Today we’re Making Meaning with CJ Lane! CJ is the guitarist and vocalist for Swamp Drag.
Let’s make some meaning…
MAKING MEANING: THE BACKGROUND
Swamp Drag is a Buckhannon, WV-based rock trio with industrial and psychedelic influences. Formed in late 2013, Swamp Drag has self-released two albums: Ouroboros (2015) and Airships to the Sun (2017).
Swamp Drag is: Adam Allman (drums), CJ Lane (guitars, vocals), and Amaris Zirkle (bass).
See Swamp Drag perform live on July 27th at Mcalpine Meadery in Beach City, Ohio and August 2nd at Brewstel in Elkins, WV. Keep up to date on all of their upcoming shows and news by following them on Facebook and Bandcamp.
MAKING MEANING: THE SONG
Listen to the song “Airships to the Sun” from Swamp Drag’s album of the same name and learn what meaning CJ makes:
Music written, performed, and recorded by Swamp Drag. Lyrics by CJ Lane.
Lyrics to “Airships to the Sun”
Let’s get high / On mushroom clouds in the sky / Let’s fly / These airships to the Sun
Wise words from a lunatic / The world forgot her name / Memories don’t echo here / Her eyes peeled to the neon Sun / Dawning the new day / The message loud and clear
Let’s get high / On mushroom clouds in the sky / Let’s fly / These airships to the Sun
Breaking waves in the sands of time / Eroding shattered dreams / We’ve done this to ourselves / Set Controls for the heart of the Sun / Let tomorrow be our guide / We’ve done this to ourselves
Let’s get high / On mushroom clouds in the sky / Let’s fly / These airships to the Sun
Set sail before the wicked storm / Swallows up our past / We’ve done this to ourselves / Through the haze of smoke / And a burning eye / Never looking back / We’ve done this for ourselves
CJ Speaks
As with most of our songs, “Airships to the Sun” has several meanings to us.
At its surface, it’s our attempt to break away from the feeling of swallowing despair and the numerous songs and albums written from that angle. The world may be coming down all around you, whether figuratively or literally, but find a light and follow it.
“…IT’S OUR ATTEMPT TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE FEELING OF SWALLOWING DESPAIR…” – CJ LANE
The apocalypse is here. We have no map. Fire up that diesel engine on your half-assed steampunk zeppelin and fly toward the brightest thing you can see. Don’t look back. There are no promises here. No guarantees that this works out. There is no more time to worry or tremble. Grab that wheel and GO!
“Airships” opens the album and this concept as it is carried through to the very end. For us the song is a little more personal. At the time we began working on new material for what became Airships to the Sun, most of our friends and bands that we had played with for years were calling it quits. It felt like one big party and then suddenly we were the only ones left. One of the last of those bands was our good friends Electric Green Machine. Those guys had shared the stage with us so many times and suddenly they were gone. We wrote the song “Airships to the Sun” the weekend they called it quits.
“IT FELT LIKE ONE BIG PARTY AND THEN SUDDENLY WE WERE THE ONLY ONES LEFT… IT WAS EITHER WAIT AND LET THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO US OR NETWORK AND REACH NEW PLACES.” – CJ LANE
It was either wait and let the same thing happen to us or network out and reach new places. It’s all or nothing. – CJ Lane of Swamp Drag
Thanks to CJ for sharing the meaning he makes from their song! I can understand the sense of urgency CJ is describing, and I imagine many other can, too! Thank you for making meaning with us.
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