u/SubstantialSteak738

It’s kind of the best song ever when you think about it… I feel like the Garden don’t have a lot of songs where Fletcher plays the drums half time like he does in the chorus… idk I could be wrong but it just tickles my brain so good.

Would love to know some of your guys’ favorite Garden lyrics!! Which ones stand out to you the most and why??

Some of my faves:
• “People can't always have ideal situations served on a silver platter
But they'll just have to fight harder
I guess it all depends on how hard you fight
Maybe you're being punished for your past life
Whatever the case is, I definitely feel for you
Because in the end, everyone has problems
And life tries to teach you something
No matter how many times you’ve lived
So keep in mind that everyone is equal
And nothing that you do makes you more human than anyone else” from ‘A Message for Myself’

i love when they get philosophical with it

• “Wobbling down a brick road I hunt for my reflection No more algorithm when I’m in the rhythm section” from ‘What Else Could I be but a Jester’

this one just scratches an itch in my brain the way Fletcher sings it haha, also I play drums and Fletcher is a big inspiration for me! So the “no more algorithm when i’m in the rhythm section” makes me think of playing drums and how you have to be so in the moment while playing that you don’t have any time to think about anything else

I was thinking about MMSYC as an album and the lyrics are so spiritual to me.

The lyrics from A Message for Myself stand out in particular:

“People can't always have ideal situations
Served on a silver platter
And others have to fight harder
I guess it all depends on how hard you fight Maybe you're being punished for your past life”

This song means a lot to me. I think a lot of their philosophies have shaped me into the person I am today. I didn’t grow up with a father that showed me punk, metal, or classic rock, so discovering The Garden felt like an introduction— into the punk world especially— without feeling intimidated by it. I love the way they infuse silliness into their music without it coming across as inauthentic or apathetic. Their stance on life is philosophical and spiritual and they preach total self-expression, no matter what anybody else says (Vada Vada basically). I’m so curious if they are spiritual themselves, and if so, in what ways because their lyrics certainly suggest a deep spiritual knowledge. They are scorpios, after all.

Mirror Might Steal Your Charm is perhaps the best example of what I’m talking about:

Make A Wish is about manifestation, Shameless Shadow is about the shadow self and shadow work, the title even talks about the ego and how looking at yourself through a mirror, which if you know anything about mirror theory, it’s the idea that everyone is a mirror of each other and you can only see what is a reflection of your inner self. “Mirror theory requires you to take radical responsibility for everything in your life; every thought, emotion, and action will have a ripple effect” (I found this article about it: https://theeverygirl.com/the-mirror-theory/).

This is fascinating to me because how we interpret things has everything to do with us, and nothing to do with the other person. I think this is another point they seek to make with how experimental they are. If you fuck with it, you fuck with it, basically.

I didn’t expect this to turn into an essay LOL but I think being introduced to The Garden was a catalyst of sorts to expose me to a new way of thinking. It’s crazy how music can be that powerful.

But yeah I’m honestly dying to know if they resonate with this and I would love to ask them about it someday haha

They have made such cool ones over the years!
Personally, I love ‘ugly’ the most currently, those visuals are incredible!! (i love the one with the tree in the background specifically) ‘Call this # now’ is also super nostalgic for me.
I’d love to know which ones are your favorites and why!