Music Seen: The Gaslight Anthem's "American Slang"

July 13th, 2010 by Dave Hnatiuk

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Artist: The Gaslight Anthem

Song: “American Slang”

The Gaslight Anthem. Photo by Ashley Maile.

Why I Luv It: Being a New Jersey native myself, I couldn’t help but indulge in the shameless support of a great up-and-coming rock band from New Brunswick, NJ called The Gaslight Anthem.

Yesterday, my colleague Scott Perry at the ever-reliable “New Music Tip Sheet” pimped these guys in his weekly mass music email, and today one of my partners in crime at MTV, heavy metal guru Mike Marco (aka Lead Luminous of The Burn & Cry, also an NJ native) dropped The Gaslight Anthem’s name on my desk with a seriously heavy listening recommendation.

The combination of Scott and Mike’s endorsements, along with my life-long NJ roots, and an undeniably fresh and anthemic modern rock song called “American Slang” made it so that I could not ignore The Gaslight Anthem a minute longer!!!!!

In the spirit of classic and modern timeless American rock n’ roll greats like Bruce Springsteen, Mike Ness, and newcomers Against Me!, The Gaslight Anthem unleashes a stampede of pure rock inspiration on the new album title track “American Slang.”

This song epitomizes lyrical honesty and melodic vigor in simple yet indisputable ways with every word Brian Fallon sings and every note the band (Ben Horowitz – Drums, Alex Rosamilla – Guitar, Alex Levine – Bass) plays. This is another example similar to The Dig’s “Two Sister’s In Love” (which I wrote about a few weeks back on this blog) of how lyrical ambiguity combined with a smart rock n’ roll arrangement, strong production, and impressive performances can make a song a sure-shot for the scenario described below and many many more.

Scene I Can See it In: If you’ve got a coming-of-age story focused on the developing masculinity, maturity, sexuality, and intellect of an average teenage male in the USA, “American Slang” by The Gaslight Anthem could very well be a perfect main theme song for your show, film, or advert.

The Gaslight Anthem = Jersey Boys. Photo by Lisa Johnson

Common American teenage struggles are always well represented in TV and film by rock n’ roll music as it’s arguably a genre that was born on American soil through modern artists that were descendents of visionaries in such early genres as blues, jazz, gospel, country, and R&B.  That said, having a straight up American four-piece rock band supporting a glimpse of the life story of an American “man in the making” isn’t a stretch in the least.

Lyrically, as you’ll read in the “full lyrics” below, Brian Fallon sings about “coming out of my skin” and how “the bandages just don’t keep me in” as if he’s been given advice and experienced things (good and bad) along the way within his life that he is now just finally assimilating and applying to his own personal development. Furthermore, the lyrics describe in my opinion the ups and downs of life, love, riches, and loss on all levels of humanity as if all of these realities will ultimately contribute to the becoming of a complete person.

This person is on his way to being at peace with and eventually grounded by one of the most basic yet horrifying realizations of human life: “when it was over, I woke up alone.”  For some, this realization is the first step in discovering the road to enlightenment, and for others it’s this realization that contributes to the beginning of the end. What will it be for you? Just place the song! Worry about enlightenment later!!!

“American Slang” by The Gaslight Anthem, full lyrics:

Look what you started
I seem to be coming out of my skin
And look what you’ve forgotten here
The bandages just don’t keep me in
And when it was over, I woke up alone
And when it was over, I woke up alone

And they cut me to ribbons and taught me to drive
(In a dream I had, oh in a dream I had)
I’ve got your name tatooed inside of my arm
(In a dream I had, oh in a dream I had)
And I called for my father, but my father had died
(In a dream I had, oh in a dream I had)
While you told me fortunes in American slang

And look at the damage
The fortunes came for the richer men
While we’re left with gallows
Just waiting for us liars to come down and hang
And when it was over, I woke up alone
And when it was over, I woke up alone

And they cut me to ribbons and taught me to drive
(In a dream I had, oh in a dream I had)
I’ve got your name tatooed inside of my arm
(In a dream I had, oh in a dream I had)
And I called for my father, but my father had died
(In a dream I had, oh in a dream I had)
While you told me fortunes in American slang

And here’s where we died that time last year
And where the angels and devils meet
And you can dance with the queen if you need
And she will always keep your cards close to her heart
So close to her heart
Before they tear you apart

Well they cut me to ribbons and taught me to drive
I’ve got your name tatooed inside of my arm
And I called for my father, but my father had died
(In a dream I had, oh in a dream I had)
And we called for our mothers, but our mothers have died
(In a dream I had, oh in a dream I had)
And you told us fortunes in American slang
Oh, you told me fortunes in American slang

Dave Hnatiuk of Autonatic Entertainment is a Music Supervisor / Sound Designer for MTV On-Air Promotions, NYC. Visit him at Autonatic Entertainment, Music Supervision Central or The Song Hunters. To be considered for a “Music Seen,” submit your track or link to Hnatiuk at submissions@sonicscoop.com.