Story Behind The Song
My Brother
I moved away from my hometown when I was 18 and, with the exception of vacations and one aborted lifestyle transition, have never returned, at least not emotionally. My siblings, all of them, moved home and eventually got married. This song was written sometime during the winter of 1997 if I recall correctly. It is an attempt to evaluate how we perceive ourselves through the eyes of others, in particular those that know you best. It was at this time that I realized I was the absentee member of the family, the prodigal; a role I gladly played most of my life. However, I was struck by how disassociated I felt, removed and isolated from their sphere of understanding. Sometimes it was like speaking a different language. So I was moved to explore the idea of how I must appear to them. The conclusion I drew was that I must seem random and distant. The lyrics of this song try to recreate that feeling.
Song Description
"My Brother" examines life in the 3rd person, looking at oneself. My life is so different, my goals so different from the family and the world in which I was raised. Yet somehow I still see my choices as pathetic in the eyes of my family.
| Song Length |
4:03 |
Genre |
Rock - Indie/Low-Fi, Pop - Alternative |
| Tempo |
Medium Fast (131 - 150) |
Lead Vocal |
Mixed Vocals |
| Mood |
Distressed, Miserable |
Subject |
Dysfunctional Family, Judgement |
| Similar Artists |
Weezer, Soul Asylum |
Language |
English |
| Era |
2000 and later |
| |
Lyrics
Hey my brother we aint getting any younger
I know that we haven?t talked today
Say you?ve been cheated, been lied to and oft mistreated
I won?t seem to have any other way
Hey my brother so you say you found another lover
She don?t want to make you feel so mean
She says she loves you, says the night opens up above you
But all the while she?s wiping her lips clean
You?ll fake the way, walk on water your own way
Cause your sacrifice will only make you lame
You?ll fake the way, find an empty glass and hold it raised
Make a toast to everything you hate
Hey my brother, we aint getting any younger
I know that we haven?t talked today
Hey my brother you say the night won?t make you suffer
Flex your spirit bounce away the pain
Keep that shell around you, keep your armor hard but then you?ll
Notice that you never feel the rain
When it?s rapping at your windows tell me once more how that sin goes
Away at night but returns every day
You?ll fake the way, walk on water your own way
Cause your sacrifice will only make you lame
You?ll fake the way, find an empty glass and hold it raised
Make a toast to everything you hate
Hey my brother, we aint getting any younger
I know that we haven?t talked today