Iain Cook and Craig B. formed another band, The Unwinding Hours, and released a new album on the 15 February 2010. Martin Scott worked with Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro as tour manager and Campbell McNeil worked in the same capacity with The Temper Trap. In 2011, Iain and Martin Doherty formed the electronic/synthpop project CHVRCHES with Lauren Mayberry, releasing the albums The Bones of What You Believe (2013), Every Open Eye (2015), Love is Dead (2018) and Screen Violence (2021).
Living Backwards
Aereogramme Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A silhouette turning over, I'll wait for you here.
And I keep forgetting,
Where I meant to be, oh so far, yet, oh so near.
So tell me, just what are these gifts that you bring?
This life is amazing, the colors keep changing.
My rotting history will find its place.
So don't go so cold. So don't go so cold.
I'll not be afraid
it's taken this long
to come back again
and this time I suffer
the fate of another
a ship full of bones
and all things considered
I walked with my hands held out
I walked with my hands held out to you and all that's good.
and I'm sure, we shouldn't be wasting away.
Living backwards, I'm living backwards...
The opening lines of "Living Backwards" by Aereogramme introduce a solemn, melancholic tone right from the start. The singer is suspended in a state of limbo, "dead in the water," and waiting for something or someone to arrive. The repetition of "so far, yet so near" suggests a sense of frustration, as if whatever the singer is seeking remains tantalizingly out of reach.
As the lyrics continue, the song's mood shifts from despair to a sense of wonder and appreciation for life. The singer asks their addressee what gifts they bring, and marvels at the changing colors of existence. However, the overriding feeling of the song remains bittersweet, as the singer laments the idea of "wasting away" and hopes that their history will find a place.
The chorus, "Living backwards, I'm living backwards," indicates a sense of disorientation or displacement. The repetition of the phrase suggests that the singer is stuck in a cycle of reliving the past or struggling to move forward. Overall, "Living Backwards" is a complex, introspective exploration of the human experience, with a mix of sadness, hope, and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm dead in the water,
I feel completely stuck and helpless in my current situation.
A silhouette turning over, I'll wait for you here.
I'm just a vague outline of who I used to be, but I'll wait for you to come back and help me find my way.
And I keep forgetting,
I'm constantly getting sidetracked and losing my focus.
Where I meant to be, oh so far, yet, oh so near.
Even though I have a clear goal in mind, it feels far away and difficult to reach.
So tell me, just what are these gifts that you bring?
I'm curious what positive things you bring into my life that keep it interesting.
This life is amazing, the colors keep changing.
Despite my struggles, I recognize how beautiful and unpredictable life can be.
And I'm sure we shouldn't be wasting away.
I know we should be making the most of our time and not letting ourselves fade away.
My rotting history will find its place.
Even though I have a past full of mistakes and regrets, I trust that it will eventually fit into my life's puzzle.
So don't go so cold. So don't go so cold.
Please don't distance yourself from me emotionally.
I'll not be afraid, it's taken this long to come back again
I've waited a long time to regain my courage, but now I'm ready to face my fears.
and this time I suffer the fate of another, a ship full of bones, and all things considered
I'm going through something difficult that many others have faced before me, and I'm trying to keep everything in perspective.
I walked with my hands held out to you and all that's good.
I've opened myself up fully to the possibilities of love and positivity.
Living backwards, I'm living backwards...
My current state feels like moving in reverse, like I'm not making any real progress.
Contributed by Claire W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pizza Coolidge
Just found these guys through the split ep with isis; didn't know what to expect but this is amazing; so soothing... there is so much contrast between the two but now I have the best of both worlds :)
Bent Monkey
I will miss this band for the rest of my life
DLux
@Badrique thank you!
Badrique
@DLux Check out "The Unwinding Hours", the band of former Aereogramme Members Craig B. and Iain Cook.
Bent Monkey
Tom Lee I am unfamiliar with both
DLux
You listen to Idels or SHAME?
DLux
@Bent Monkey good time to be alive! Great group of guys and a wonderful sound.
Kwuam Peep
my own well being feels serene during this song<3
Gökçe Çimen
an amazing song.
Toomas Jaska
can't stop listening this