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)
The Navy Song
Billy Talent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A thousand miles away
Holding you close in the rain,
Seems just like yesterday
Lost hope in a faraway place
And in my hand remains,
A black and white print of a face,
I gave my life to save her
The ocean turned to red
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
Cut down like lambs at slaughter,
Good men were left for dead
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
Love served until death do us part,
I'm drifting in the dark
Wounded and wishing to fall,
Into your faithful arms
I gave my life to save her
The ocean turned to red
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
Cut down like lambs at slaughter,
Good men were left for dead
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
Beneath the sky of hate,
Beyond the sea of pain,
In heaven I will wait,
Until we meet again
I gave my life to save her
The ocean turned to red
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
Cut down like lambs at slaughter,
Good men were left for dead
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
In the fall, in the fall, when the tide took them all
The Navy Song by Billy Talent is a touching tribute to the soldiers who gave their lives while serving in the navy. The lyrics evoke a sense of loss and sacrifice as the singer reminisces about a loved one who died at sea. The first verse reveals that the singer is at sea, reminding him of his distance from his loved one. He recounts holding her in the rain, which feels like yesterday despite being miles away. The second verse reveals that he lost all hope when he learned that his loved one had died, and he only has a black and white photograph of her face to remember her by. The chorus conveys the singer's dedication to his loved one and the sacrifice he made to save her. The line "I gave my life to save her, the ocean turned to red" is a poignant description of the valor and loss of those who serve. The last two verses of the song express the singer's longing to be reunited with his loved one in heaven after his own death.
The imagery used in the song is powerful and evocative. The reference to the ocean turning red is striking in its visual and symbolic representation of the bloodshed and sacrifice of war. The repetition of the line "In the fall, when the tide took them all" creates a haunting refrain that echoes the sense of loss and tragedy. The final lines of the song offer a message of hope and solace, suggesting that there is a place beyond the pain and suffering of war where those who have died can be reunited with their loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
Time rolling along with the waves,
As time passes, life moves on like the waves in the ocean.
A thousand miles away
Despite the distance between them, the memories are still vivid.
Holding you close in the rain,
Recalling an intimate moment shared together in unpleasant weather.
Seems just like yesterday
Memorable experiences can seem like they just occurred, it is a testament to their impact.
Lost hope in a faraway place
Hopelessness can set in while stranded far away from home.
And in my hand remains,
The last possession reminding the singer of their loved one.
A black and white print of a face,
A photograph that has aged over time, becoming more like a memory than reality.
I'll never see again
The painful reality that the loved one will never grace the artist's vision again.
I gave my life to save her
Ultimate sacrifice was made to protect and save loved one.
The ocean turned to red
Symbolic of the violence and loss that occurred in the encounter, leaving the ocean with the appearance of blood.
Cut down like lambs at slaughter,
The brutality of the situation, akin to the violent and cruel treatment of innocent animals.
Good men were left for dead
People who deserved to live were not given the chance, instead being left for dead.
Love served until death do us part,
The promise of love and loyalty till the end, a vow to stay faithful till death.
I'm drifting in the dark
Lost and directionless, alone in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Wounded and wishing to fall,
Battered and injured, wishing for release, a metaphoric desire to lay down dying.
Into your faithful arms
Yearning for the embrace of a loved one, finding solace within their presence.
Beneath the sky of hate,
In a world full of turmoil and animosity.
Beyond the sea of pain,
Looking for relief beyond the struggles and agony of everyday life.
In heaven, I will wait,
Hopeful for a better afterlife with the intended companion.
Until we meet again
Eager to be reunited with the loved one again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AARON SOLOWONIUK, BEN KOWALEWICZ, IAN D'SA, JON GALLANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind