During an interview, The Lumineers also mentioned how the name "Angela" comes from lead singer Wesley Schultz's ex-girlfriend Angela Henard; noting: "Although we didn't work out she still holds a place in my heart. The Lumineers have said that the song "Angela," is about "a small town success story struggling to escape her past." shows that he eventually got married to another woman, and the lines in the previous song finally makes sense–“The second time around, the only love I ever found” refers to his second relationship with another woman, but that Angela had always been his one and only love. We can see from the second stanza that she still cannot hide her feelings of bitterness. As lead … The Lumineers have always had a knack for narrative songwriting. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. For all its ubiquity, The Lumineers’ “Ho Hey” still sounds fresh. Here is the true story of Angela. But you’ll never really know how good a song is unless you start there, unless you start from that sort of bare bones arrangement. Songwriters Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites tell the story in three chapters following three generations of one family all within the folksy and poetic tone that makes them The Lumineers. “She should have known better”, but she thinks that by now ”you don’t feel nothing back”. _g1 = document.getElementById('g1-logo-mobile-inverted-source'); This is the ending of the story. Drops of Jupiter–a story of grief, deep fried chicken, and a different perspective on loss. Wesley Schultz sings, "Pack yourself a toothbrush, dear / Pack yourself a favorite blouse / Take a withdrawal slip, take all of your savings out." The Lumineers charm doesn’t just come from their uniquely acoustic style. Cumulus Digital - SF 130,017 views. The Lumineers Lyrics, Songs, Albums And More at SongMeanings! The folk-rockers previously made it to number one with "Ophelia" and their breakthrough single, "Ho Hey." He leaves behind mud footprints on the carpet, and she “left the footprints, the mud stained on the carpet” as a memory of him and that day. And so when the time comes to “die alone” she will be just on time. So she puts up barriers between her and her once true love–“you can’t see past my blinders”. It's also worth noting that the young couple, her and the boy in the previous video show up several times. The Band also recorded a song titled "Ophelia" for their 1975 album Northern Lights – Southern Cross.Wesley Schultz was concerned about giving The Lumineers' tune the same name. He exits the building and begins to dance along the street to the beat of the music. Their multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated debut The Lumineers paved the way for the chart-topping 2016 follow-up Cleopatra and a 2019 song cycle titled III. 9. That's where, in 1964, five teenagers formed what would eventually become the iconic rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. _g1.setAttribute('src', _g1.getAttribute('data-src') ); Well, not only Brooklyn, but the while world paid attention to the song, so mission accomplished. 4 Comments. Although the lyrics don’t follow any kind of linear storyline, they’re full of passion and heart. The story of "Sweet Home Alabama" begins not in Alabama but in Jacksonville, Florida. _g1 = document.getElementById('g1-logo-mobile-inverted-img'); As the drummer and co-founder for indie folk rock band The Lumineers, Jeremiah Fraites has co-written songs such as “Ho Hey,” the debut single that brought the band international fame in 2012. Already a member? The Lumineers explain story behind number-one single "Cleopatra" Tweet. Wesley Schultz sings early on in the song, “I can write a song.” Man, was he not kidding. The lines “Damn your wife, I’d be your mistress just to have you around”. My personal favorite song of these four is “Angela”. “Love we need it now,” he sings. Only members can comment. And with that, her true love disappears feeling rejected. Lumineers frontman Wesley Schultz sings them with a unique combination of vulnerability and force, putting not just his heart but also his guts on his sleeve. As the music of Ophelia fades out, transitional notes fall in, eventually … Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. And with little time left in her life now, she says, “I read this script and the costume fits”, meaning she knows how this will end up–alone–and she knows she deserves this tragedy for not leaving with her true love when he asked her to. There is a bed and a bathroom–“a place for an end”. Sandwiching the rest of the song, the intro and outro are very similar and both develop the same theme of leaving a small town before it's too late. Schultz and Fraites began writing and performing together in Ramsey, New Jersey in 2005. First off it should be noted that the titular “Donna” is a character on The Lumineers’ concept album “III”. In 2018, both became first-time fathers … Two people deeply in love with each other, but torn by the circumstances. Their first album went platinum, and they spent months touring relentlessly in support of it. It sounded minimalistic because we wanted it to feel that way—we wanted that vibe.” But that was seven years ago, and the partners’ lives have changed considerably since then. Now that all four songs have been released, and with further interviews of The Lumineers, I was able to piece together the entire story that further solidified my love for these master storytellers. And so she tells herself that she also feels no more remorse–empty words to comfort herself. “And I figured if we could punctuate it with shouts we might get someone’s attention.”. The folk-rockers share the set's first single, "Ophelia." June 11, 2020, 8:19 am Skip to Content. So she simply “plays her part”, accepting her fate and living on. There’s a reason the song has become so ubiquitous in the time since it humbly made its national debut on the CW drama Hart of Dixie back in 2011. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 11:00. Unlike his father, he says he doesn't own a single gun, meaning he's worried he doesn't have the courage to throw a punch or get in the face of all the bad men trying to hurt those he loves. And why would they ever want to avoid it? The Lumineers vocalist wrote the song with Cleopatra producer Simone Felice during motorbike trips they took to clear their heads between takes. } song lyrics, song meanings, albums, music and more. All too often, the songs that get played endlessly in a certain span of time wear out their welcome pretty quick. Jim Beviglia Years from now, when those who do such things look back on the cultural phenomena that gripped the attention of our nation, it will be impossible for them to avoid “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers. This tender guitar-picked tune finds Wesley Schultz singing about a small town beauty struggling to escape her past. Please believe me, I smell the alcohol. Not only is this true … It wasn't until five years after getting together that they finally settled on the name Lynyrd Skynyrd though, after their former P.E. Make no mistake though: “Ho Hey” is not a novelty song. Comments Off Share Article . No matter what Angela thinks however, the man is still in love with Angela. We feel like it would be fun maybe at some point to build songs up and do that. _g1.classList.remove('lazyload'); She becomes a taxi driver to distract herself from her woes. } The intentionality and creative thought processes behind this dual-medium album, creates both a sensational and magical experience. The funny thing is, he … try { ( Log Out /  Log in. "Flapper Girl" A very piano-dominated piece, "Flapper Girl" doesn't necessarily exemplify the folksy style of The Lumineers, but its easy-going "saloon" style piano is a prime example of what Jeremiah Caleb Fraites, the band's dummer, says about their style: "Anyone who can play an instrument can play a Lumineers song." Cleopatra (Analysis) By Michael Cerio. 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He told Jam! When the Lumineers released their second album called “Cleopatra”, fans immediately picked up no four tunes: Sleep on the Floor, Angela, Cleopatra, and Ophelia.   “That song was an effort to get under people’s skin at shows in Brooklyn, where everyone is pretty indifferent,” he said. But now we are shown the subtle brutality of life. Ophelia (Analysis) She thinks that because he eventually got a new girlfriend whom he married, he must think he is “above her”. Indeed it can be gathered from the lyrics of this song that the subject has a distinct history and is not wholly meant to serve as a symbol of a group of people. “The only gifts from my Lord were a birth and a divorce” also reveals in the previous song, that she had made love and become pregnant with a different man whom she eventually divorced. THE TOP 10 LUMINEERS SONGS. The true story behind the Lumineers Tetralogy: Sleep on the Floor, Angela, Cleopatra, Ophelia. var _g1; The music videos for all four songs can be found at the bottom along with the interviews. As with most albums, a listen from start to finish is important to artists. The Lumineers released their second album on April 8, 2016. A good song will translate whether it’s a baron or sparse arrangement or whether it’s built up. Living in the small town he's in isn't helping him to accomplish … Indeed, it harkens back to the golden days of rock and roll, when songs with nonsensical titles like “Who Put The Bomp (In The Bomp, Bomp, Bomp),” “Tutti Frutti,” and “Do Wah Diddy” sounded like the most profound poetry to radio listeners. Now, on days where I am feeling a little lost or lonely, I play this song with a little extra volume behind is because I feel The Lumineers ultimately believe in the concept of belonging as well. 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