The Foo Fighters are a favorite of many rock fans. The band was started by Dave Grohl, a former member of Nirvana, in 1994. This highly successful band has been producing music for the past 30 years. Their most recent album, But Here We Are, the Foo Fighters’ 11th Studio Album, was released on June 2, 2023. The album release followed the release of singles, Rescue, Under You, and Show Me How. Needless to say, it was a hit. But Here We Are was also the first album released since the death of the band’s former drummer, Taylor Hawkings.
“Rescued” was the first single released by the Foo Fighters after the death of their drummer in 2022. “Rescued” (along with many other songs on the album) is essentially a tribute to Hawkings. Grohl served as the drummer, making it his first drumming credit for the Foo Fighters since 2005.
“It came in a flash, it came outta nowhere” is an opening line of the song referencing Hawkings’ unexpected death. Hawkings was only 50 years old at the time. The lyrics of the song mainly focus on the shock many experienced.
I enjoyed this song a lot, it reminded me of some of the more well known Foo Fighters songs like “Learn to Fly.”
“Under You” was the second single released before the album and is another song presumably dedicated to Hawkings. The entire sound of this song left me completely in awe.
“Over it, think I’m getting over it… There’s no getting over it,” is another line referring to Hawkings’ passing. I think these lyrics specifically are very saddening because the singer doesn’t think that this loss is something that he’ll be able to overcome. However, throughout the song, the lyrics also say, “Someday I’ll come out from under you, out from under you,” suggesting there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
The Foo Fighters have managed to capture how they’re feeling whilst dealing with their recent losses, and put it into a song that many can relate to, even if it’s a rather bleak point of view.
I think the next song, “Nothing At All,” is about the breaking point in a relationship.
In the lyrics, “Never mind, love and hate (Nothin’ at all) Peace of mind, it’s a bit too late (Nothin’ at all),” I feel as though the singer is expressing their frustration with the relationship they’re in.
“Show Me How” was the first song that hooked me onto the entirety of this album. The intertwined melodies of Dave Grohl and his daughter, Violet Grohl, on the recording were astonishing!! I had never heard Violet Grohl sing before this song, and sadly, she has yet to release any music outside of collaborations with her father.
“Where are you now? Who will show me how?” Is repeated in the chorus. The song has been interpreted in two different ways. One, is the father-daughter relationship between Dave and Violet Grohl, the other is Dave Grohl coming to terms with the recent passing of his mother. Even with the variants of meanings, the message is the same; a child is now on their own and is left to figure things out by themselves, and they’re not quite ready to come to terms with that, asking, “Will you show me how?”
“Rest”: What I feel was the slowest song on the album, “Rest” was something I did not expect from the Foo Fighters. This, however, is not to say that it wasn’t one of my favorites. “Rest” was Dave Grohl’s way of saying goodbye to those he has lost in his life.
But Here We Are has become a part of my morning routine, the vinyl playing through the speakers of my record player. I could not be more amazed by one album as I have been with this one. Through the sad undertone of the lyrics for the songs that make up this album, there is also resilience as the band has overcome loss, something that I will always admire. If you’re a fan of rock music, I absolutely recommend this album!
