Helena Beat

Album: Torches (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the second single by American indie pop group Foster the People, from the band's debut studio album Torches. The anthemic song is about the come down youngsters get, when after partying hard and getting totally wasted, they arrive back home and think: Now What?

    Their bass player Cubbie Fink explained at the Lollapalooza festival that the song is about: "The facade in Hollywood that there's all these young, beautiful people partying in this drug culture and getting lost in it. They're searching for the fountain of youth."
  • Frontman Mark Foster told MTV News this song is his favorite from the band's live set. "I get to run around with a guitar and bang on drums," he laughed. "So, you know, it's good."
  • The Ace Norton directed video is set in a post-apocalyptic world and finds the band members being kidnapped by some deranged kids. Foster described it to MTV News as "Lord of the Flies meets Mad Max." The video goes with the "Fountain of Youth" theme in the lyrics.
  • The title doesn't show up in the lyrics, but it's pronounced "Hell-A-Na Beat."
  • According to an interview with The Music Network, Mark Foster titled the track after an ex who was "partying a lot." He went on to explain that the lyrics embody the attitude of Hollywood's drug culture scene. "They're the young, hot, up and coming, powerful people that are gonna run the world," he said. "But they're just going out and doing drugs every night. "They're saying it with this big smile of their face like 'I'm great, everything's great,' 'but don't you see that you're completely out of your mind on drugs right now that you can't even stand?' Their whole life is f--ked."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")Songwriter Interviews

Phil was a songwriter, producer and voice behind many Philadelphia soul classics. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People.

Rufus Wainwright

Rufus WainwrightSongwriter Interviews

Rufus Wainwright on "Hallelujah," his album Unfollow The Rules, and getting into his "lyric trance" on 12-hour walks.

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal Tap

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal TapSong Writing

Based on criteria like girlfriend tension, stage mishaps and drummer turnover, these are the 10 bands most like Spinal Tap.