The band existed for almost a decade before mainstream success. The members met and played in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School under the name Pezz and remained underground in Toronto's indie music scene until 2001. The band renamed itself Billy Talent after running into legal trouble with the old name. It was then that Kowalewicz's connection with an employee of Warner Music Canada's A&R department landed the band a record deal and launched them into mainstream success. Since then, Billy Talent has made three multi-platinum records in Canada and continues to expand their success overseas; this included touring for 20 months supporting their second album. They released their third album, Billy Talent III, in 2009, and their fourth album, Dead Silence, in 2012. Dead Silence was followed up by a full UK tour throughout October and November 2012. To commemorate the longevity since the release of their first studio album, the band has released a greatest hits album entitled Hits in 2014. In 2015, they began to prepare material for their fifth studio album. Just before entering the studio, drummer Aaron Solowoniuk decided to sit out the recording sessions while he continued his longstanding battle with multiple sclerosis. Fellow Canadian Jordan Hastings was quickly recruited to play as Solowoniuk's studio stand-in, and, in early 2016, the group completed work on Afraid of Heights, which was released in July of that year. The band's most recent album is Crisis of Faith, released in January 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Talent
Studio albums
Billy Talent (2003)
Billy Talent II (2006)
Billy Talent III (2009)
Dead Silence (2012)
Afraid of Heights (2016)
Crisis of Faith (2022)
Absorbed
Billy Talent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And for this I need a reason why
When you humans act so funny and I need to fill my tummy
I tried
I lied
I said no I don't know why I act this way
Something seems to change from day to day
I tried
Well I lied
But through the waves I'll find...
I don't feel like a man today
All good themes have been blown away
When I'm feelin' kinda giddy and my mood seems kinda fitting
I tried
I lied
But through the waves I'll find...
You
The lyrics of Billy Talent's song Absorbed are open to interpretation, but there are some clear ideas that can be gleaned from them. The singer is grappling with feelings of confusion and disorientation, and they are struggling to make sense of their own emotions. They express a desire not to die, but admit that they don't know why they feel the way they do. They feel disconnected from humanity, perhaps even alienated, and are seeking some kind of comfort or fulfillment - hence the reference to needing to fill their tummy.
One possible reading of the lyrics is that they deal with themes of mental illness and identity. The singer is experiencing some kind of psychological distress and is trying to understand what is happening to them. They are struggling to articulate their feelings and to communicate with others, leading them to lie and hide their true thoughts and emotions. The use of the phrase "through the waves" suggests that they are riding out the ups and downs of their mood, trying to navigate a turbulent mental landscape.
Another possible interpretation of the lyrics is that they deal with more existential themes, such as the search for meaning and purpose in life. The singer is questioning why they feel the way they do and is seeking some kind of explanation or justification for their existence. They feel adrift and disconnected from the world around them, and are looking for some kind of anchor to hold onto. The phrase "all good themes have been blown away" suggests a sense of hopelessness or despair, as if the singer has given up on finding any kind of meaning or significance in the world.
Overall, Absorbed is a complex and ambiguous song that can be read in a number of ways. Whether it is viewed through the lens of mental illness, existential angst, or some other framework, it is clear that the lyrics are grappling with deep and significant themes that will resonate with many listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
I said no I don't think that I want to die
The singer refuses the thought of suicide
And for this I need a reason why
The singer seeks justification for their desire to live
When you humans act so funny and I need to fill my tummy
The singer notes their basic needs as a non-human entity
I tried
The artist attempted to find a reason to live
I lied
The artist ultimately had to lie to themselves
I said no I don't know why I act this way
The singer questions their own behavior
Something seems to change from day to day
The singer feels unstable or inconsistent
I'm feeling kinda giddy and my mood seems kinda fitting
The artist experiences mood swings
I tried
The artist attempted to understand themselves
Well I lied
The artist ultimately couldn't face the truth
But through the waves I'll find...
Despite struggles, the singer holds hope for resolution
I don't feel like a man today
The artist experiences feelings of inadequacy
All good themes have been blown away
The singer feels lost and without purpose
When I'm feelin' kinda giddy and my mood seems kinda fitting
The singer's emotions continue to fluctuate
I tried
The singer continues to look for answers
I lied
The truth remains elusive
But through the waves I'll find...
The artist continues to hold onto hope
You
The singer addresses an unknown individual, perhaps seeking help or comfort.
Contributed by Leah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
megan purdy
So I've been a fan of Billy talent for about 8 or so years, since I was around 8. I never knew about their pre-Billy Talent days, so this is awesome. I was looking up lists of their songs to make sure I knew them all- I'm going to see them (My first concert! woot!) in the tiny city of Halifax in Nova Scotia, so i'm super pumped, even more so now that there are even more songs that i never knew existed
Peophiny
This song is amazing, I can't believe I put off listening to Watoosh! for so many years.
Mark Lindsay
Ian D’Sa’s solo at 2:28 sure gives you a future Billy Talent sound that they would eventually stick with
Skinner Norriz
Once in germany, a stranger on the streets saw me wearing my selfmade Billy Talent merch and gave me his address, told me he had some stuff i could be interested in. I decided to trust him cuzz he wasn‘t much older than me. Before i was able to enter his apartment he gave me the Watoosh record and said, „I hope this influences ur young life the same way it did for me“
Never saw him again, never spoke him again, never could thank him.
If u reading this dude, thank u for this strange experience
DraKul78
it's a hard-to-find treasure that he wanted you to inherit, lucky you!
RanDieBam
omggg that's amazing, he shared his only physical copy with you
w4toosh
Thank god I did German for 3 years, haha. Yes I do have the CD, the 2012 re-release. You can buy it from me if it means a lot to you? It is available for download but only bad quality versions of it are online.
Mark Lindsay
Song was actually recorded in 1996
Hadegel
depressive song, especially the part from 3:26 on
Shordanna
@P G vulnerable, honest, hopeful to me 🥰