Vocalist Aidan Moffat and multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Middleton met in Falkirk, bonded over their mutual love for Drag City recording artists such as Smog and Will Oldham, and began a collaboration in 1995. The band is completed by violinist Jenny Reeve and cellist Stacey Sievewright. Arab Strap's marked characteristics include frank and forthright lyrics delivered in a Scottish brogue.
Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton confirmed the rumours about the end of Arab Strap on 8th September 2006. They celebrated their Ten Years of Tears with a tour through the UK and the rest of Europe. After UK/Europe, they made a short secret tour in Japan as the last of Arab Strap. In 2016, however, they have reunited a decade after their breakup and will be touring throughout the year 2017.
Coming Down
Arab Strap Lyrics
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Ignore the violence and explain my silence.
'Cause its never too late to fill me with hate.
So pull away the wool and make me look cool.
And she looks best, Sunday mornings, coming down.
So what will I achieve and who should I believe?
I let her slip, it's a tense grip.
My drugged up kiss, it's a hit, it's a miss.
And she looks best, Sunday mornings, coming down.
It seems the sunlight makes her darker, excites her hair.
Arab Strap's song "Coming Down" is a melancholy tune about introspection, regret, and self-examination. The lyrics start off with a plea to the listener to help the singer introspect and examine himself, despite the violence around him. The singer then goes on to ask what he can achieve, and who he should believe, followed by the admission that he let go of something precious but is unable to forget about it. The singer then talks about the difficulty in concealing his feelings, suggesting he may be struggling to reconcile with his emotions.
In the chorus, the singer mentions how Sunday mornings with his lover look beautiful to him, perhaps providing some solace or escape from his introspection. Finally, the singer notes that the sunlight seems to excite his lover's hair but offers no further explanation. Overall, the song paints a picture of a soul in turmoil, grappling with the past and trying to assess the present.
The song is not particularly explicit in its narrative, and the lyrics are rather opaque, which offers different interpretations of the song. One can deduce that the singer is perhaps trying to deal with the aftermath of a broken relationship, with some residual feelings remaining unprocessed. The reference to violence in the first verse may suggest that the singer is grappling with emotions that are particularly intense.
Line by Line Meaning
Make me reflective, make me introspective.
I want to look inward and contemplate my thoughts and emotions, to analyze my own behavior and mental processes.
Ignore the violence and explain my silence.
I don't want to talk about or acknowledge the aggressive behavior that may have prompted my quiet and subdued reaction.
'Cause its never too late to fill me with hate.
I am capable of being filled with rage and resentment, even if it's been a long time since I've felt that way.
So pull away the wool and make me look cool.
Expose the truth and show me how to act in a way that appears calm and collected on the surface.
And she looks best, Sunday mornings, coming down.
I find her most appealing when she's still recovering from a night of partying, her hair tousled and her demeanor relaxed.
So what will I achieve and who should I believe?
I'm uncertain about what I'm capable of and who I should trust to guide me through life.
I let her slip, it's a tense grip.
I couldn't manage to hold onto her, but I feel tense and tightly wound as a result.
My drugged up kiss, it's a hit, it's a miss.
My intoxicated kiss may have been enjoyable for some, but it was also erratic and unpredictable.
And it's hard to conceal the way I feel.
I'm struggling to hide my emotions and to keep my feelings from showing on my face or in my behavior.
And she looks best, Sunday mornings, coming down.
I continue to find her most attractive when she's relaxed after a night of partying and fun.
It seems the sunlight makes her darker, excites her hair.
The sunlight seems to bring out a darker, more mysterious side to her appearance, and accentuates the wildness of her hair.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Aidan Moffat, Malcolm Middleton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind