Athlete is an indie rock band which formed in 1999 in Deptford, London, Eng… Read Full Bio ↴Athlete is an indie rock band which formed in 1999 in Deptford, London, England. The band consists of Joel Pott (vocals, guitar), Carey Willets (bass, vocals), Tim Wanstall (keyboards), and Steve Roberts (drums). Johnny Pilcher of the English indietronica band Weevil has joined them as second guitarist for their live shows.

Their sound is a mix of indie rock and electronic music, most recently integrating organic sounds into their music. Friends since the age of fourteen, Athlete have wide-ranging influences that include Grandaddy and Flaming Lips.

Second Hand Stores
Athlete Lyrics

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Let's fall in love again
Tap the windows
And rescue our friends
How long til this makes sense
Oh, oh

Let's fall in love again
Guard the windows

And rescue our friends
How long til this makes sense
Oh, oh

It's calling out loud and it's taking over
Bleeding right out of the summer sky
It's calling out and it's taking over
We give it our all, so we don't know why
We can't slow it down
It's way too fast
Slow it down
It's way to fast

We're going on a search in some
Second hand stores
Gotta get back what we all threw away
We're going on a search in the middle of nowhere
We don't know what we're doing but we gotta just give it a go
We gotta just give it a go

Let's fall in love again
Tap the windows
And rescue our friends
How long til this makes sense
Oh, oh

Let's fall in love again
Guard the windows
And rescue our friends
How long til this makes sense
Oh, oh

Now let's sing this song again
Cause it's been messed up for years
And let's make it ours again

Desperate like rainforest trees
Straining towards broken light
All fighting for their lives

Let's something something
Cause that's where this song began
Born out of true romance

It's calling out loud and it's taking over
Bleeding right out of the summer sky
It's calling out and it's taking over
We give it our all, so we don't know why
We can't slow it down
It's way too fast
Slow it down
It's way to fast

We're going on a search in some
Second hand stores
Gotta get back what we all threw away
We're going on a search in the middle of nowhere
We don't know what we're doing but we gotta just give it a go
We gotta just give it a go

Slow it down
It's way too fast
Slow it down

It's way too fast
[x2]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Athlete's song Second Hand Stores describe a desire to relive the past and recapture lost youth. The song begins with a call to 'fall in love again,' with the idea of tapping windows and rescuing friends symbolizing the excitement and adventure of youth. The repeated line 'How long til this makes sense' highlights the confusion and uncertainty that comes with growing up and losing touch with one's youth.

The chorus of the song has a sense of urgency as it speaks of something 'calling out loud and taking over.' The 'it' is left ambiguous, but it could be interpreted as a longing for the past or the desire to recapture lost youth. The repetition of the phrase 'We give it our all, so we don't know why' emphasizes the sense of confusion around why one would want to relive the past, despite the difficulties that come with it.

The verses discuss a search in second-hand stores and in the middle of nowhere, looking for something that was lost or thrown away. This search could represent a search for lost memories, lost youth, or a lost sense of self. The lyrics suggest that despite not knowing what they're doing, they have a determination to 'give it a go' and try to recapture what was lost.

Overall, the lyrics of Second Hand Stores convey a yearning for lost youth and the desire to relive the excitement and adventure of one's teenage years. The song speaks to anyone who has ever looked back on their youth with nostalgia and longing, hoping to recapture some of the magic they once felt.

Line by Line Meaning

Let's fall in love again
It's time to take another chance at love

Tap the windows
Open up and let new opportunities in

And rescue our friends
Help those close to us who need our support

How long til this makes sense
When will we understand the purpose of our actions?

It's calling out loud and it's taking over
The desire for change is becoming too strong to ignore

Bleeding right out of the summer sky
The urgency and passion is like a bright light in the sky

We give it our all, so we don't know why
We are putting everything into this, but we are uncertain about the outcome

We can't slow it down
The momentum and energy is too powerful to stop

It's way too fast
Everything is happening too quickly to fully understand

We're going on a search in some Second hand stores
In our search for answers, we are exploring unconventional places

Gotta get back what we all threw away
We are trying to reclaim lost parts of ourselves

We don't know what we're doing but we gotta just give it a go
We may not have all the answers, but we need to take action anyway

Now let's sing this song again Cause it's been messed up for years And let's make it ours again
We are reclaiming a song that has lost its meaning over time and giving it new life

Desperate like rainforest trees Straining towards broken light All fighting for their lives
We are like trees, reaching for the light and struggling to survive

Let's something something Cause that's where this song began Born out of true romance
The song is rooted in the idea of genuine love and connection

Slow it down It's way too fast [x2]
We need to try to slow down and reflect, but it's difficult with the pace of life

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CAREY WILLETTS, JOEL POTT, STEVEN ROBERTS, TIMOTHY WANSTALL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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