If you’ve ever had “Cigarette Daydreams” or “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” stuck in your head, there’s a good chance you know the band Cage the Elephant. It’s not something repeatedly played on the radio to get stuck in your head and it’s not for everybody, as it requires a deep appreciation for real music. This alternative band has been coming up with music since 2009, with their last album being released in 2015 they finally released their 2019 album Social Cues one week ago. Why did they wait four years to make a new album? Read on to find out!
- “Ready to Let Go”: The Best Song to Kick a Bad Habit
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“Don’t you worry baby. No sense trying’ to change it. Imma strike these matches. Never had control. I’m ready, I’m ready. I’m ready to let go.”
This song throws you on edge the moment you listen to it as it takes you into this idea of being a wallflower of a person who never had control or self-confidence until now. This song relates to how all of us sometimes feel like we’re being consumed and exhausted of all the pressures in our everyday lives. If you listen to any song off this album, make it this song, as it’s already the most popular by far and for good reason. Who isn’t ready to let go?
- “Night Running”: Your New Go-To Workout Song
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“I got my X-Ray eyes and I’m feeling so fine. Night running, all night running. Star-studded, not far from it. We’re running, all night running. Cold blooded, all night running.”
This song makes you wanna run. It has a very cool indie vibe to it, yet keeps you constantly on your toes till you hear “night running.” You almost start to feel like you’re in your very own music video as you run at full speed while singing at the same time. It’s truly captivating.
- “Social Cues”: The Album Name Itself
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“I’ll be in the back room. Tell me when it’s over. People always say, ‘man at least you’re on the radio”
The song that inspired the name of the entire album did not have to go THAT hard… but it did. It’s such a retro breath of fresh air, as it makes you unwind from all of your problems and breathe. Before you realize it, you’re singing the soothing, yet powerful lyrics with ease.
- “Dance Dance”: Not Your Average Footloose Song
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“Are you vibin’ or just lyin’? Yeah, we’re vibin’. Dance, dance, dance. Everybody dance, dance, dance”
This song says it all—you will not want to stop dancing the whole time you’re jammin’ to this song. It’s quite edgy with some beats and tunes like no other. It’s aways a go-to when I need a little pick-me-up song.
- “What I’m Becoming”: A Song Centered on Self-Growth
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“I’m so sorry, honey, for what I’m becoming. But everything you wanted seems so far from me”
This is my all-time favorite song from the album because it’s such a pure and blatantly honest way of saying you are who you are and nothing could ever change that. At the same time, you never meant to hurt anyone for being yourself, but you cannot stop fate on allowing you to be who you are becoming. What a beautiful concept.
- “Broken Boy”: Made for the Outcasts
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“I was born on the wrong side of the train tracks. I was raised with the strap across my back. Tell me why I was born to live in this skin.”
“Broken Boy” is an unapologetic song describing how it feels to be broken and different from the rest. It’s a song made for outsiders and something you can shout at the top of your lungs in your car (but maybe with the windows up).
- “Goodbye”: Song No. 13—The Meaning Behind the Album
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“I wanna scream, I wanna laugh, I wanna close my eyes. Stop wasting time trying to shape your life. It’s alright, goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye, goodbye.”
The deep meaning for the creation of this whole album is directly from Matt Schultz’s divorce, and this album does not hold back on the dark pains of love. Although with upbeat tunes and bold lyrics, “Goodbye” reveals the real meaning behind it all. Love is a beautiful thing, but sometimes it doesn’t always last and goodbye is all you can say.
Believe it or not, this is only seven out of the 13 songs on this one-of-a-kind album. Listen to the words, give it your own personal meaning, and take it all in—you won’t regret it.