I decided to feature The Narrative this week in honor of the release of their new single, “Chasing a Feeling.” It came out on June 3, and I’ve been listening to it basically nonstop. Check it out!
Suzie Zeldin said concerning the single, that “‘Chasing a Feeling’ is about accepting that life keeps moving forward, whether or not you’re ready for it. Being indecisive doesn’t stop everything around you from changing, and getting swept up in a really difficult moment in your life can feel endless but eventually it passes. It’s about time, how you spend it, and how it eventually brings you clarity and comfort.”
I hope you liked it! The duo has said to look forward to more new music from them soon.
In honor of Independence Day in the United States, I thought I’d share this song and video, which the band has said “are dedicated to the men and women who serve this great country.” Enjoy!
“America” by Imagine Dragons
If you are from the States, I hope you have an awesome Fourth of July!
Well we already went over covers, so today I’m going to focus on original songs written or co-written by Birdy.
“Wings”
I love the video for this one! Here is what Birdy had to say about it: “The song is about having a wonderful time and the memory of being with your friends and kind of wishing you were back there, so I wanted it to feel like a festival, and then the director had the idea of putting everyone in carnival clothes to make it a bit weirder and more interesting. We had a brilliant time making it, everyone just looked so amazing. My little sister Caitlin and two of my cousins are the ones riding the horses, and in the shots of me on the swing I am with my best friend Becky.”
“Words as Weapons”
This song is one of my favorites. It was co-written by Birdy and Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic. Concerning the song, Birdy said “[It] is one of my favourite tracks on the album and I love performing it live. I love the way the track is layered with harmonies which creates a wall of sound. I’m hugely proud of the song.” When asked about the song’s music video, Birdy explained that “It’s obviously not the true story of the song, but I really wanted a story line. So I’m meant to be a ghost in it. An evil ghost and I’m haunting my ex-boyfriend, who isn’t very nice.”
There are so many songs by her that I want to share, but I’ll let you look her up if you are interested (which should be all of you…) Haha
If you want to find more artists like Birdy try:
♪ Gabrielle Aplin
♪ Angus & Julia Stone
♪ Christina Perri
♪ Lorde
Also, you can find her Facebook page here and her website here for Birdy updates.
Here’s yet another song made by a member of Jinja Safari doing some solo work. The drummer, Jacob Borg, has started a solo project known as Berlin Bar Hounds. I am really liking what I’ve heard so far. It sounds very much like an Australian version of The National.
You can find Berlin Bar Hounds’ first single here. (Again, sorry, I don’t know how to I embed Sound Cloud links).
What do you think about all this solo work the band members are doing? Personally, I really like it. I just hope that it doesn’t mean the end of Jinja Safari!!
It was so hard for me to pick just two songs to show you guys! He has so many great ones! Hopefully I did a decent job picking. Let me know what you think of these in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!
“Old Pine”
Lyrics
Hot sand on toes, cold sand in sleeping bags,
I’ve come to know that memories
Were the best things you ever had
The summer shone beat down on bony backs
So far from home where the ocean stood
Down dust and pine cone tracks
We slept like dogs down by the fire side
Awoke to the fog where all around us
The bloom of summertime
We stood
Steady as the stars in the woods
So happy-hearted
And the warmth rang true inside these bones
As the old pine fell we sang
Just to bless the morning.
Hot sand on toes, cold sand in sleeping bags,
I’ve come to know the friends around you
Are all you’ll always have
Smoke in my lungs, or the echoed stone
Careless and young, free as the birds that fly
With weightless souls now.
We stood
Steady as the stars in the woods
So happy-hearted
And the warmth rang true inside these bones
We stood
Steady as the stars in the woods
So happy-hearted
And the warmth rang true inside these bones
As the old pine fell we sang
Just to bless the morning.
We grow, grow, steady as the morning
We grow, grow, older still
We grow, grow, happy as a new dawn
We grow, grow, older still
We grow, grow, steady as the flowers
We grow, grow, older still
We grow, grow, happy as a new dawn
We grow, grow, older still
Meanings
This song is about people, probably a couple but possibly friends, making memories together. It’s good to reflect on those happy memories. They help you remain happy, even through the tough times, as life goes on and you grow older.
Things to Love
The guitar is simple, yet beautiful.
The emotion in his voice is palpable. It makes me feel something. I love it when music does that.
“Keep Your Head Up”
Lyrics
I spent my time watchin’ the spaces that had grown between us.
And I cut my mind on second best or the scars that come with the greeness.
And I gave my eyes to the bottom, still the seabed wouldn’t let me in,
And I tried my best to embrace the darkness in which I swim.
Oh the darkness in which I swim.
Now walkin’ back down this mountain
With the strength of a turnin’ tide
Oh the wind so soft at my skin,
The sun so hot upon my side.
Oh lookin’ out at this happiness,
I searched for between the sheets.
Oh feelin’ blind to realize,
All I was searchin’ for was me.
Ooh all I was searchin’ for was me.
Keep your head up, keep your heart strong.
No, no, no, no.
Keep your mind set, keep your hair long.
Oh my darlin’ keep your head up, keep your heart strong.
Oh no no, keep your mind set in your ways, keep your hair,
Keep your hair long.
‘Cause I’ll always remember you the same,
Oh eyes like wildflowers, with your demons of change.
I saw a friend of mine the other day,
And he told me that my eyes were gleamin’.
Oh I said I had been away, and he knew,
Oh he knew the depths I was meanin’.
And it felt so good to see his face,
The comfort invested in my soul.
Oh to feel the warmth of his smile,
When he said “I’m happy to have you home.
Ooh I’m happy to have you home.”
And I showed my body to the sea again,
And I laughed at her for bein’ so cruel.
And I left these broken bottles, and empty corridors.
And I walked right on through.
And I never, I never dream of you.
Oh honey I never, I never dream of you.
Yeah, keep your head up, keep your heart strong.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
Keep your mind set, keep you hair long.
Oh my my darlin’, keep your head up, keep you heart strong.
No no no, keep your mind set in your ways,
Keep your hair, keep your hair long.
‘Cause I’ll always remember you the same.
Oh eyes are wild flowers within demons of change.
May you find happiness there,
May all your hopes all turn out right.
Ooh may you find happiness there,
May you find warmth in the middle of the night.
Meanings
In one sentence, this song is about a man trying to find himself after a failed relationship. But really, it’s much more than that. It’s about how she moved on and left him behind and how that allowed him to realize that he wasn’t really looking for somebody to complete him. First, he needed to find himself. It’s about how friends were there to support him in that process. It’s about keeping your head up when times are tough and you are struggling. It’s about staying strong and true to yourself once you discover who you really are.
Things to Love
Well, for one, the lyrics are my favorite. They have such deep emotion behind them. I can really relate to them on a personal level. While no, I can’t relate to the relationship aspect of it, I can relate to trying to find myself. I think everybody can. That’s what makes this song so great. It’s relatable.
Here’s the exciting part, here’s where we get to listen to some awesome music.
“Featherstone”
Song
Lyrics
Wake up to the sound of your fleeting heart
Wake up to the sound of your fleeting heart
When you go, what you leave is a work of art
On my chest, on my heart
She went out to the hay in the morning grace
She went out and got lost in a tall hedge maze
Where’d you go? Where’d you go? Why’d you leave this place?
On my heart, on my face
And my love is yours but your love’s not mine
So I’ll go but we know I’ll see you down the line
And we’ll hate what we’ve lost but we’ll love what we find
And I’m feeling fine, we’ve made it to the coastline
Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Past all the signs of the slow decline
Live like your love wasn’t meant for mine
Now you’ve gone, now you’ve gone to a different life
Til the loneliest side
Wake up to the sound of your fleeting heart
Wake up to the sound of your fleeting heart
When you go, what you leave is a work of art
On my chest, on my heart
And my love is yours but your love’s not mine
So I’ll go, but we know I’ll see you down the line
And we’ll hate what we’ve lost but we’ll love what we find
And oh, I’m feeling fine, we’ve made it to the coastline
This song is so bittersweet. It’s basically about a breakup, where nothing really went wrong; it was just time to move on. They had good times together, but will find joy in what is to come: “And we’ll hate what we’ve lost but we’ll love what we find.” They both affected one another, as she left a beautiful impact or “work of art, on [his] chest, on [his] heart.” It pulls at the heartstrings.
Things to Love
The lyrics just get me every time. It doesn’t just have to apply to romantic relationships, but can extend to friendships as well. Sometimes it is just time to move on. You may meet and connect again someday in the future, but for now you just have to remember the great impact that they had on you and look forward with acceptance and determination to make the best of life’s experiences.
The simplicity of the instruments gives the song a raw sound that make the lyrics seem even more real, which helps me connect.
“Malleable Beings”
Lyrics
We fell this time
With a dying grace
Though we’re malleable beings,
Not enough, it seems
And don’t lay tired
Knew we both would break
Though we’re malleable beings
Not enough, it seems
And maybe were wrong to let it go
Maybe we were wrong to keep it so long
We were only dust and fragile clay
Flying far, miles away
We’ll close our eyes
And erase our minds
Though we’re malleable beings,
Not enough, it seems
And don’t lay tired
Knew we both would break
Though we’re malleable beings,
Not enough, it seems
And maybe were wrong to let it go
Maybe we were wrong to keep it so long
We were only dust and fragile clay
Flying far, miles away
And maybe were wrong to let it go
Maybe we were wrong to keep it so long
We were only dust and fragile clay
Flying far, miles away
Meaning
Life just knocks us down sometimes. Our trials change and mold us, but sometimes it feels like we will break instead of bending. It can be hard to realize that we won’t break, because we are malleable beings. It can be hard to let go of dreams and hold on to hopes.
Things to Love
Again, I love this lyrics for this one. Everybody has a hard time every once in a while and these words can help us get through that. We are malleable beings! And that’s kind of an awesome thing to remember when times are tough.
And of course, Sam’s and Christina’s melodies are beautiful as always.
Indie Music Love 