Songwriters Ned and Vedantha originally met whilst studying at Cambridge. After countless nights spent honing their vocal harmonies and intricate guitar playing, they moved to London where they met Jordan, a classical violist, studying at the Royal Academy of Music. The three whiled away an afternoon on London’s Southbank, talking about their favourite musicians; the likes of Bon Iver and Kings of Convenience. They formed as August and After, and after many sold-out London shows, support slots for artists such as Ghostpoet and Scott Matthews, a Ronnie Scott’s residency and several European tours, they travelled to Paris to record their debut EP, Cascades, with French producer Jonathan Lefèvre-Reich (We Were Evergreen).
With support from the likes of BBC 6 Music, Kerrang! Radio and a stream of online press, and Wolves featured on Spotify UK’s official Your Coffee Break playlist garnering over 200k plays in a matter of weeks, the trio will head to the studio fresh from a set at this year’s Secret Garden Party, to start recording two follow-up singles.
Elegy
August and After Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They can find me, I know I'm done
Take away my pride,
A paper thin hide, a worn diguise,
When they find me, I won't run
I will fall down
And we will crawl out, leave disaster
Into darkness
Let me go,
Into sleep my eyelids closed
The roaring and the thunder,
My only living foes
I lie here still,
Restlessly, but silently,
It's all sure to end, but when
"Elegy" by August and After is a song that expresses a deep sense of hopelessness and despair, as reflected in the lyrics. The opening lines, "Take away my gun, haul it out, they can find me, I know I'm done," speaks of the surrender and defeat of the singer. The gun, which is a powerful symbol of control and power, is being taken away from the singer, indicating that he is left with nothing, and the inevitability of his fate is already known to him. He is giving up almost willingly, as he cannot see a way out for himself.
The next verse, "Take away my pride, a paper thin hide, a worn disguise, when they find me, I won't run," further reinforces the singer's resigned attitude. He recognizes that his facade is crumbling, and he cannot hide his true self anymore. The imagery used suggests that the singer is feeling exposed and vulnerable to the outside world. He knows that he cannot run from his problems, and will have to face them head-on.
In the chorus, "I will fall down on your shoulders, on your shoulders, and we will crawl out, leave disaster into darkness," the singer is seeking solace in someone else's strength. The shoulders symbolic important role in providing support and security. He suggests that they will leave the disaster behind and move on into the unknown, into the darkness. The darkness, in this case, is a metaphor for the unknown and represents the future that is uncertain and unpredictable. However, despite the uncertainty, the singer is willing to take the leap and move on from the disaster that he is currently experiencing.
Overall, "Elegy" is a song that expresses a sense of hopelessness and desperation, but it also offers a glimmer of hope that moving on is possible if we have someone to rely on for support.
Line by Line Meaning
Take away my gun, haul it out,
I am aware that I am not in control of my fate anymore and fear the consequences of my actions.
They can find me, I know I'm done
I am resigned to my fate and understand that I will not escape the consequences of my actions.
Take away my pride,
I am willing to let go of my ego and admit my mistakes.
A paper thin hide, a worn disguise,
My façade of strength and confidence is fragile and my true identity is exposed.
When they find me, I won't run
I have accepted my fate and will not try to escape the inevitable consequences of my actions.
I will fall down
I am ready to surrender and let go of everything that has brought me down.
On your shoulders, on your shoulders
I trust you to support and guide me to a better place.
And we will crawl out, leave disaster
Together, we will move away from the past and find a brighter future.
Into darkness
We will face the unknown with courage and optimism.
Let me go,
I am asking for release and freedom from my past.
Into sleep my eyelids closed
I seek peace and rest from the anxieties of life.
The roaring and the thunder,
The chaos and noise of life's struggles can be overwhelming.
My only living foes
The things that threaten my wellbeing are the external distractions and fears I must constantly battle.
I lie here still,
I am calm and reflect on my life's journey.
Restlessly, but silently,
I might be restless and yearning for change, but I know when to keep silent and bide my time.
It's all sure to end, but when
I am aware that everything that happens will come to an end, but I do not know exactly when.
Contributed by Brayden V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@anxther2270
August And After is one of my favorite since Wolves
@bumikecilku
OMG! I know I'd love this song from the title alone <3<3
@Sgto.teddyoso
beautiful!!
@itsliketso
im in tearsss! this is so beautiful
@irisxxxxxx
gorgeous <3 <3
@ramadhonaashiddiqy1562
August and After - Elegy (lyrics)
Take away my gun, haul it out,
They can find me, I know I'm done
Take away my pride,
A paper thin hide, a worn diguise,
When they find me, I won't run
I will fall down
On your shoulders, on your shoulders
And we will crawl out, leave disaster
Into darkness
Let me go,
Into sleep my eyelids closed
The roaring and the thunder,
My only living foes
I lie here still,
Restlessly, but silently,
It's all sure to end, but when
@MrFackoffline
sensitive song
@esteladelmar3766
Hey WOGN,
please can you find a happy and inspiring song...a song with hope. Thank You !
@EOTTP
Ioana Estela we want to be depressed, stop it.