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.
Prelude 12/21
AFI Lyrics
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This is what I brought, you may forget me
I promise to depart, just promise one thing
Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep
This is what I brought you, this you can keep
This is what I brought, you may forget me
I promise you my heart, just promise one thing
Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep
This is what I thought, I thought you'd need me
This is what I thought, so think me naive
I'd promise you a heart, you'd promise to keep
Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep
Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep
Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep
AFI's song "Prelude 12/21" is a hauntingly beautiful piece that lingers with the listener long after it ends. The lyrics describe a tragic love story, where the singer has brought a gift for their beloved, but they are implicitly aware that they will soon depart from this world. The first verse is a plea to their loved one to promise to kiss their eyes and lay them to sleep, to let them pass peacefully. The second verse continues with the theme of departure and a tragic misunderstanding, as the singer realizes that their lover might not have needed them as much as they had assumed. The song ends with a reiteration of the plea for their eyes to be kissed and to be laid to rest.
What makes this song so powerful is the combination of the haunting melody, the somber lyrics, and the raw emotion in the vocalist's voice. The words are simple, but they convey a depth of feeling that is universal. The listener can imagine themselves in the singer's shoes, facing their own mortality and the possibility of being forgotten by the ones they love.
Overall, AFI's "Prelude 12/21" is a beautiful and poignant song that captures the essence of love and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
This is what I brought you, this you can keep
I am offering you something that you can hold onto, something that will remind you of me.
This is what I brought, you may forget me
Even though I may not stay in your life forever, I hope that what I have given you will remain with you.
I promise to depart, just promise one thing
I know I can't stay, but I hope you will promise me something before I leave.
Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep
Before I go, I want you to give me a final goodbye by kissing my eyes and allowing me to rest.
This is what I thought, I thought you'd need me
I had hoped that you would want me in your life, that you would require my presence.
This is what I thought, so think me naive
If my assumptions were incorrect, I understand if you think I'm foolish.
I'd promise you a heart, you'd promise to keep
I was willing to give you my heart and all that comes with it, and I was hoping you would take care of it.
Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep
In the end, my request remains the same - a final kiss and a peaceful rest.
Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep
Again, I ask for this small act of kindness before I go.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: ADAM A CARSON, DAVID PADEN MARCHAND, HUNTER LAWRENCE BURGAN, JADE ERROL PUGET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind