Handyman

Album: Here Come the Runts (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The video was directed by Ravi Dhar and shot in rural California. The clip features veteran actor Monte Markham, who played Harry Kellem in the original Hawaii Five-O and the actress Alex Esso. It tells the story of a lovestruck couple and is described in a press release as "a time-bending journey through the moments and memories of the characters' lives, embracing the idea of what was and what could have been."

    "I wanted to finally tell a good ole fashion love story," said frontman Aaron Bruno. "We all have the opportunity to be the handyman (or woman) of the heart."
  • Aaron Bruno is not being literal when he sings, "I'll be your handyman."

    "It's funny, 'cause people who know me are like, 'The last thing you are is a handyman,'" he told ABC Radio. The Awolnation frontman added that "can't fix your engine if it blows up on the side of the road," but he does feel he's been a "good handyman emotionally for people."

    "I can help in those sort of ways," he said. "Maybe with music, or just being someone who can listen, I guess."
  • The music and lyrics for the song came to Bruno very easily. "Some songs take a minute to write, right?" he explained. "You hit a wall or a speed bump and you have navigate through what's gonna be cool, what's gonna suck, and so forth and so on, [but] 'Handyman' just kinda came out of me."
  • The song is also about wishing you could go back in time and fix any mistakes you've made in the past, a concept that was inspired in part by Aaron Bruno's favorite movie, Back to the Future.

    "What would you do, who would you go to?" Bruno explained. "Who's that person you love so much that you wanna go help? Or could it be you? Would you go try to warn yourself of certain mistakes and how to fix things?"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers

Tom Johnston from The Doobie BrothersSongwriter Interviews

The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Jon Anderson of Yes

Jon Anderson of YesSongwriter Interviews

From the lake in "Roundabout" to Sister Bluebird in "Starship Trooper," Jon Anderson talks about how nature and spirituality play into his lyrics for Yes.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Psychedelic Furs lead singer Richard Butler talks about their first album since 1991 and explains what's really going on in "Pretty In Pink."