥🔥🔥
Connor Lunatic
Every time I listen to this song, I feel like bawling my eyes out. So powerful. I remember when this album came out in 2011. I was 15. Those were such better, simpler days.
M. Francis
7 years later and that ending still hits
DoomBlazerFatVirgin
Something about this song makes me want to drive out in the middle of nowhere until I run out gas and money.
REAPER
Wtf same