Song of the Week
“Heat Above” by Greta Van Fleet is a passionate song about love during a time when it feels like there is very little. The band includes singer Josh Kiszka, guitarist Jake Kiszka, bassist Sam Kiszka and drummer Daniel Wagner. “Heat Above” specifically was written by lead singer Josh Kiszka. Continuing, The band started their career with a controversy surrounding their sound. Critics say they’re a carbon copy of Led Zeppelin and that they stole their 70s rock sound. I don’t believe that’s true although singer Josh Kiszka’s voice is very similar to that of Robert Plant. Greta Van Fleet’s sound has evolved away from that Zeppelin aethstetic in their more recent music. Furthermore, Their name is after a real person named Gretna Van Fleet, a resident in their hometown of Frankenmuth, Michigan. I think they are fantastic either way so let’s get into it.
They open the song metaphorically describing the social climate of the world. “Sorrows of the Earth / May our tears of rain wash down to bathe you / This is what life is worth / When the fires still burn and rage all around”. Whenever fire is mentioned in the brilliant song it symbolizes the intense conflict and violence in today’s social climate. Life is about more than getting your way or being right. The most important thing is love. The tears they shed about the fighting symbolize the glue holding them and others together on this mission to spread love. Let their sympathy for all spread to you and bathe all of the insecurity and uncertainty from your being. They are very grandeur in that way.
The second verse continues to explain their battle for love. “Follow the fearsome sound / As they march to battle, hear the drums pound / We do not fight for war / But to save the lives of those who do”. Recently, existing within society can feel like a battlefield because people keep waking up and choosing violence. The idea they are trying to spread is similar to my “Is peace controversial?” blog post. People would rather disagree, dig in there hills and get their way instead of communicating and compromising. They are fighting for peace instead of picking a side and trying to help everyone be more open as they choose to be.
In the chorus and pre chorus the lyrics take a divine turn. “Can you hear that dreadful sound? / Fire still burning on the ground / Can you feel my love? / Rising with the heat above / Life’s the story of / Ascending to the stars as one”. Can we find our way above the mayhem? I think that Greta Van Fleet has the right idea. One of the biggest problems today is that there’s a huge absence of love in the world. They offer up their own belting out that they love everyone, hoping that others will do the same in return. The divine turn is the line “ascending to the stars as one.” They are implying that we are all connected and we should treat each other as such. Ascension is rising to a higher level but I doubt he means it physically. Mentally we can get to a higher level of conscience and connection as a species which is what I assume he is singing about. All we need is love. It feels spiritual because he mentions ascension and the stars, but I digress.
The final verse does a shout out to their debut album “Anthem of the Peaceful Army”. “Marching across the land / Is a peaceful army joining the band / Walking hand in hand / To an anthem loudly sung where they stand”. They are the peaceful army. Music is their only weapon and their goal is to conquer hate with love. This love is not for a particular person but for everyone who needs it during this volatile time. Hopefully, we can find our way out of the fiery conflict into the heat of love above it! I would also advise everyone to check out the glamourous way they perform this explosively euphoric effigy of their battle for love in the music video. That’s my perception! What do you think the song is about?
What is Perception? 