Archive was formed by Londoners Darius Keeler and Danny Griffiths in 1994 and began as an electronica project. At the beginning, they mixed Bristol-style, Massive Attack, Portishead with Rap. The first album of the band, Londinium released in 1996 (with Roya Arab and Rosko John as guest vocalists). The second album, Take my Head, (which the band hates) was released in 1999 (with a new guest vocalist Suzanne Wooder), it is much more melodic than Londinium. The first song of the album, You Make Me Feel, illustrates this change in the Archive's music. After being dropped by their label and more changes in the lineup, the band seemed to hit its stride on the third album You All Look The Same To Me (2002), featuring singer Craig Walker (formerly of Power of Dreams), which took a decided turn toward more progressive music (with some Progressive Rock influences, notably Pink Floyd whose indelible influence is audible on tracks such as 'Finding it so Hard' and 'Again'), while still maintaining electronic elements. The band saw growing popularity and critical acclaim, especially in France, Greece, Germany and Poland. After recording two more artistically—but not too commercially—successful albums, Michel Vaillant (2003) and Noise (2004), Walker left the band for reasons the band and he will not talk about. The project continued on as a Collective, with new vocalists, Pollard Berrier and Dave Pen. In May 2006 they released the album Lights with Pollard Berrier on lead vocals, who is also a member/guest member of the innovative group, "Bauchklang" - a completely vocal beat-box (Vocal Groove) group based in Vienna, Austria. Archive released a live album, entitled,Live at Paris Zenith, in May, 2007 - which was recorded on January 20th, 2007 at the sold out Zentih Arena in Paris. Rolling Stone called it, "The best live album ever made." Archive continues to tour and is working on a number of forthcoming releases in the near future.
Archive are a Collective, not a band.
I Will Fade
Archive Lyrics
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In cracks between my feet
But I can't see
Try so hard in vain
To wipe away the stain
Of everyday pain
If you did I would surely fade
And you never feel me trying to hold you
If you did I would surely fade away
With the wounded in my way
There's so much to say
But not today
I wonder if it will turn
Not fall apart and burn
When will I learn
And you never see me walking towards you
If you did I would surely fade
And you never see me trying to hold you
If you did I would surely fade away
The lyrics of Archive's song "I Will Fade" are a poignant portrayal of an individual's struggle to cope with the pain of daily life. The opening lines suggest the person is seeking answers on the street and in the cracks between their feet. These may be metaphors for finding solutions or solace in everyday experiences but are elusive and hard to see. The following lines express the singer's attempts to wipe away the stains of everyday pain, a futile effort, given the nature of life's challenges. The sense of the inevitable struggle with pain and the inability to overcome it is a prevalent theme in this song.
The lyrics then take a tone of acceptance, with the singer acknowledging that there is so much they want to say, but not today. They reflect on the ever-repeating pattern of life's struggles and wonders if things will ever turn around or if they will continue to fall apart and burn. The final verse adds a sense of sadness and resignation to the lyrics as the person acknowledges that they are invisible to those they care about. The lines suggest the wishful thinking and unspoken desire to be seen and held, yet knowing that it is unlikely to happen. The lines "If you did, I would surely fade" signify the loss of hope and the singer's ultimate acceptance of life's uncertainties.
Line by Line Meaning
Find answers on the street
I search for solutions to my problems everywhere but can't seem to find them.
In cracks between my feet
Despite searching, the answers seem to elude me and hide in unexpected places.
But I can't see
Even though there may be answers around me, I am blind to them.
Try so hard in vain
Despite my best efforts, my attempts to solve my problems are unsuccessful and futile.
To wipe away the stain
I try to erase the pain and stress of everyday life, but it seems impossible to do so.
Of everyday pain
The struggles and hardships of daily life weigh heavy on me.
And you never see me walking towards you
I am invisible to you and therefore unable to move closer towards you.
If you did I would surely fade
The closer I get to you, the more I retreat and fade away, overwhelmed by my own insecurity.
And you never feel me trying to hold you
Even though I desire to reach out to you, I am too afraid to do so and therefore remain distant.
If you did I would surely fade away
If I did have the courage to try and connect with you, my fear would take over and cause me to disappear.
With the wounded in my way
While trying to navigate through my struggles, I am confronted by many other people who are also struggling.
There's so much to say
Despite all of the problems I face, I have a lot to express and communicate.
But not today
However, the fear and uncertainty prevent me from speaking out or addressing these issues today.
I wonder if it will turn
I am unsure if my situation will ever improve or if I will be trapped in this cycle forever.
Not fall apart and burn
I fear that things will collapse and crumble around me, leading to my own destruction.
When will I learn
I question my ability to grow and develop as a person and overcome my struggles.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Fintage House Publishing
Written by: DANIEL GRIFFITHS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind