BackStory: The Black Swans’ “Don’t Blame the Stars”

the_black_swans

In this episode of BackStory, Jerry DeCicca of The Black Swans tells us the story behind their song “Don’t Blame the Stars.” The story, the video, and the song’s lyrics are below the jump.

The song, “Don’t Blame the Stars”, came about early on in the writing for this record and really gave shape to the whole. If it’s “about” something, it’s about the chaos of living, the absence of meaning, the lack of control and taking control, trying to make sense of it all, riding it out, finding your own way, not looking to the heavens for answers or reason and repair. When my band mate died soon after we recorded this song, I turned to my own music for solace. This song in particular. An odd thing to do, but I always considered my music a friend.

Don’t Blame the Stars

What once made us happy
Now makes us sad
We learned early in life
With the good comes the bad
So listen, my friend
My former girlfriend
Don’t blame the stars
For what we can fix with our hands

People get sick
Sooner or later we gotta die
There’s earthquakes and disease
That take millions of lives
And all of that shit
Doesn’t mean we’re fated without amends
Don’t blame the stars
For what we can fix with our hands

Don’t blame the stars
They’re only there to guide us
Like a lost traveler at night
With no bread crumbs in sight
Don’t blame the stars

So much of this world
Is out of our control
Tonight I’m one of the weary
Looking to be whole
So hear me my neighbor
With your head in the sand
Don’t the stars
For what we can fix with our hands

Don’t blame the stars
They’re only there to guide us
Like a lost traveler at night
With no bread crumbs in sight
Don’t blame the stars