AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies as of September 2009.
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. Another single, "Love Like Winter", reached number four on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013.[6] Decemberunderground was followed three years later by Crash Love (2009), and then four years later by Burials (2013); both albums were also successful, peaking at number twelve and number nine, respectively, on the Billboard 200. The band's tenth and latest album, AFI (The Blood Album), was released in 2017, and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200, making it their second-highest chart position.
At A Glance
AFI Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like the storm that has come out of thin air
Gentle caresses, just as paper thin, frail
And only lack the strength to hold
What if I could go to sleep for days
Would you count the hours
Or would your restlessness consume
Fall into open arms that offer their protection
Quick to deny that their open to deceit
Long to believe, support will never cease
Bitter and lonely, those they've left before
What if I could go to sleep for days
Would you count the hours
Or would your restlessness consume
Fading memories of me?
The vibrant heart so quickly growing old
The warmest eyes so quickly growing cold
Just a glance for they don't care to see
What becomes of me
The vibrant heart so quickly growing old
The warmest eyes so quickly growing cold
Just a glance for they don't care to see
What becomes of me
What becomes of me
What becomes of me
What if I could go to sleep for days
Would you count the hours
Or would your restlessness consume
What if I could go to sleep for days
Would you count the hours
Or would your restlessness consume
Fading memories of me?
The lyrics of AFI's "At A Glance" explore the feelings of isolation, fragility, and abandonment. The opening lines depict a picture of a person standing alone amidst a pouring storm, with no haven. The fragile and paper-thin caresses could be an allusion to a failing relationship or the fleeting nature of human connections. The singer wishes to disconnect himself from the world and questions if anyone would care enough to keep an eye on him. The second verse is about finding refuge in someone's embrace. The person's vulnerability is juxtaposed with the fear of deceit, and the singer is skeptical of finding someone who will continuously support him. The refrain repeats the motif of warm eyes growing cold and the singer's fear of being forgotten.
The song's lyrics are beautiful but melancholic, expressing the helplessness and despair one sometimes feels in life. In the song, the singer is grappling with the fear of abandonment, and we can feel the fear in his voice. The chorus of the song is powerful, with the question of whether the singer would be remembered when he is gone. Overall, the song is a haunting depiction of the human's existential vulnerability, where fleeting connections can leave one feeling abandoned.
Line by Line Meaning
No haven now as I watch it pour from everywhere
I feel like there's no safe place as I see problems arise from every direction
Just like the storm that has come out of thin air
The current situation feels sudden and unpredictable, like a storm that appeared out of nowhere
Gentle caresses, just as paper thin, frail
The support I receive is kind, but it feels weak and tenuous, like it might not hold up
And only lack the strength to hold
The people and things meant to give me strength don't have enough power to really make a difference
Fall into open arms that offer their protection
I want to trust someone to take care of me and keep me safe
Quick to deny that their open to deceit
I worry that the people who seem trustworthy may be hiding ulterior motives or could let me down
Long to believe, support will never cease
Despite my doubts, I really want to believe that I can rely on the support I receive and that it won't stop
Bitter and lonely, those they've left before
I've seen people who were once close to me become bitter and lonely after being abandoned by others
The vibrant heart so quickly growing old
I feel drained and like my life force is fading fast
The warmest eyes so quickly growing cold
People who used to be loving and caring have become distant and unfeeling
Just a glance for they don't care to see
People who barely look my way seem dismissive and uninterested in what's happening to me
What becomes of me
What will happen to me? I feel lost and unsure of my future
What if I could go to sleep for days
I wish I could escape the pain and uncertainty by shutting down for a while
Would you count the hours
If I did take a break, would you even notice or care?
Or would your restlessness consume
I worry that others would be too focused on their own problems to pay attention to me
Fading memories of me?
As time goes on, will people forget about me and what I'm going through?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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