After building up a reputation with his gigs across the UK, Howard was eventually asked to sign to Island Records. His first album, Every Kingdom, was released on October 3, 2011 and debuted at #7 on the UK album chart. It sold in excess of 1 million copies globally, received a Mercury Music Prize nomination, and was the catalyst for Ben picking up two Brit Awards in 2012 for British Breakthrough and British Solo Male Artist.
The follow up, 'I Forget Where We Were' was released on 20th October 2014 through Island Records. It was produced by Ben and his drummer Chris Bond at Start Point Farm Studios in Devon.
www.benhowardmusic.co.uk.
Cloud Nine
Ben Howard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From a memory that turns inside,
From the last time i saw you happier,
Than i've seen you in a long time.
And all these faces, Oh how they adore you
With every blessing, every strength of a storm.
And it seems to me it all worked out so different
Funny how distance and time they don't change at all.
Never fall to loud.
And may you stay here, may you stay here
Happy in your own skin,
On the ninth cloud.
Cold to every warning,
Oh these ships that passed through, years before
And bolder now, than a brand new morning,
With the sun on your face, the bruise and the breaks of these careless arms.
So hold your body, hold your body
Strong in these winds that blind
And may you stay here, may we sit together when we're grey and old,
On cloud nine.
This life will move you with every step outside,
It's alright, it's alright
my arms are open wide for you
This life will move you as graceful as the tide
It's alright, it's alright
Loosen the fears that fears that bind you.
In "Cloud Nine," Ben Howard explores the bittersweet nostalgia of revisiting memories of a loved one, experiencing feelings of joy and sadness simultaneously. The opening lines, "Shadows on the water, from a memory that turns inside," create an immediate sense of wistfulness, conjuring images of a reflective surface still and quiet in a moment of introspection. Howard paints a vivid picture of his loved one, describing how they appeared happier during a time long gone. He notes how others admire this person, recognizing their strength in the face of adversity, comparing it to a storm.
Despite the distance and time that have passed, Howard conveys how his feelings toward his loved one have remained unchanged. His longing for their happiness is genuine, expressed in the lyrics "May your worries, never fall too loud." "Cloud Nine" is a song about growth and strength, about accepting the course of life and staying true to oneself. Howard encourages his loved one to remain "happy in your own skin" and "hold your body strong in these winds that blind." He highlights the importance of being true to oneself and not losing sight of what is essential in life.
Overall, "Cloud Nine" is a deeply emotional and introspective song that explores the complexities of memory and change. Howard's haunting vocals and poetic lyrics make it easy for listeners to feel swept up in the song's emotional depths.
Line by Line Meaning
Shadows on the water,
The singer is reminded of a past memory that still haunts them.
From a memory that turns inside,
The memory is so powerful that the singer feels it affecting them internally.
From the last time I saw you happier,
The memory is of the last time the singer saw the person being referenced, and they appeared to be happy.
Than I've seen you in a long time.
The artist hasn't seen the person looking that happy in a while.
And all these faces, Oh how they adore you
There are many people around the person being referenced who adore them.
With every blessing, every strength of a storm.
These people offer the person being referenced both encouragement and support during difficult times.
And it seems to me it all worked out so different
Despite the adoration of many, things didn't turn out as the singer had expected.
Funny how distance and time they don't change at all.
Despite time and distance apart, the situation remains as the artist remembers it.
So may your worries, may your worries
The artist wishes for the person being referenced to let go of their worries.
Never fall too loud.
The artist adds they don't want the worries to cause too much distress.
And may you stay here, may you stay here
The singer wishes for the person being referenced to remain happy and content in the present moment.
Happy in your own skin,
In particular, the artist wishes for the person being referenced to be comfortable and confident in their own skin.
On the ninth cloud.
The singer wishes for the person being referenced to be on cloud nine- totally ecstatic and overjoyed with life.
Cold to every warning,
The singer is now talking about the person being referenced, who appears bold and unafraid of any kind of warning or danger.
Oh these ships that passed through, years before
The person being referenced has gone through some kind of difficult experience, and appears to be fearless now having passed through it.
And bolder now, than a brand new morning,
They appear to have grown stronger and more confident since their past negative experience(s).
With the sun on your face, the bruise and the breaks of these careless arms.
Despite past difficulties, the person being referenced still basks in the light of new beginnings while still carrying the figurative 'bruises' of past experiences.
So hold your body, hold your body
The singer encourages the person being referenced to steady themselves.
Strong in these winds that blind
The 'winds' here are metaphorical, representing the difficulties in life. The singer encourages the person being referenced to stay strong in the face of these challenges.
And may you stay here, may we sit together when we're grey and old,
Once again, the artist wishes for the person being referenced to find happiness in the present moment, with a view to enjoying that contentment well into the future when they are no longer young.
On cloud nine.
The artist wishes for the person being referenced to experience total and utter happiness and joy.
This life will move you with every step outside,
The artist acknowledges that life is a journey and that with each new step, new changes and transformations occur.
It's alright, it's alright
But the singer reassures the person being referenced that everything will be okay.
My arms are open wide for you
The artist offers the person being referenced a reassuring embrace as they go through life's journey.
This life will move you as graceful as the tide
Again, referencing the journey of life, the singer suggests that it can be a graceful and natural experience like the tide flowing in and out.
It's alright, it's alright
The singer again reassures the person being referenced that things are alright, even though changes are happening.
Loosen the fears that fears that bind you.
At the end, the singer offers one last piece of advice- to let go of any fears that are holding the person back from experiencing the joys of life.
Contributed by Hudson M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
digger678
Shadows on the water,
From a memory that turns inside,
From the last time I saw you happier,
Than I've seen you, than I've seen you in a long time. And all these faces, oh how they adore you
With every blessing, every strength of the storm.
And it seems to me it all worked out so different
Funny how distance and time they don't change at all. So may your worries, may your worries
Never fall too loud.
And may you stay here, may you stay here
Happy in your own skin,
On the ninth cloud. Cold to every warning,
Oh these ships that passed through, years before
And bolder now, than a brand new morning,
With the sun on your face,
The bruise and the breaks of these careless arms. So hold your body, hold your body
Strong in these winds that blind
And may I find you, may we sit together when we're grey and old,
On cloud nine. This life will move you with every step outside,
It's alright, it's alright
My arms are open wide for you
This life will move you as graceful as the tide
It's alright, it's alright
Loosen the fears that fears that bind you.
Loosen the fears that fears that bind you.
heidi
Still finding "new" old music years later 🥰 His new stuff is different and happy he's enjoying creating what he wants, BUT this hits all the feels and emotions from the first listen 😍
Johno Kool
his songs make me cry....not cause theyre so beautiful but because theyre so damn hard to play
Honoria
But also because they're so beautiful XD
Nobodys Child
your comment made me laugh not because its funny but because youre so damn right
Andy Beth Miller
Going to see him in concert tonight in Vienna, and couldn´t be more excited/grateful. His music has gotten me through some sh*t, man.
eilis walsh
He wrote this song for his sister, which just makes it all the more lovely
digger678
Shadows on the water,
From a memory that turns inside,
From the last time I saw you happier,
Than I've seen you, than I've seen you in a long time. And all these faces, oh how they adore you
With every blessing, every strength of the storm.
And it seems to me it all worked out so different
Funny how distance and time they don't change at all. So may your worries, may your worries
Never fall too loud.
And may you stay here, may you stay here
Happy in your own skin,
On the ninth cloud. Cold to every warning,
Oh these ships that passed through, years before
And bolder now, than a brand new morning,
With the sun on your face,
The bruise and the breaks of these careless arms. So hold your body, hold your body
Strong in these winds that blind
And may I find you, may we sit together when we're grey and old,
On cloud nine. This life will move you with every step outside,
It's alright, it's alright
My arms are open wide for you
This life will move you as graceful as the tide
It's alright, it's alright
Loosen the fears that fears that bind you.
Loosen the fears that fears that bind you.
LandscapeQueen
digger678 awesome lyrics spot on much love
Luciana Albanese
digger678 Thank you so much for the lyrics!!! I love this song!!!
GBP
Then I've seen you in a long while*