According to Songfacts, Bonnette, who is also the lyricist of the band (with upright bass player Ben Gallant handling most of the production and some vocals as well) volunteered at a suicide prevention hotline for teenagers for eight years, and worked with homeless men and women in the Phoenix, Arizona area. These experiences gave him a sometimes bleak, but at moments, hopeful outlook on life, often reflected in the band's lyrics.
On Halloween 2005, Andrew Jackson Jihad covered Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea album in its entirety at CounterCulture Cafe.
Their biggest performance to date has been in their hometown with Flogging Molly and Authority Zero on St. Patrick's Day 2006.
On April 15, 2006, the band played as part of the 2006 New Times Music Showcase, nominated for Best Americana Band, and won a 2006 Best of Phoenix later that year.
Besides their local shows, where they have become arguably the most prominent representative in Arizona of the DIY ethic, they have also toured in clubs and basements across the Western United States, appearing at such venues as the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles, CA. One show in Kimberly, Idaho saw the band in a cowboy bar and leaving the premises as soon as possible after the show.
Andrew Jackson Jihad also performed at St. Augustine, Florida's second annual Harvest of Hope Festival in 2010. They played a dual set with Bomb the Music Industry!
In 2016, the band officially changed their name from "Andrew Jackson Jihad" to AJJ (a moniker that many of their fanbase had been using to refer to them for several years). In a statement on the band's website, Bonnette wrote "1.) We are not Muslims, and as such, it is disrespectful and irresponsible for us to use the word jihad in our band’s name. 2.) We no longer wish to be a living reminder of president Andrew Jackson. Interesting historical figure as he was, he was an odious person and our fascination with him has grown stale."
randy's house
ajj Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I hope our candles flicker and die so that our hearts don't burn to the ground, down, down, just like Randy's house.
When you kissed me on the cheek with a gun I became a setting sun, now you're heading west bound while I'm lying on the ground thinking you were the one.
And I hope our candles flicker and die so that our hearts don't burn to the ground, down, down, just like Randy's house.
The song "Randy's House" by AJJ is a tale of heartbreak and betrayal, with lyrics that are cryptic yet powerful. The song begins with the singer expressing feelings of decay and the sense of being a "living ghost". They feel like a rotten apple core, which symbolizes being discarded and unloved, and are lying on the ground in pain while still thinking of the person they love the most, who has betrayed them.
The chorus of the song, "And I hope our candles flicker and die so that our hearts don't burn to the ground, down, down, just like Randy's house," highlights the metaphorical message of the song. Randy's house is a symbol of the destruction of everything that the singer had been investing in and hoping for. Candles here represent the hope and love the singer has for their relationship, and their flickering and dying reflect the eventual decline of the relationship. The singer hopes that this decline will prevent their hearts from being burnt to the ground, just like Randy's house.
The second verse of the song is heartbreaking, as the singer expresses how they had trusted the person who betrayed them entirely. The line "when you kissed me on the cheek with a gun, I became a setting sun" employs a powerful metaphor which shows how the singer felt about the betrayal. They felt shot and defeated, like the sun that sets at the end of the day. The last line of the song, "thinking you were the one," highlights the profound sense of loss and confusion the singer is experiencing.
Overall, "Randy's House" conveys the feelings of loss and betrayal with strong and symbolic lyrics. The metaphorical houses, flickering candles, and setting sun all contribute to the impactful nature of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got the rotten apple core feeling, dying like a living ghost, now I'm lying on the ground not making a sound, thinking I love you the most.
Feeling drained and hopeless, I am lying on the ground silently with a whirlwind of emotions, reflecting on my love for you which is still strong despite feeling rotten and empty inside.
And I hope our candles flicker and die so that our hearts don't burn to the ground, down, down, just like Randy's house.
I wish our passion and emotions fade away slowly so that we don't burn out like Randy's house which was destroyed in blazing fire.
When you kissed me on the cheek with a gun I became a setting sun, now you're heading west bound while I'm lying on the ground thinking you were the one.
When you showed me affection in a harmful way, it brought my downfall and now you're leaving while I am on the ground contemplating how I believed you were my soulmate.
And I hope our candles flicker and die so that our hearts don't burn to the ground, down, down, just like Randy's house.
Again, I hope that we part slowly and peacefully so that our hearts do not face a fiery destruction like Randy's house.
Writer(s): BONNETTE SEAN-CLAUDE VINCENT
Contributed by Jake Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.