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.
Who Knew
AFI Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every motion leaving scars behind.
All sincere emotion received skeptically
With no preparation for life eternal.
Every tear that's fallen brings one thousand floods.
Paper cuts are leaving blood behind.
All the silent laughter ringing piercingly.
I blink making my eyes mine.
They should be weighted down,
But do I truly wish their cessation?
Fly.
The lyrics of AFI's song Who Knew? touch on the idea of the lasting impact of our experiences, emotions and the words we use. The first few lines of the song speak to the idea that even the slightest experiences or notions can leave a lasting impression on us, burning indelibly into our minds. These experiences can even leave scars behind, symbolizing the emotional wounds that we carry with us. Even sincerity and genuine emotion can be met with skepticism, leaving us unprepared for the everlasting impact these experiences have on us.
The second verse delves even further into this idea, describing the thousands of tears that have been cried and the blood left behind from seemingly insignificant paper cuts. Even silent moments of laughter can ring piercingly and leave a mark on us. The singer blinks, claiming their eyes as their own, perhaps symbolizing an acceptance of the impact these experiences have on them.
The final line of the song, "Fly," could be interpreted as a release, a shedding of the weight of these experiences, emotions and words. It could be seen as a call to move forward, to leave the past behind and to focus on the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Every single notion burned indelibly.
Every idea I've ever had is permanently etched into my mind and has shaped who I am.
Every motion leaving scars behind.
Every action I take has consequences and has left visible marks on my past.
All sincere emotion received skeptically
Whenever I express my true emotions, people doubt their authenticity and sincerity.
With no preparation for life eternal.
I never expected life to be so short and unpredictable, with no guarantee of an afterlife.
Every tear that's fallen brings one thousand floods.
Every time I cry, it feels like I'm reliving all the pain and sorrow I've ever experienced.
Paper cuts are leaving blood behind.
Even the smallest wounds can leave a lasting impact and cause pain.
All the silent laughter ringing piercingly.
The laughter I keep inside and don't express out loud can be just as intense and haunting as my tears.
I blink making my eyes mine.
I take control of my own emotions and experiences by choosing how I react and perceive the world around me.
Words in their worthlessness,
Words can be meaningless and shallow, failing to capture the true depth of emotions or experiences.
They should be weighted down,
Words should carry more significance and weight in order to truly reflect the complexities of life.
But do I truly wish their cessation?
Despite their flaws, I still value words and their ability to connect and express thoughts and feelings.
Fly.
Embrace life and take control of your own experiences, even with all the pain and uncertainty that comes with it.
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Brendan Galloway
This band has so much music and it's all SO GOOD
Matt Miltenberger
Love this song and this whole era. I think about how crazy hard these guys were working. Cause to Release black sails EP then black sails in the sunset and then All Hallows Ep in one year is just crazy. That's a lot of material and a lot of recording time being put in. Not to mention they also had material for the The Art of Drowning era as well. Its just mind boggling to me how hard these guys worked and how passionate these guys were at the same time. Not to say they aren't now. but doing all this stuff in the late 90's early 2000's is wild to me.
Shadow Douglas
When they where at there best :)
Shadow Douglas
I loved them still my favorite band but honestly i think they put more into it than no Autotunes and all the great tech we have now I bought the CD with Miss Murder listed to it for 3 days and gave it away and i got half sleeve of All Hallows Art on me lol but my opinion have a great day hun.
Shadow Douglas
Great song so glad to hear it Afi at there best.
Jesse Rodriguez
I fucking love davey's voice on this. Thanks for uploading!
Christopher Lowe
Old School AFI rules. Saw them with sick of it all in Portland back in the day.....now THAT was a show!!!!
kavantheterrible
Saw that tour in Vancouver too. AFI, Sick of it All, and Death By Stereo. Such an amazing show. I met Davy briefly that night, as well as Efrem (Death By Stereo) for the 1st of many times
Joshua Smith
Saw them with sick of it all in San Diego mid nineties
Spooked
I saw them in Philly back in the day with sick of it all too! That was a sick tour