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".
Sundowning
Aqualung Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Puzzle piece but
I don't know, I don't know where to begin.
Do I have what
What you need to
Put it all back together again?
The breath is in my mouth
These shadows slowly climbing up the walls.
Maybe we are
Sundowning.
Maybe we're just
Sundowning.
We torched another
Golden morning.
You only get, only get back what you can give.
Oh, perhaps we need a
Little time
Little time to remember how to live, oh.
With the rising of the moon
The dying of the afternoon
The evening takes us with it as it falls.
The breath is in my mouth
To blow this fire out.
These shadows slowly climbing up the walls.
Maybe we are
Sundowning.
Maybe we're just
Sundowning.
Maybe we are
Sundowning.
Not waving and not drowning.
Just sundowning.
As daylight drifts away
And everything starts to fade
And all our colors turn to black and white.
The heart don't make a sound.
Feet don't you touch the ground.
Could this be just a tricking of the light?
The breath is in my mouth
To blow this fire out.
But maybe I could wait another night.
Cause maybe we're just
Sundowning.
Baby we are
Sundowning.
Darling we are
Sundowning.
Not waving and not drowning.
Just sundowning.
Just sundowning.
The lyrics of Aqualung's song Sundowning are full of ambiguity and introspection, making it easy for listeners to relate in their own way. The song begins with the singer claiming to have found the missing puzzle piece, but not knowing how to begin piecing it together. This puzzle piece represents a missing or lost aspect of their life or themselves, and they are uncertain if they have the capability to put it all back together again. The following lines describe their internal struggle of trying to extinguish their inner fire, which is represented by the shadows climbing up the walls. The singer also wonders if perhaps they are "Sundowning," a state of confusion or restlessness commonly experienced by seniors with dementia or Alzheimer's who become disoriented at sunset, but in this instance, it refers to a state of confusion where they are unsure if they are struggling with their emotions or if they have a more serious condition. As the song progresses, the singer reflects on how they have torched another golden morning and suggests that they need a little time to remember how to live. The chorus repeats several times, underscoring the uncertainty of whether they are indeed facing a serious issue or just experiencing a moment of confusion.
The second verse amplifies this sense of ambiguity, as the rising of the moon and the dying of the afternoon signal the beginning of a new phase, where all colors fade into black and white. The singer's heart doesn't make a sound and their feet don't touch the ground, suggesting that they are disengaged and disconnected from their surroundings, possibly due to depression or anxiety. The final lines of the song imply that the singer will wait until morning to figure things out, but until then, they are just "Sundowning."
Overall, the song Sundowning is a contemplative and introspective piece about the struggle of self-discovery and the uncertainty that comes with questioning one's emotions and experiences. The lyrics are cryptic yet relatable, allowing the listener to find their interpretation of what the song means to them.
Line by Line Meaning
I found the missing Puzzle piece but
I found what was missing to complete a task but
I don't know, I don't know where to begin.
I am unsure of where to start and what to do first.
Do I have what What you need to Put it all back together again?
Do I possess what is needed to fix everything broken?
The breath is in my mouth To blow this fire out.
I have the power to end this issue.
These shadows slowly climbing up the walls.
The darkness is slowly creeping up and engulfing everything.
Maybe we are Sundowning. Maybe we're just Sundowning.
Perhaps, we are experiencing Sundowning which is a mental condition of confusion or perhaps we are simply watching the sunset.
We torched another Golden morning.
We ruined another perfect day by burning bridges.
You only get, only get back what you can give.
You will only receive what you have put in.
Oh, perhaps we need a Little time Little time to remember how to live, oh.
Maybe we need a moment to recollect ourselves and remember how to enjoy life.
With the rising of the moon The dying of the afternoon The evening takes us with it as it falls.
As day turns to night, everything fades away and we are left with darkness.
Not waving and not drowning.
I am not displaying any signs of distress even though I am struggling.
As daylight drifts away And everything starts to fade And all our colors turn to black and white.
As the sun sets, everything fades into darkness and we lose all the vibrancy of life.
The heart don't make a sound. Feet don't you touch the ground. Could this be just a tricking of the light?
I feel emotionless and detached from reality. Is this just a figment of my imagination?
But maybe I could wait another night.
I can wait this out for another day.
Cause maybe we're just Sundowning. Baby we are Sundowning. Darling we are Sundowning.
Possibly, we are experiencing Sundowning and we need to acknowledge it.
Just sundowning.
We are confused and lost but not looking for help.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Matthew Hales
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind