Prior to his success as Aqualung, Hales was known as the lead singer of mid-1990s, London-based Britpop band Ruth. Ruth had a string of moderately successful hit singles, including "I Don't Know," "Valentine's Day," and "Fear of Flying," and one album, "Harrison," before changing their name in 2001 to The 45's. As The 45s, the band released two more singles and one posthumous album to little attention before splitting so Hales could focus on his new endeavor as Aqualung. Almost immediately after the band's split, "Strange and Beautiful" began climbing the British charts and gaining massive amounts of attention--a dramatic turnabout from the previous year. In 2005, Aqualung would even achieve elusive success in the United States, where they are best known for the song "Brighter Than Sunshine", which had considerable airplay and was used in the film A Lot Like Love and various television spots. He's also known to some for his song, "Easier to Lie", which was featured on the hit television show, Scrubs. His music also went on to feature in another hit television show the OC. His song, "Strange and Beautiful" was also featured on the hit show CSI. Later, the song "Something To Believe In" was also featured at the ending of an episode of CSI: Miami. It was also featured in the movie "Wicker Park". "The Lake" was also featured on the wildly popular television show Grey's Anatomy. Aqualung has also had songs featured on One Tree Hill in various seasons. In 2009, his song "Easier to Lie" was again featured on a television show, this time Lie To Me.
It has been written that Hales took the name "Aqualung" from a Jethro Tull album of the same name. However, he himself says he was not aware of this album, and that it was descriptive of the underwater feeling he felt listening to his debut album.
His debut single, "Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put a spell on You)", was released in the UK on the B-Unique label on September 16, 2002, and reached number 7 in the UK Top 40 and was used in the film Wicker Park.
The song "Something To Believe In" from the album "Memory Man" was used during the ending of the former ABC show Eli Stone premiered on Jan 31, 2008.
The song "Good Times Gonna Come" has recently been used on the show Skins on the British channel E4.
On April 20th, 2010 Aqualung released his 6th studio album Magnetic North (2010). The first single released is a song called "Fingertip".
7 Keys
Aqualung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But somehow you let yourself in
Closed off and broken
I never wanted to go there again
I wasn't waiting
But you came at just the right time
Weary and wasted
Darling, believe
You're closer than anyone has ever been
Oh, baby, don't leave me alone
I'm yours for eternity
You hold the seven keys to my soul
Feel so connected
Like I've known you all along
Never expected
To fall into loving so deep
So deep and so strong
Darling, believe
You're closer than anyone has ever been
Oh, baby, don't leave me alone
I'm yours for eternity
You hold the seven keys to my soul
Closer than anyone, this is where we belong
Closer than anyone, this is where we belong
Closer than anyone, this is where we belong
Closer than anyone, this is where we belong
Darling, believe
You're closer than anyone has ever been
Oh, baby, don't leave me alone
I'm yours for eternity
You hold the seven keys to my soul
The lyrics to Aqualung's "7 Keys" speak to the idea of finding oneself vulnerable after shutting off emotionally from previous romantic relationships. The singer describes a past where they were closed off and broken, not willing to let anyone into their heart again. However, the arrival of their current partner changed everything for them. Without actively seeking a relationship or waiting for someone to come along, the singer is suddenly presented with a strong emotional connection that they never expected. They refer to this new feeling as falling into love, and the depth of this love is emphasized through descriptions of feeling alive and feeling connected. The chorus declares that the partner is closer than anyone has ever been, and the singer's commitment to them is clear. They are willing to give their partner control over their emotional well-being, stating that their partner holds the seven keys to their soul.
Overall, the song is a declaration of love and emotional surrender. The singer acknowledges how difficult it can be to open oneself up to love after being hurt, but they have found someone who has earned their trust and their heart. The metaphor of keys speaks to the idea of giving someone access to one's emotional core and trusting them with it.
Line by Line Meaning
It wasn't open
The singer did not have their heart open for love.
But somehow you let yourself in
The other person was able to break through the singer's walls and enter their heart.
Closed off and broken
The singer's heart was guarded and damaged from previous experiences.
I never wanted to go there again
The artist was afraid of being hurt again and did not want to open their heart.
I wasn't waiting
The artist was not actively looking for love.
But you came at just the right time
The other person came into the singer's life unexpectedly but at a perfect moment for the singer.
Weary and wasted
The singer was tired and feeling defeated from their past experiences with love.
I never knew I could feel so alive
The other person brought the artist back to life and made them feel truly alive again.
Darling, believe
The artist is trying to convince the other person to believe in the strength of their love.
You're closer than anyone has ever been
The other person has a deeper connection to the artist than anyone else ever has.
Oh, baby, don't leave me alone
The singer is afraid of losing the other person and being alone again.
I'm yours for eternity
The artist is committed to the other person for the long haul.
You hold the seven keys to my soul
The other person has a deep understanding of the singer and holds the key to unlocking their true self.
Feel so connected
The singer and the other person have a strong emotional bond and feel deeply connected to each other.
Like I've known you all along
The singer feels like they have known the other person for a long time, despite just meeting.
Never expected
The artist did not expect to fall in love with the other person.
To fall into loving so deep
The artist's love for the other person is profound and intense.
Closer than anyone, this is where we belong
The singer and the other person belong together and have a unique bond that no one else can match.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KIM OLIVER, MATTHEW NICHOLAS HALES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christina K. - 受膏者
Wonderful song...!!! It brings a huge smile to my face!! :D
kuromerumizu
this song moves me so much- the beat and the his voice all together...