Bayside is an American alternative rock band from Bayside, New York. As of 2009, the band has released four albums with Victory Records, and has a live acoustic album under the same label. Bayside is my favorite band, the four members are all incredibly talented musicians, and their lyrics are unique and truly inspired. This is my list of the top 10 songs by Bayside, why I love them, and the meanings behind them.
10. Talking of Michelangelo-
A solemn and hopeful song, it follows the thoughts of a man contemplating life, beauty and loneliness. What I love most about this song is that it is inspired by a T.S. Eliot Poem entitled The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. The title of this song comes from a line in the poem which goes “In the room the women come and go talking of Michelangelo”.
9. Just Enough to Love You-
A song about loving someone, even after they don’t love you anymore and trying to come to terms with that fact. The lyrics are delicate, and meaningful; “The hardest things to say are the words that mean the most. It’s a song that anyone can relate to.
8. I Can’t Go On-
Quiet and sad, this is a song about feeling hopeless. It’s a good song to listen to on a rainy day. Even with its melancholy content, the lyrics are still witty; “well I’m worth my weight in potting soil.” The heartfelt last verse can make anyone want to close their eyes and sing along, even if the words are sad; “I left a note on your bed, I don’t recall what it said. It’s something like ‘I’m completely miserable and I’m better off dead'”.
7. Demons-
About someone who needs to move on from their old life, who needs to “cast their demons aside”. More upbeat than the other songs listed, this song gives good advice to anyone listening; “you don’t love you anymore, cast your demons aside, keep them close enough to know what you’re running from.
Soon you won’t feel this anymore, cast your demons aside, keep them close enough to know that you’re moving on”
6. They Looked Like Strong Hands-
This is a song about life in the spotlight. It’s a song about rock and roll, and a song about life on the road. The guitar solo is quiet and short, but beautiful. Even though this is a song about the music industry, anyone can relate to the feelings in the lead singer’s voice; “I’d choose my side if I believed in what was right, but I’m all wrong.
5. Masterpiece-
This was the first song I ever heard by Bayside, and it made quite an impression. The song is a story about a person, 23 years old, who still drinks and parties like their still just a teenager. The singer is telling this person that they need to find better ways to handle their pain; they need to “grow up and get over this” so that they won’t have to continue to wake up every morning with regrets.
4. Blame It on Bad Luck-
Looking back on life, contemplating the course of it, the singer gives us a look into his head. The song is about someone who is unhappy, but, although he is unhappy he says “though I’m 10 feet deep, I’ll claw my way back out from in my grave”. It’s about looking back, wanting to go back, but realizing that you can’t. It’s a song full on emotion.
3. How to Fix Everything-
This is a song about wanting, more than anything, to fix a mistake. It’s a sad song, but not without hope. The intro to this song is beautiful, as are the lyrics; “I’m ready to take that big step, stat tearing off the layers I put up, or is it too late to be anything but what I am? Identify the problem; now let’s see if we can fix anything”.
2. The Walking Wounded-
The music is upbeat, with a circus theme at the beginning. The lyrics are about life, about people; “we’re all wounded anyway, in our respective ways”. One repetition on the chorus is sung by a member of the band The Smoking Popes, one of Bayside’s influences.
1. Montauk-
The words “meet me in Montauk” might sound familiar to you. If they do, then you should have no problem guessing what this song is about. This song is inspired by the existential film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and, in my opinion, captures the essence of the movie perfectly. The last line of the song is “here lies the destinies of two hurt souls afraid to be cured again, that could be our epitaph”.
