“South” is the third song the band ever wrote together and titles the band’s second EP.
Jake (the singer) once indicated that this song was named “Zealot” during a live performance. This title has since been changed. An image of the first rough draft of “South” also penned the track as “Going Away....
[Verse 1: Jake]
Three leagues down the soft side of where you left my
Gold rose crown, you broke down, and left me with a
Chest hum, a black gun, and forty dollars
Chest hum, a black gun, and forty dollars
[Verse 2: Jake]
Three weeks down, I drowned myself in whiskey
Came back round, and drowned out, and left me with a
Chest hum, a black gun, and forty dollars
Chest hum, a black gun, and forty dollars
[Chorus: Jake, with Nathan]
Streetlights talk the same way my mother told me
I walk the same way my father told me
Back straight, chest out, just like a soldier
Back straight, chest out, just like a soldier
Wise men talk the same way my mother told me
I walk the same way my father told me
Back straight, chest out, just like a soldier
Back straight, chest out, just like a soldier
[Bridge: Nathan, with Whistler]
You go down south, south
You go down south, south
You go down south, south
You go down south, south
You go down south, south
You go down south, south
You go down south, south
You go down south, south
You go down south, south
You go down south, south
You go down south, south
You go down south, south
[Chorus/Outro: Jake, Nathan, with Whistler & (Whistler)]
Streetlights talk the same way my mother told me
(You go down south, south)
I walk the same way my father told me
(You go down south, south)
Back straight, chest out, just like a soldier
(You go down south, south)
Back straight, chest out, just like a soldier
(You go down south, south)
Wise men talk the same way my mother told me
(You go down south, south)
I walk the same way my father told me
(You go down south, south)
Back straight, chest out, just like a soldier
(You go down south, south)
Back straight, chest out, just like a soldier
(You go down south, south)
South was written by Lupin & brotherkenzie & Whistler Isaiah & Mono Moon & Hippo Campus.
South was produced by Alan Sparhawk.
Hippo Campus released South on Sat Feb 01 2014.
“It’s a big song for us. Whenever we play it live, there’s this emotion that comes over us. It’s a song about figuring out manhood and brotherhood…”
- Hippo Campus