Derek Sanders
[Photo by: Lupe Bustos]

Derek Sanders shares moving acoustic cover first recorded for his wife

Last month, Derek Sanders of Mayday Parade announced a solo EP titled My Rock And Roll Heart. The EP releases Feb. 14 or Valentine’s Day. Well, we’re nearly there and today Sanders dropped the next track from the record. The song is a cover of “But Lauren” by the local Tallahassee band Goodbye Love.

Sanders previously released the first single “A Praise Chorus” by Jimmy Eat World back in January.

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My Rock And Roll Heart consists entirely of covers of influential bands in Sanders’ youth. The five tracks consist of covers of Jimmy Eat World, Something CorporateSaves The Daythe Juliana Theory, and local Tallahassee band, Goodbye Love.

The record spawned from a gift that Sanders gave his wife for Valentine’s Day in 2017. Sanders covered the song “But Lauren” by Goodbye Love. Goodbye Love was an influential band in both Derek and his wife Lauren’s youth and Derek wanted more people to be exposed to such a great song.

“This was before the internet, and Mike[Hanson] never really broke out of Tallahassee,” Sanders says. “It’s such a shame his music never had a chance to do more than it did, and it’s cool that people will be able to hear it through me.”

Speaking of the record as a whole, Sanders talks about his love for music is based on his youth and the influences he chose for My Rock And Roll Heart. 

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“When I started getting into music, I got an acoustic guitar when I was ten years old. I spent all of my time with that guitar, just learning to play and writing my first songs. I’ve been in so many bands since then, and it’s cool to go back to playing acoustic and singing the way it all started,”

“All of the songs on the EP are ones I was listening to at 15 or 16 years old,” he says. “I was like, ‘I gotta do a Saves The Day song, I have to do a Jimmy Eat World song.’ It was very nostalgic.”

Now, Sanders has finally unveiled his cover of “But Lauren” along with a video for the track.

The video starts with a voice-over by Sanders explaining how he ended up recording the song. We’re then treated to a stunning video of Sanders performing the song and solemnly walking around a town. Check it out below.

“But Lauren” by Goodbye Love Lyrics

Telling you that you were the most beautiful person in the whole world
The whole world would only be the beginning
The beginning of a new day rising

But don’t get me wrong
Because I hear the calling
Of the angels that so desperately
They want you back
They say it’s been too long for a goddess
To be dressed as a girl

Is this the ending of a story told in sorrow?
Or are you just a mark that follows?
You clean me off then dirty me right up
You wipe my tears then watch me spill my guts

But don’t get me wrong
Because I hear the calling
Of the angels that so desperately
They want you back
They say it’s been too long for a goddess
To be dressed as a girl

Well it’s the ending of a story told in sorrow
But Lauren..

My Rock and Roll Heart Tracklist

1. “But Lauren” (Goodbye Love)
2. “Rocks Tonic Juice Magic” (Saves the Day)
3. “A Praise Chorus” (Jimmy Eat World)
4. “Punk Rock Princess” (Something Corporate)
5. “August In Bethany” (The Juliana Theory)

My Rock And Roll Heart drops on Feb. 14 and can be preordered here. Derek Sanders is also playing a very limited run of shows following the release. Tickets are available here. Check out the dates below.

02/15 – Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub
02/16 – Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl
02/17 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt

Are you excited for My Rock And Roll Heart? Tell us in the comments below!

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