Bastille debuted in June 2011 with their 7" single, "Flaws"/"Icarus" (released on Young & Lost Club). This was then followed by their EP 'Laura Palmer' later in 2011. After adding a few more tracks online, the band received a lot of attention from indie rock fans on the web, helping secure some support slots. During the summer of 2011, they performed at a number of major UK festivals, including Glastonbury, Isle of Wight, and Blissfields.
On 27 April 2012, "Overjoyed" came out, being the debut Virgin Records single from Bastille. This was confirmed by EMI on 1 May 2012. After the video release of "Overjoyed" on YouTube, 'Q Magazine' introduced the song as its track of the day for 7 March 2012. Fans seemingly devoured the tune.
"Bad Blood" was released on Virgin Records on 20 August 2012. Following the video release of "Bad Blood" on YouTube, Bastille were named "The New Band of the Day" by writers for 'The Guardian' on 25 July 2012. In not too long, Bastille performed at the major UK Reading and Leeds Festivals in August 2012. They played an October 2012 headline tour that brought them into the spotlight alongside Emeli Sandé, with Swiss Lips supporting them.
Bastille's single "Flaws"/"Icarus" was featured in the soundtrack of the popular British Channel 4 television show 'Made in Chelsea'. As well, "Weight of Living, Pt. II" was part of the soundtrack for FIFA 13. "Of The Night", Bastille's dual cover of both Snap!'s "Rhythm is a Dancer" and Corona's "The Rhythm of the Night", was used to advertise Dancing on Ice in the run up to its 2013 series.
Bastille played their first show outside of Europe on 3 December 2012 at Hong Kong's Clockenflap Music & Arts Festival.
Bastille's song "Oblivion" featured in the soundtrack of the television show The Vampire Diaries in the Season 4 Episode 9 titled "O Come, All Ye Faithful".
They supported Two Door Cinema Club on their UK tour throughout January/February 2013 and toured through Europe in April to promote their debut album.
The band have also released four mixtape-style EPs : "Other People's Heartache Pt 1" in 2012 (featuring covers, among others, of "Blue Jeans" by Lana del Rey, "The Rhythm of The Night" by Corona) , "Other People's Heartache Pt 2" (featuring covers, including, "Sweet Nothing" by Calvin Harris, "No Scrubs" by TLC and "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac), "VS: Other People's Heartache Pt 3" (featuring collaborations with other artists, including "Remains" with Skunk Anansie and Rag'n'Bone Man, and "bad_news" with MNEK). "Other People's Heartache (Pt. 4)" was released in 2018 (featuring more covers, one of "Wild World" by Yusuf/Cat Stevens, and an original song Grip in collaboration with Seeb, and the latest addition to this series (Pt. 5) was released in 2022 (including the song Run Into Trouble and a cover of "Dancing In The Dark" by Bruce Springsteen).
The Waves
Bastille Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It might be getting older, but the night's still young
We never, never give up on the lost boy life
So here we are, escaping from the world outside
Oh, what would your mother say if she could see what we're doing now?
Oh, what would your mother say if she could hear what we talk about?
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
Suddenly we're fallin' through the twilight zone
Watch the party playing out in slow motion
So tie a ribbon 'round my arm and throw me in
Is it an apocalypse or nihilism on your lips?
We sink or swim
Oh, what would your mother say if she could see what we're doing now?
Oh, what would your mother say if she could hear what we talk about?
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
The air hit me on the way out
Did it make me more sober or make me more drunk?
I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and of me
The air hit me on the way out
Did it make me more sober or make me more drunk?
I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and me
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
They're crashing down, they're crashing down
They're crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
The lyrics to Bastille's song "The Waves" depict a sense of escapism and rebellion against the pressures and expectations of society. The opening lines, "Staring down the barrel of a hundred tons, it might be getting older, but the night's still young," suggest a feeling of being weighed down by the burdens of life but still finding solace in youthful rebellion.
The refrain, "We never, never give up on the lost boy life, so here we are, escaping from the world outside," further emphasizes the desire to break away from societal norms and expectations. The song presents a scenario where the singer wonders what their mother would say if she could witness their rebellious actions and unconventional conversations.
"The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again," serves as a metaphorical representation of life's challenges and the constant struggles faced by individuals. Despite these obstacles, there is a sense of camaraderie and support, as expressed in the line, "I'll see you on the other side, get carried, get carried away." This suggests a willingness to face the waves together and find comfort or excitement in the chaos.
The bridge of the song introduces a sense of uncertainty and disorientation, with the lines, "The air hit me on the way out, did it make me more sober or make me more drunk? I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and me." This could symbolize the blurred boundaries between reality and escapism, where the singer questions the clarity of their memories and experiences.
Overall, "The Waves" explores themes of rebellion, escapism, and the challenges faced in navigating life's uncertainties.
Line by Line Meaning
Staring down the barrel of a hundred tons
Facing a heavy burden or challenge
It might be getting older, but the night's still young
Despite the passage of time, we still have time to live and experience
We never, never give up on the lost boy life
We continue to embrace a carefree and adventurous lifestyle
So here we are, escaping from the world outside
Finding solace and refuge from the outside world
Oh, what would your mother say if she could see what we're doing now?
Imagining the disapproval or surprise of a concerned parent
Oh, what would your mother say if she could hear what we talk about?
Reflecting on the shock or disbelief that conversations may bring
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
Facing recurring challenges or struggles that overwhelm us
I'll see you on the other side
Looking forward to meeting again in a different circumstance
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh
Letting ourselves be swept up in the moment or emotions
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
Feeling entangled and consumed by the circumstances
Suddenly we're fallin' through the twilight zone
Entering a surreal or unfamiliar situation
Watch the party playing out in slow motion
Observing events unfold with a heightened sense of time
So tie a ribbon 'round my arm and throw me in
Symbolizing a desire to fully immerse oneself in an experience
Is it an apocalypse or nihilism on your lips?
Questioning whether the words spoken convey a sense of doom or indifference
We sink or swim
Facing uncertain outcomes or choices
The air hit me on the way out
Feeling the impact or reality upon leaving a situation
Did it make me more sober or make me more drunk?
Questioning the effect of the experience on one's perception
I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and of me
Struggling to recall the image or memory of a shared moment
They're crashing down, they're crashing down
The challenges or struggles persist and intensify
They're crashing down on you and me
The challenges or struggles affect both individuals involved
I'll see you on the other side
Reaffirming the hope of reconnecting in a different context
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Daniel Campbell Smith, Mark Blair Crew
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
causantin
Staring down the barrel of a hundred tons
It might be getting older, but the night's still young
We never, never give up on the lost boy life
So here we are, escaping from the world outside
Oh, what would your mother say if she could see what we're doing now?
Oh, what would your mother say if she could hear what we talk about?
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
Suddenly we're fallin' through the twilight zone
Watch the party playing out in slow motion
So tie a ribbon 'round my arm and throw me in
Is it an apocalypse or nihilism on your lips?
We sink or swim
Oh, what would your mother say if she could see what we're doing now?
Oh, what would your mother say if she could hear what we talk about?
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
The air hit me on the way out
Did it make me more sober or make me more drunk?
I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and of me
The air hit me on the way out
Did it make me more sober or make me more drunk?
I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and of me
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away,
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
Crashing down, crashing down
Crashing down on you and me I'll see you on the other side
ViralCity
Staring down the barrel of a hundred tons
It might be getting older, but the night's still young
We never, never give up on the lost boy life
So here we are, escaping from the world outside
Oh, what would your mother say if she could see what we're doing now?
Oh, what would your mother say if she could hear what we talk about?
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
Suddenly we're fallin' through the twilight zone
Watch the party playing out in slow motion
So tie a ribbon 'round my arm and throw me in
Is it an apocalypse or nihilism on your lips?
We sink or swim
Oh, what would your mother say if she could see what we're doing now?
Oh, what would your mother say if she could hear what we talk about?
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
The air hit me on the way out
Did it make me more sober or make me more drunk?
I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and of me
The air hit me on the way out
Did it make me more sober or make me more drunk?
I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and of me
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away,
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
Crashing down, crashing down
Crashing down on you and me I'll see you on the other side
gk32
[Verse 1]
Staring down the barrel of a hundred tons
(We're on the way)
It might be getting older, but the night's still young
(We're on the way)
We never, never give up on the lost boy life
(We're on the way)
So here we are, escaping from the world outside
(We're on the way)
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, what would your mother say if she could see what we're doing now?
Oh, what would your mother say if she could hear what we talk about?
[Chorus]
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
[Verse 2]
Suddenly we're fallin' through the twilight zone
(We're on the way)
Watch the party playing out in slow motion
(We're on the way)
So tie a ribbon 'round my arm and throw me in
(We're on the way)
Is it an apocalypse or nihilism on your lips? We sink or swim
(We're on the way)
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, what would your mother say if she could see what we're doing now?
Oh, what would your mother say if she could hear what we talk about? (Hey)
[Chorus]
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
[Bridge]
The air hit me on the way out
Did it make me more sober or make me more drunk?
I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and of me
The air hit me on the way out
Did it make me more sober or make me more drunk?
I couldn't quite remember the vision of you and of me
[Chorus]
The waves are crashing down on you and me again, again, again
The waves are crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Get carried, get carried away, oh-oh-oh-oh
Caught up in, caught up in the waves
[Outro]
They're crashing down, they're crashing down, oh
They're crashing down on you and me
I'll see you on the other side
Lucas Nobre
"is it an apocalypse or nihilism on your lips?" Dan is such an incredible songwriter, damn
Dan Field
Οδυσσέας Μιχάλης oh ok thank youuu
Is E
It's an amazing lyric but it's a little janky on the beat.
Οδυσσέας Μ.
@Dan Field it is the philosophical viewpoinf that suggests the denial of, or lack of belief in, the reputedly meaningful aspects of life.
Dan Field
Lucas Nobre I don’t even know what a nihilism is 😂😂
Federica M
if this isn't in your top 3 of the album you're wrong
Callum Storey
Doom Days, The Waves, and Divide
Yup, that's my username
Definitely 1st place for me. 2nd place is Doom Days and 3rd one are Bad Decisions and Nocturnal Creatures because there's no way I'm gonna choose between those two
Irebami Kolapo
this is the best for me
Greszi98
All of them are number 1 how could u rank them 🙄