Shipwreck

Song Info
Advance Basics - Song 5, 3rd Single released off the album

Written by Ashley Buchholz, Jason Parsons, Thomas "Tawgs" Salter, Kevin Garland

Released February 11, 2014 (with Advanced Basics)

Song officially played as a new Single on July 14 on Live 105 Halfax. First time played on the Edge was July 18, same day as This is the Fest (Edgefest 2, 2014). Previously played first on Farm Fresh on Sonic 102.9 Edmonton on July 6, but it was unclear if it would become a single at that time.

Video
The video was filmed July 15 to 17, 2014 in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Directed by David F. Mewa. It is currently still in production.

Based on photos and videos from Instagram, Ash and Jay are on a ship that presumably runs into a storm. The two possibly go crab fishing during the video and Ash has a dramatic kiss with a woman at some point.

The video was officially released on September 24, 2014 and the video can be seen on USS' YouTube channel.

In the video Ash and Jay are on a fishing boat in a storm. Ash is dealing with depression because someone left him due to his addiction. Flashes of the woman he lost can be seen throughout the video and there are glimpses of a goodbye letter that she wrote to him. The crew, with Jay and Ash, fight the storm until Ash sees a lighthouse. It is a strong metaphor for making it through troubling times and at the end of the video there are phone numbers for Kid's Help Phone and the National Suicide Prevention Life line to help others get through their own personal storms.

Notable facts
The full letter reads as follows: Dear Ash, I am worried about you. You need help. You have not been yourself and it's tearing me apart. You need help with your addiction. You are losing yourself and sometimes it scares me. There is a storm coming and I cannot be with you when it hits. It's coming. And now it's over between us. I'm moving on. Get help I'm sorry Ash. I will always love you Eryn Gillis

The name of the ship was Crabs R Us

USS would make good fishermen.

Lyrics
Shipwreck. Useless as a lighthouse on the moon Deflect. Avoidance holds the lighter to the spoon Call me when you need someone to listen to you. Call me when your flirtin' with the edge But one step is closer than none. One step is closer than none

I'm drowning in a sea of blame. Heartbeats the microscope. Keeping me awake. La la la la la la In a sea of blame. Dead beats the undertow. Pulling me away. La la la la la la

Detect. A virus turning everything to numb Eject. I'm done with burning bridges to the sun Calling I'm surrendering to something true Calling Cause I'm ready to ignite But one step is closer than none. One step is closer than none

I'm drowning in a sea of blame. Heartbeats the microscope. Keeping me awake. La la la la la la In a sea of blame. Dead beats the undertow. Pulling me away. La la la la la la

I can feel it coming. I can feel it coming. I can feel it coming. I can feel

I can feel it coming.

A sea of blame. Heartbeats the microscope. Keeping me awake. La la la la la la In a sea of blame. Dead beats the undertow. Pulling me away. La la la la la la

La la la la la la La la la la la la

Meaning
The song is about drug addiction with Shipwreck being a metaphor for a damaged life. The verses speak to struggles with addiction and about reaching out for help. The lead up to the chorus references taking a step, a common practice in rehabilitation. The chorus itself goes back to the nautical theme and the return to drug abuse. The bridge is a strong build up about feeling the storm coming before the chorus hits one more time.

Step one of overcoming addiction is admitting that one cannot control one's addiction or compulsion. This is an underlying theme throughout the song.

In the Behind the Scenes video, Jay mentions that the song is "almost biographical" for Ash and that it is appropriate that the video takes place on a ship with a "brooding, sombre climate and atmosphere." Ash adds that an important part of the song is "the notion [of] that person that just says 'No matter what call me'" and that "the idea of the lighthouse really represents that person in your life that no matter what you're thinking of doing to yourself or no matter how scary things get that you'll reach out."

The lyrics are unusually straightforward for USS and the meaning is fairly clear with direct references to drugs use, reaching out and taking steps. It is both inspirational and sympathetic to drug addiction, highlighting the struggles and hopes related to it.

"Shipwreck to me is kind of that just before the u-turn from being a person who is just always asking for help, as opposed to becoming who can be offering help."

Notable lines
"One step is closer than none"

"I can feel it coming"

"Heart beats the microscope" (tweeted by USS on 21 Oct 2013)

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Related Links
Listen to the song - Shipwreck by warnermusiccanada on Soundcloud

USS - Shipwreck (Behind the Scenes)

Samaritan Mag - Cause Song of the Month Dec 2014