“I Hope The Sun Doesn’t Catch Us” is tough and tuneful NYC rock with a tender emotional heart that embraces the lyrical surrealism and guitar flights of pivotal band Television.

Q&A with LORNE BEHRMAN ABOUT THE SONG + VIDEO
“I HOPE THE SUN DOESN’T CATCH US”

In your bio, it says that “I Hope The Sun Doesn’t Catch Us” explores the art-punk transcendence of Marquee Moon-era Television with a hypnotic melodic arpeggio riff; an imaginative arrangement interspersed with quivers of sublime lead guitar melodies; and celestial guitar solos.” Television is a pivotal band in music history like the Velvet Underground. Can you talk about when you first experienced the band and how they affected you…then + now?

I have always wanted to experience the musical feelings people ascribe to The Grateful Dead. That idea of music taking you on a journey and having this surrealistic and abstract artistry—and Television had that. I encountered them in my early 20s. Before that, I had heard of them, and read about them, but had no idea what they sounded like. At the time, I had fallen in love with punk, and wanted to know everything about it. I bought the CD as investigative research—I wanted to know what this strain of punk/proto-punk sounded like.

The first few notes instantly pulled me in. It was like hearing music I had wanted to experience my whole life. At the time, I was playing in bands more aligned with The New York Dolls, The Clash, and The Sex Pistols. Most of the people in my circle thought Television was pretentious and too jam-based, as Television had extended guitar solos. I kept listening—this music felt like an extension of the Velvet Underground and The Stooges. I knew one day I could merge all these influences.

Television’s music has stuck with me to this day; it never feels dated and the musicianship is so strong that it feels like decades later I am still playing along to this album and learning new things. Punk used to mean to me total freedom, and this “you can do it” optimism. For many years I became myopic and mired in cliched nihilism, but these days I love the spirit of punk and feel it can be anything, as long as it’s true to my soul.

What was your mindset when you wrote the lyrics for the song? There’s a sense of existential panic in the chorus—and at the same time a sense of open-ended freedom, too: “Heading out on a no way street/I hope the sun doesn’t catch us/I don’t know who I’m trying to beat/just hope the sun doesn’t catch us.”

Every other Friday I take a train to pick up my daughter. During that train ride, I am excited to see her, and it feels like that is the only time I have during the week to catch my breath. A lot of life changing moments and thoughts have happened on the Metro North ride from Manhattan to Westchester. Much of this album was written on these rides.

When I wrote this song, I remember looking out at the sunset reflecting on the river, and, as the train moved, it looked like long legs of sunshine stretched out on the water running. I was thinking metaphorically, like the image was me and my daughter running from the weekend ending, hence the line: I hope the sun doesn’t catch us.

It made me think of the transience and the limits of love. In my life, it has always felt like love is coming to some sort of an end; ill-fated relationships that worked well at the bar but not in real life. The feeling of being a single dad and only having your kid certain times a week. And my own limits of love. What do I mean when I say “I love you”? Is my love conditional? Is it manipulative? So, there was a panic in the inner dialogue.

That said, there was also this feeling of this being an internal discussion that will lead to some sort of greater understanding of love and what it means to me. There was optimism in there because I know in my heart I love my daughter—so that connection feels real to me, and it shows me I am capable of deep connections. Also, during this time I was realizing I wanted to marry my girlfriend. I never thought I would get married again, as I felt damaged and also scared to merge my life with someone else. So, the song has a lot of questioning in it, some of it is painful and panicked, but, overall, it’s about that feeling of trusting you’re starting a new journey of self-knowledge even if you have made mistakes or you feel confused. There’s sense of awe and discovery in this song.

There’s a lot of rich imagery in lines like “Sunset is waning/the water looks like lava/ It’s a lonely ride home/The broken piece/Running away will never fix.” What inspired these visions?
When I was younger, I read parts of Thoreau’s Walden Pond, and the way he wrote about landscapes just really moved me. I love words and images that transport, and, as a songwriter, I love mixing that with self-reflection. Those words were from a trip back on the train, and realizing I had a respite from feelings of brokenness. The minefield of my mind—it seems like we all have this—was firing all the sad and depressing realities I face day to day. The difference is I realize it’s futile to try to run away. I have to face it.

Can you talk about how you feel the video’s scenes of a couple running through the NYC streets reflect the song’s lyrics?

The video’s scenes of the couple running through the NYC streets really reflect the dual feelings of desperation and hope pent up in the song’s lyrics. Director David J Baron intuitively captured that feeling of running from reality but celebrating the moment. The couple is contrasted with my own performance footage which is more unhinged and urgent. I was so moved by his sense of editing, the stunning lighting he captured, and his narrative visual approach—this video is the song come to life. I am so grateful for his talents, patience, and his keen artistic insights.

As with the other songs on the album, “I Hope The Sun Doesn’t Catch Us” is short, making its point quickly + effectively, clocking in at 2:21. What attracts you to keeping your songs so short?

“I don’t want to waste your time. I like the idea that my songs can be little bursts of emotions and catharsis. Maybe someone is having a bad day, and they can duck out from work for a few minutes and hear one of my songs and feel better? Or before someone does something dangerously impulsive, maybe they can play one of my 2-minute or less songs and it could change their mind? I like the idea of instant relief. That’s what I strive for as songwriter.”