Monday September 13, 2021 “Stop Making This Hurt” Bleachers

Let’s make this week’s theme “2021” and explore some more recent tunes.

Originally a member of the band Fun who had hits with songs like “We Are Young” and “Carry On” Grammy-winning producer, multi-instrumentalist, and singer/songwriter Jack Antonoff began recording as Bleachers in 2014 and with some early successes put together a touring band in support of early albums.

Many of Antonoff’s Bleachers songs are musically upbeat and poppy but lyrically they carry a darker message.  Antonoff has said “You don't have to [make] big pop songs that sound stupid and you don't have to make these apologetic, tired droney songs that sound incredible. I really wanted both things to happen.”  And to some extent that is exactly what today’s song “Stop Making It Hurt” does.

In addition to his work as Bleachers, Antonoff has produced artists as varied as Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift, Lorde and St. Vincent.

Filmed at the Bendix Diner in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ.  A non rock & roll fact but New Jersey is considered the Diner Capital of the World, also it was, at the height of diner popularity, the diner manufacturing capital of the world.

Stay safe and well...and don’t take this the wrong way, because I like this song, but does this immediately remind you of Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance”?

Yeah

Daniel puts the kids to bed

They're screaming, "Oh, the gods must be crazy"

Well, Jimmy's on the road tonight

She doesn't recognize her country

My father's in the room next door

Crying with his ma at 65

Well, every time I close my eyes

I just see you written in big lights

 You know what it says?

 "Stop making this hurt

And say goodbye like you mean it

Stop trying on this hurt

Just say goodbye like you mean it

(Just say goodbye like you mean it)"

 My mamma's in the house tonight

Tryna break free of New Jersey

While the kids are on the street

And they're cryin', "Let me live in my country"

But me and Ray

We got a dream and a car

We're like free as the night

So how come every time I take a drive

I just see it written on street signs?

 And you know what it says

 "Stop making this hurt

And say goodbye like you mean it

Stop trying on this hurt

Just say goodbye like you mean it

(Just say goodbye like you mean it)"

 But if we take the sadness out of Saturday night

I wonder what we'll be left with, anything worth the fight?

I wanna run from the darkness, wanna shout at the light

It's coming over me now

Two, three, four, five

Oh God, we barely survived

 Stop making this hurt

(Just say goodbye like you mean it)

Say goodbye like you mean it

(Just say goodbye like you mean it)

Stop making this hurt

(Say goodbye like you mean it)

(Just say goodbye like you mean it)

And say goodbye like you mean it

 Come on baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby

Stop making this hurt