Riddles & Trolling: help me decrypt 'NEEDTOBREATHE'

[Linna Heartbooger]

"Devil's Been Talkin' " - Official Video

Bag of bones and blood red cheeks
Guilty from the words I speak
Say the truth will set you free
But it won't for me
Cause I'm uneasy in my skin
Hangin on by a thread
Life it hasn't left me yet
But I won't forget
The devil's been talkin

The ship is setting off to sea
But it's sailing without me
I can't help but feel I'm on
An island born to sink
The devil's been talkin

We can't change who we are
We are all alone...

...at least according to lyricsmode.com

I am super suspicious of these guys.
I think they regularly mean the opposite of what they appear to...
...no, wait that's too simple and straightforward for them...
I swear, these artists do trolling and meta-trolling, or I'm really mistaken.

I have little musical training though, so I mostly just analyze the words and sometimes the images in the video.
So I'm hoping others will join in with their thoughts!

Hoping to post some of my analysis of their song "Able" sometime... if I don't, curious and impatient parties should prod me.
(If such parties exist.)

[Wildling]

Sounds like it was written by someone in a very depressive mood.

[Linna Heartbooger]

I dunno.. that's what we say it sounds like.. but I think kind of a cliche.

I would counter:
"or like they remembered what it was like to be depressed and were angry."

What category or genre would you put that song in, Wildling? (even if you've just read the lyrics, not listened it)

[Cord Hurn]

Linah, It took the meaning as, "I've messed up, and it's too late to make it right".

I haven't clicked on the video, yet. Without looking, I'm guessing it's....heavy metal?

[Wildling]

I dunno.. that's what we say it sounds like.. but I think kind of a cliche.

I would counter:
"or like they remembered what it was like to be depressed and were angry."

What category or genre would you put that song in, Wildling? (even if you've just read the lyrics, not listened it)

Musically I'd call it a mix of Bluegrass and rock/pop.

Lyrically, I'm not a great one to ask. I always have a hard time with divining meanings from any form of poetry, and song lyrics are basically poetry. Even the really stupid ones, like I Want You To Want Me by Cheap Trick.

So ... yeah. At the point I wrote that first post I had only read the lyrics. I still think they sound like a depressed and lonely person. I don't know if that's what they intended, because the music is fairly upbeat and fun.

[Linna Heartbooger]

Musically I'd call it a mix of Bluegrass and rock/pop.
..
So ... yeah. At the point I wrote that first post I had only read the lyrics. I still think they sound like a depressed and lonely person. I don't know if that's what they intended, because the music is fairly upbeat and fun.

See, both of these things are useful to me to hear.
I don't know how to discern between upbeat music that just had a lot of energy and music that's "raaah, kinda angry, but holding myself in check."

What category or genre would you put that song in? (even if you've just read the lyrics, not listened it)

Also, I just thought about it, and determined that that question of mine makes no sense.

I think they're saying all this list of miserable-sounding things, and then when they say "devils been talking," they're saying, "this is what the devil would like me to think."
But I think it's so subtle - they never flat-out say what they mean.

Also, I think it's neat they start it out with something about their physical bodies - as if to say, "you would tell me having a physical body is something to be ashamed of"?

Cord Hurn- that's so much what it sounds like from the lyrics.
And isn't that one of the darkest, most hopeless places a human mind can go?
(and ordinarily I would just assume that... except for my hypothesis there's guys are being "sneaky")

[Wildling]

Musically I'd call it a mix of Bluegrass and rock/pop.
..
So ... yeah. At the point I wrote that first post I had only read the lyrics. I still think they sound like a depressed and lonely person. I don't know if that's what they intended, because the music is fairly upbeat and fun.

See, both of these things are useful to me to hear.
I don't know how to discern between upbeat music that just had a lot of energy and music that's "raaah, kinda angry, but holding myself in check."

Keeping in mind that this is very unscientific, but my own way of figuring that out is by figuring out how 'bouncy' the tune is. if the combination of beat, bass line and rhythm make you want to tap your feet and/or get up and twirl around, then it's probably fun. But if the beat, bass and rhythm are more insistent and driving, then it's more likely to have angry or brutish lyrics.

This isn't 100% accurate, because some bands have been known to sneak angry words into the most bouncy, fun music you've ever heard, but as far as generalities go, it's fairly safe.

What category or genre would you put that song in? (even if you've just read the lyrics, not listened it)

Also, I just thought about it, and determined that that question of mine makes no sense.

I think they're saying all this list of miserable-sounding things, and then when they say "devils been talking," they're saying, "this is what the devil would like me to think."
But I think it's so subtle - they never flat-out say what they mean.

Also, I think it's neat they start it out with something about their physical bodies - as if to say, "you would tell me having a physical body is something to be ashamed of"?

Cord Hurn- that's so much what it sounds like from the lyrics.
And isn't that one of the darkest, most hopeless places a human mind can go?
(and ordinarily I would just assume that... except for my hypothesis there's guys are being "sneaky")

What are their other lyrics like? Do they follow similar themes or is this an anomaly?

[Linna Heartbooger]

They seem to have a number of songs where they really, really don't want to provide a picture where they falsely say, "heres some more saccharine, things are okay."

Here's one more in that vein:
Able

There's a host of hurts we come across
None of which alike
From the air inside the birthing room
To the darkness where we die
Though I feel I'm just as strong as any man I know
I'm not able on my own

Carry round the secrets
Only heaven knows
Crawl into our darkened rooms where only victims go
Though I feel I'm strong enough to carry all this load
I'm not able on my own

All my actions, false or true
Selfish motives I will use
We were born with knives in hand
Trained to kill our fellow man
If we're not better than the rest
How will children do their best
Find your patience, find your truth
Love is all we have to lose

I'm not able on my own

Here's one I think is going in the opposite direction... some of its lyrics sound like they're supposed to be encouraging, but I think they hint at something less cheerful:
Lyrics: www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/n/needtobreat ... eland.html
Video: m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=Se2C3v1a7OY
(video has some beauty of nature and, I think, a bunch of symbolism)

Their current big hit, "Multiplied" is pretty unambiguously joyful though:
"Your love is like radiant diamonds
Bursting inside us we cannot contain
Your love will surely come find us
Like blazing wild fires singing Your name

God of mercy sweet love of mine
I have surrendered to Your design
May this offering stretch across the skies
And these Halleluiahs be multiplied"

[deer of the dawn]

I think part of what makes NEEDTOBREATHE so interesting is the profundity and stunning imagery of the lyrics and passionate vocal contrasted with a jaunty musical style.

[dANdeLION]

I'm doing a NEEDTOBREATHE song this Sunday (Lay 'em down) at church, so I'm thinking they're a christian band.