Cohen, Robbins, JCC But No Guetta: Sons Of The East Wax Lyrical

Australia's biggest band you've never heard of, Sons of the East have been building a global fan base over the last decade, but have only just gotten around to a debut album. Currently on a sold-out tour of Europe and about to then head across to America, the little band from Sydney's Northern beaches have amassed over 300 million streams, largely without the help of Australian radio and industry. A little bit folk, a little bit pop, a little bit country, a little bit soul but fiercely independent and doing it their own way, Sons of the East are paving the way with the new music model based around songs rather than hype. 

Their debut album Palomar Parade hits the web today. We asked singer/guitarist Jack Rollins to take us through some of the greatest lyrics that inspired the band. 

A Lyric You First Remember Grabbing You 

Lyin’ Eyes by The Eagles
"You can’t hide your lyin eyes”

I think this is the case for all of us in the band. We remember driving to footy or a weekend road trip listening to our parents music in the background. A lot of the time it was Fleetwood Mac, Midnight Oil or The Eagles. This lyric sung with beautiful harmonies by The Eagles always seemed to give me goosebumps as an early teen. 

A Lyric You Wished You'd Written

Everybody Knows by Leonard Cohen
“Everybody knows that the dice are loaded, Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed”  

I mean, come on. Isn’t that just wonderfully badass. The whole song is full of gems like this but Cohen opens it up with this as the first line. So true and so tragic. Wish I was smart enough to write something like this. 

A Favourite Lyric From Your New Release

What I Do by Sons Of The East
“Say my name it’s honey to my ears” 

We wrote this song quite quickly and the lyrics at the time really poured out of me. I’d been toying with a lyric when a loved one says your name how special it feels for a while. But this seemed like the perfect line for the perfect fit. How gooey and sweet it feels when the person you love says your name. 

A Lyric You Think Is Perfect

El Paso by Marty Robins
“Maybe tomorrow a bullet may find me, Tonight, nothing’s worse than this pain in my heart.”

If you haven’t, go listen to this song. Such imagery with a beautiful melody Marty can do no wrong. I find this lyric so perfect cause it just shoots straight for the heart strings. He’s longing for his sweetheart so deeply that he doesn’t even fear the inevitable bullets heading his way. A true gun fighter ballad. 

A Lyric That Makes You Happy

Window To The Sky - Kim Churchill
“You’re my window to the sky”

We’re currently touring through Europe with Kim Churchill. Getting to hear him belt this gorgeous track out every night is a real treat. Not only that but it reminds me how lucky we are to be back on the road doing what we love most. Playing live music. 

A Lyric That Makes You Sad

Sexy Bitch by David Guetta
“I’m tryna find the words to describe this girl without being disrespectful… damn you a sexy bitch” 

Seriously pathetic. This garbage lyric makes me sad for the art of songwriting. Whilst it is Akon that sings it, who has many hits under his name, the lack of effort put into this line just hurts. Truly garbage.

Most Underrated Lyric

So Long Marianne by Leonard Cohen
“Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began, To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again” 

Doesn’t seem like much but it’s so damn beautiful in its simplicity. Even though he’s saying goodbye, Cohen is also asking for a beginning to some dialogue about their relationship history. To laugh and cry about it all. I dunno I just feel it’s so beautiful and makes me think about every relationship I’ve had. 

A Lyric That Everyone Should Know

I Wanna Be Yours by Dr John Cooper Clarke
"I wanna be your vacuum cleaner, Breathing in your dust,
I wanna be your Ford Cortina, I will never rust
If you like your coffee hot, Let me be your coffee pot
You call the shots, I wanna be yours” 

The original punk poet, full of that northern English charm. Dr. John Cooper Clarke is a serious wordsmith. You may recognize some of these words from the Arctic Monkeys song of the same title. They used this poem/song as a basis to form that romantic rock and roll song. Can you blame them? These lyrics are so blunt but poignant, you can see the desperation weep from every line. “I wanna be your vacuum cleaner, breathing in your dust” That is so sad yet so cool. You gotta learn this whole thing off by heart to drop on your sweet heart one time, hit them with the “if you like your coffee hot, let me be your coffee pot”. Anyone would melt.

Sons of the East's Palomar Parade is out now wherever good music (and David Guetta) is streamed.