It was really hard to pick a song off of the album Sin by Poor Old Lu for this week’s “Songs & Such” article. The main reason being it is arguably one of my favorite albums by the band as it contains the song that made me fall in love with the band. But going with “Bliss Is” was in the end a great choice because it is the song that is most different from the rest of the album in it’s funk edginess. Also the subject matter is something that seems important of late, family.

It is no secret that the concept of family is falling apart here in the good old United States. And I am not referring to the homosexual’s right to marry. While that is another issue, I am talking more in general about the increasing divorce rate and the lack of some parent’s willingness to accept responsibility for their child’s actions, at least to some degree. A lot of times you see families out at restaurants, at the park, or just at the mall and they may seem perfect, but there are probably a ton of inner struggles that you are not seeing. The song “Bliss Is” looks at this. The song focuses on the lack of communication among families today. In lines like “On floor, out the door, clean the slate” the singer is talking about how sometimes issues are never really truly dealt with and instead forgotten when someone leaves the house for a short period of time.

Another interesting aspect of the long, at least lyrically and vocally is the repeating tails at the end of the verses:

“Give to get, live to get, throw a fit” with “Give to get, live to get, what is it?”

“On the floor, out the door, clean the slate” followed by “On the floor, out the door, in this hate”

“Disregard, life is hard, give a kiss” and “Disregard, life is hard, cut my wrist” and finally

“Hush up now, hear us now, sit stare” to “Hush up now, hear us now, was it fair?”

It is a really neat vocal trick, but each relates quite well the the line or two of actual verse that they follow.

Lyrics after jump…

“Bliss Is”
by Poor Old Lu
From the Album: Sin

raised to be rich
trip or be tripped
give to get, live to get
throw a fit
give to get, live to get
what is it?

you’re gonna have to wait
my family can’t relate
on the floor, out the door
clean the slate
on the floor, out the door
in this hate

and this is how
i’ll let it go
Savior save me
from what i know
(oh, what do i know?)

pushed ahead in this
society angry bliss
disregard life is hard
give a kiss
disregard life is hard
cut my wrist

did i never care?
silence at the dinner chair
hush up now, hear us now
sit and stare
hush up now, hear us now
was it fair?

and this is how
i’ll let it go
Savior save me
from what i know
(save me from what i know)