Annie Hardy (Giant Drag) has had years of struggle with her music career, but all is finally looking up for the determined musician. March 5th she released her second studio album Waking Up Is Hard To Do. The 12th song on the 15 track collection is “Seen The Light,” which Hardy took the time to share with us the detailed story behind it. Check out the story below and you can listen and purchase a copy of her new album here.
Background
“I feel embarrassed when I listen to this record sometimes because it is so personal and I was in such a fragile place when I wrote it that I allowed myself to tap into feelings and themes that I hadn’t ever fucked with before. When I wrote the majority of what I thought was going to be Giant Drag’s second record I was still able to easily write a song but by the time “Seen the Light” joined the party, of what I recall is about 30 songs, I had just been through Interscope Records dropping me the day before we were slated to start recording and I had been to rehab for the second time since Hearts & Unicorns release. I had been attending 12-step meetings and I thought everything was turning around but in typical Annie Hardy and GiantDrag fashion looks were deceiving and I was rationalizing my way through each day, telling myself that things were this way when really they were that way. What “that” way was/is doesn’t even matter now, many years later. When life pulls the rug out from under your feet you can sit around trying to make sense out of the crazy circumstances or you can forge on. Understanding that I can’t make sense out of crazy is one of the few sane things I’ve accomplished this year.
Many of my songs don’t make sense to me when I write them. Upon being asked what this song was about I couldn’t have told you, I still barely can wrap my head around it but this song is more relatable for me at this moment than it ever has been.
When I was property of Interscope I did this thing that I’ve always done where I bend my will because I am pressured, because someone wants me to or because I know I’m supposed to. I didn’t think it was anything to be what I considered agreeable for my label, management, bandmates… whoever. I always want to make the people around me happy. But after a life time of trying to and failing I started to grow embittered. By then I’d let so many things slide, done what I said I would never do but just by a bit… Not knowing that over time I had lost my sense of self that was necessary to do important shit like stand up for myself. I lost the connection with the voice inside myself that I now know is my instinct. That little voice in your head that tells you not to get in the car with that stranger… I got in the car and I didn’t come back for quite a while.
This song was my surrendering to life, the Universe, God… Whatever you want to call it and whatever is out there, I found myself reaching out with a feeble hand and asking for assistance as I relearned how to live a life of conviction, authenticity and fairness. It’s been the longest, most painful process to figure it out but finally, now, I’m getting it right.”
Lyrics
I was down and broken hearted
I shut down before I started
But now I feel alright, I’ve seen the light
You want fame and adulation
I want my own home and a short vacation
But now it’s getting right
I’ve seen the light
You want to go get it now, I’ll be here waiting around
Everything I hate in you is what I hate in me
Everything that I’m afraid that I might be
But that’s alright cuz I’ve seen the light
And I know I’m right cuz I’ve seen the light
You wanna go get it now I’ll be here waiting around
You with your head in the ground
I know what you’re gonna say
I don’t care what you might say
I’ve seen the light
Lord, Lord, Lord
I’ve seen the light
Lord, Lord, Lord
