Yesterday, Australian band Strange Talk released the song “Young Hearts” as part of the pre-order package for their new album Cast Away.
I remember hearing the song “Climbing Walls” in a YouTube commercial and falling in love with the band instantly afterwards. However, as I listened to the entire Strange Talk EP, I soon realized that each song was either a complete hit or a complete miss.
It took me a while to grasp what it is that I like about “Young Hearts.” At first I was very unimpressed. But there’s something about the song’s mixture light synth, electric guitar, and xylophone in the verses and hook that make my young heart do a little dance when I hear it.
The melody of the lyrics is also very childish and fun. It’s one of those melodies that can easily be hummed without realizing it.
The song is about letting go and letting your “young heart” guide you. I’m sure many can relate to the parts about going to school, breaking the rules, and realizing that before you can walk you have to learn to crawl.
The most controversial lyric in the song happens to be my favorite. For the hook they sing:
Grown ups,
What do they know?
Living by the stories on the radio
Bad news,
On the TV,
Headlines a made up reality.
The implications are that adults will never truly understand the “symptoms of the times” because it isn’t their time. Their time has long gone. They’ve lived, they’ve learned, and they just don’t want to see us make the same mistakes that they did. Adults forget that the only way we’ll learn is by making our own mistakes that turn into memories and great stories to tell our grandchildren.
The one thing I absolutely cannot stand about this song is the chorus of “na na”s in place of what should just be an instrumental break. After every chorus I feel the urge choke whoever came up with the idea to add that bit to the song.
Pre-order Cast Away to get “Young Hearts” and five other songs, and check out the band on Spotify!
