Welcome to HeartSongs, our regularly scheduled (probably) look at songs and the people who write them. We spoke to Oxbloods about their recent single ‘Minefield’.

Listen to 'Minefield' Here

Chris: “‘Minefield’ was originally a track from Matt's previous band. After showing it to me, we reworked the song making it more contemporary, and to an extent “poppy”. We then passed the track over to Charlie who wrote some great vocal parts and the song was essentially done. We finished it very quickly and it hasn't changed much during the recording process”.

Matt L: “It usually either starts with me or Chris writing a section or a skeleton of a song, which we then pass over to the rest of the guys to rip it apart and then work together to get it right”.

Matty A: “The recording process was quite long for the EP. We were all finishing different stages of our degrees so some sessions were weeks apart from one another. A lot of ‘Minefield’ (especially the vocals) is actually the demo tracks added in at the studio. Charlie just did such a good job the first time around we didn't redo them”.

Chris: “To me at least, playing the song online, and also live, breathes this completely different air into the song. We've spent so long keeping all our tracks locked away from the world while we finished them. So now they're out there for everyone, they suddenly feel fresh and alive like we only wrote them last weekend”.

Matt L: “There's literally no other feeling to play the songs live, there's that instant gratification which is completely different to recording the songs. Playing shows is the best part”.

Lyrics:

Do you remember the time?

Our minds were synchronized?

When did you draw the line?

Because you’re shooting in the dark

Don’t work unless you’re paid

Wipe off your masquerade

Leader of the cavalcade

But since when were you in charge?

All I wanna know is if all you’re gonna throw us is a lifeline,

An idea of where to go

Will you crawl back out of the grave they’ve dug out deep

Or have you lost hope in the only right you know?

You’re running low on steam when we’ve got so far to grow

‘Cause all I’ve ever known is you won’t condone promise

This is the last time, 

Are you friend or are you foe?

Where do you find the time to let your tact decline?

Don’t make us all recline

Because you’re taking this all too far

Just give your thoughts some space

Don’t make the passion fade

Pulling your strings again

How far will your back bend?

Your chance will come again

But for now we’re just killing time

All I wanna know is if all you’re gonna throw us is a lifeline,

An idea of where to go

Greed like love of comfort is fear

The smile you cast them, did you fake it?

Cause you reap what you have sewn

You’re running low on steam when we’ve got so far to grow

‘Cause all I’ve ever known is you won’t condone promise

This is the last time, 

Are you friend or are you foe?

All I wanna know is

All I’ve ever known is

All I wanna know is

All you’ll ever know is

All I wanna know is if all you’re gonna throw us is a lifeline,

An idea of where to go

Beg the question, 

Bend truth to fuel your misdemeanors with the wrong souls,

Just to feel you’re in control

You’re running low on steam when we’ve got so far to grow

‘Cause all I’ve ever known is you won’t condone promise

This is the last time, 

Are you friend or are you foe?

Welcome to HeartSongs, our regularly scheduled (probably) look at songs and the people who write them. We spoke to Dublin-based singer-songwriter, The Pickled Onions, about his recent single ‘Sing To Me’.

“The song is written from the point of view of my two year old Béibhinn. Her imagination is a constant source of inspiration. Some of the lines were inspired from stories we read, and some are straight from the horse’s mouth.

The music for this one came together more or less in an evening but the lyrics took a bit of time to reveal themselves. I recently been trying to set a limit on the amount of time I'll procrastinate on a tune in the interest of getting more songs finished and putting them out there, even if they're not perfect, and I'm really enjoying the process.

More than likely the last couple of tracks, ‘Sing To Me’, ‘Honey’ and ‘Harvest’ will end up on EP number three, or possibly an album, I'll see how it's looking in the Summer. Between now and then, I have finishing touches to put on EP2, The Mines, and send it off for mixing at the Isokon (Kevin Morby, Bob Weir). I found him through listening to Kevin Morby's Singing Saw last year which I loved. Looking forward to working with him when I get my finger out.”

Lyrics:

Lift me up

Higher than the sun

Spin me around

& put a nappy on my bum

You need to look

At this stone I just found

Do you think it's worth something?

I found it on the ground

Where are you going

And can I come with you?

Don't take my sister

She's done a smelly poo

Put on my record

Till I sharpen my sound

We'll watch it spinning

Like a merrily-go-round

Build me a robot

With a smile upon his face

I need juice for my rocket

To take me into space

Slide the rings arounds Saturn

Pic-a-nic on the moon

It's the best day I've had

But it's over all too soon

And I don't want to go

But I know in my head

That the best place for me

Is tucked up in my bed

Mr. Cat to my left

& the Gingerbread mam

Sings to me softly

We're all holding hands

Sing to me softly

We're all holding hands

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