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).
Two Evils
Bastille Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the lesser of two evils
Or am I, am I tricking myself nice?
If I'm a lesser of two evils
Who's this man, who's this act I hide behind?
There are two ways to skin tonight
This is a game, no wrongs, no right
Only a winner and a loser
You and I, oh you and I
We're not that different, you and I
Oh you and I, you and I
We're not that different, you and I
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Oh I'm the lesser of two evils
So keep looking
Just keep looking into my eyes
And as the lesser of two evils, it pays to
Pays to be the nice guy sometimes
There are two ways to skin tonight
Let's see whose road gets there faster
Here I am hiding in plain sight
If you're not careful you will lose her
You and I, you and I
We're not that different, you and I
Oh you and I, you and I
We're not that different, you and I
You and I, you and I
We're not that different, you and I
The lyrics of Bastille's song "Two Evils" explore the internal struggle of the singer who identifies themselves as the lesser of two evils. The singer questions whether they are deceiving themselves by considering themselves to be the lesser evil. They ponder over their identity, asking who they truly are behind the facade they present to the world.
The song presents a metaphorical game where there are no right or wrong choices, only winners and losers. It highlights the similarities between the singer and another person, emphasizing that they are not that different from each other. The repetition of the line "you and I, we're not that different" suggests that despite their internal conflicts, both individuals share common experiences and struggles.
The singer acknowledges their role as the lesser evil and urges the listener to keep looking into their eyes, suggesting that they are searching for acceptance and understanding. They recognize the advantages of being the nice guy at times, implying that their actions are driven by a desire to be kind, even if it means suppressing their true self.
Overall, "Two Evils" delves into themes of identity, self-perception, and the inner conflicts that individuals face when trying to navigate between different versions of themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the lesser of two evils
I am the lesser of two bad options or choices
Or am I, am I tricking myself nice?
Or maybe I am deceiving myself into thinking I am good
If I'm a lesser of two evils
If I am indeed the less bad option
Who's this man, who's this act I hide behind?
Who is this person or persona that I pretend to be?
There are two ways to skin tonight
There are two approaches to handling this situation
Let's see whose road gets there faster
Let's see which path leads to success more quickly
This is a game, no wrongs, no right
This is a competition, where there are no clear rights or wrongs
Only a winner and a loser
There can only be one winner and one loser
You and I, oh you and I
You and I, we
We're not that different, you and I
We are more similar than you may think
Oh I'm the lesser of two evils
Oh, I am indeed the less bad option
So keep looking
So, keep observing or scrutinizing
Just keep looking into my eyes
Just keep focusing on my eyes
And as the lesser of two evils, it pays to
And since I am the less bad option, it is advantageous to
Pays to be the nice guy sometimes
Beneficial to act kind or good-natured at times
Here I am hiding in plain sight
Here I am concealing myself in full view
If you're not careful you will lose her
If you're not cautious, you will lose her (referring to a person)
You and I, you and I
You and I, we
You and I, we're not that different, you and I
You and I, we are more similar than you may think
You and I, you and I
You and I, we
We're not that different, you and I
We are more similar than you may think
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK CREW, DANIEL CAMPBELL SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sam
on Fake it
Has anyone translated the news captions in the music video?
Jeannie Smith
on Pompeii
I like it.