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.
Under the Same Sun
Ben Howard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though it harms the best of me
And I lie on to my friends to them
No wonder why I wait for thee
And I hope like a child
Widow of the sea
I hold these arms around you
Will you be there when the day's done?
Oh, will you be there?
Under the same, under the same sun
Under the same, under the same sun
And I yearn, oughta turn these things
Turn these things around
But I learned from you
Oh, I made these plans, made these plans
With you around dear
With you around dear
Will you be there when the day's done?
Oh, will you be there?
Under the same, under the same sun
(Will you be there when the day's done?
Will you be there?
Under the same, under the same sun
Under the same sun)
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
Under the same sun
La la la la, la la la la
La la la la la la, lovely as you are
La la la la, la la la la
La la la la la la, lovely as you are
La la la la, la la la la
La la la la la la, lovely as you are my dear
La la la la, la la la la
La la la la la la, lovely as you are
La la la la la la, lovely as you are
La la la la, lovely as you are
La la la la, la la la
The lyrics of Ben Howard's "Under The Same Sun" speak to the confusion and longing that can come with being in love with someone who is not good for you. The singer describes lying in the charms of this person, even though it harms them. They lie to their friends about waiting for this person, perhaps because they know deep down that it's not a healthy situation. The singer hopes like a child for this person's love, and the comparison to a "widow of the sea" suggests a sense of loneliness and longing.
The second verse continues this theme of yearning for someone who may not be good for you. The singer wants to turn things around but has learned from this person's behavior. They made plans with this person around, suggesting that perhaps they feel they can't live without them. The chorus returns to the song's central question: "Will you be there when the day's done?" It's a desperate plea for the person they love to stick around, even if everything else falls apart. The repetition of "under the same sun" emphasizes the idea that wherever they are, they are still connected by their shared experiences and emotions.
Overall, "Under The Same Sun" is a poignant anthem for anyone who has ever loved someone they shouldn't. It speaks to the temptation to stay in a bad relationship, even when you know it's not good for you. The sense of hopelessness and longing is palpable, making it a powerful reflection of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I lie in your charms
Despite knowing that being in your company is harmful to me, I can't help but be drawn to you
Though it harms the best of me
Being with you goes against everything I know is right and good for me
And I lie on to my friends to them
I am not honest with my friends about the true nature of our relationship
No wonder why I wait for thee
It's not surprising that I hold onto hope about us, despite everything
And I hope like a child
My hope for us is unchanging and naive, like that of a child
Widow of the sea
I feel abandoned and lost without you, like a widow without her partner
I hold these arms around you
I want nothing more than to be close to you
All's around me
Everything else fades away when I'm with you
Will you be there when the day's done?
I need to know if you will be with me through thick and thin
Oh, will you be there?
I long for the assurance that you will always be by my side
Under the same, under the same sun
No matter what we go through, we will always be together
And I yearn, oughta turn these things
I long to turn things around and make our relationship what it should be
Turn these things around
I wish I could fix what is broken between us
But I learned from you
Even though we've been through a lot, I have learned so much from you
Oh, I made these plans, made these plans
I have big plans for us and our future together
With you around dear
As long as you're with me, anything is possible
Under the same sun
Our love is unbreakable and will always endure
La la la la, la la la la
I am entranced by your presence
La la la la la la, lovely as you are
You are beautiful, inside and out
La la la la, lovely as you are
I am in awe of your beauty and grace
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Benjamin John Howard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@amitbloom1
"Under The Same Sun"
I lie in your charms
Though it harms the best of me
And I lie on to my friends to them
No wonder why I wait for thee
And I hope like a child
Widow of the sea
I hold these arms around you
All's around me
Will you be there when the day's done
Will you be there
Under the same, under the same sun
Under the same, under the same sun
My yearn oughta turn these things
Turn these things around
I learned from you
Oh I made these plans, made this plans
With you around dear
With you around dear
Will you be there when the day's done
Will you be there
Under the same, under the same sun
Under the same, under the same sun
Will you be there when the day's done
Will you be there
Under the same, under the same sun
Under the same sun
(Will you be there when the day's done
Will you be there
Under the same, under the same sun)
Under the same sun [repeated]
Lalalala lovely as you are [repeated]
@LuisAcostax
Ten years later, it's 2020, and this is still my favorite. Who else is still watching in 2020?
@schnien1989
Luis Acosta Yeeees, I love it too
@tomvanloon9054
Yup
@kamalalakhandri779
🙋
@aang651
me🙋
@ScissorWhit
🖤
@guilbs88
Oh I love this... look at 3:38. Backup vocals come in early. Ben looks over to her and smiles, she recognizes her mistake and smiles back. No drama, no interruption, still sounds incredible. Probably not even noticeable to anyone there. Just a nice moment between two amazing musicians playing a sensational live performance. These things happen and it's so cool to see it handled this beautifully live.
@moulderzmoulder
This is the Most magical Moment in the song tbh
@sirulrichvonlichtenstein4851
Great observation. I love these onstage dynamics and moments between band members - the behind-the-scenes in the scene. The way they shrug it off is very telling of the good vibes prevalent between Ben and his band members onstage. As a musician and audience member, this is what I live for next to the music, itself.
@mattredman8487
the magic of live performances. Sometimes, the mistakes are what make the performance.