Starlighter (Echo, Utah)

Album: Bad Frequencies (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The lyrics for this song were inspired by a journey in the mountains of Utah, which Hawthorne Heights frontman JT Woodruff described to Rock Sound as "the worst drive of my life." He explained:

    "There was snow pouring everywhere, the van I was driving didn't have heat or defrost, and the passenger was wiping the window frantically with the sock he was wearing, so I could see the road. It was 14 miles till the next exit, and our lives kept flashing before our eyes. When we eventually made it safely to an exit, we left the van in the middle of the parking lot, checked in to a room, and when I stopped trembling, I wrote lyrics about summer.

    I needed to get my head out of the snow and think about how this situation would be different if it was in June. So while my mind was racing, I crafted a story about a group of friends whose entire lives are ahead of them, and they just want to have one last weekend blow out. There are laughs, arguments, adventure, and everything that makes a summer weekend great. But the overlying theme is that I thought I was going to die that night, with my friends, just so I could sing and play guitar. Pretty crucial. [Laughs]"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Melanie

MelanieSongwriter Interviews

The singer-songwriter Melanie talks about her spiritual awakening at Woodstock, "Brand New Key," and why songwriting is an art, not a craft.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.

Tom Keifer of Cinderella

Tom Keifer of CinderellaSongwriter Interviews

Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.

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.

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.