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)
White Sparrows
Billy Talent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Past the diner where we'd meet
Now I dine alone in our old seats
The cold wind blows right through my bones
And I feel like I'm getting old
But I wish I was getting old with you
I held your hand when we took shelter from the rain
She laughed as we picked out our children's names
White sparrows fell from heaven and carried her away
Black arrows cut the strings of my heart, I kneel and pray
Her clothes hang in the closet still
The phone sits on the windowsill
And every time it rings it gives me chills
My heart just stopped when I was told
Doctor, doctor, on the phone
Said my love was never coming home
I hold your casket gently walking to the grave
Dark clouds eclipse the sun won't shine again
White sparrows fell from heaven and carried her away
Black arrows cut the strings of my heart, I kneel and pray
They gave her one more day
To say the words I couldn't say
I'm crying in pain, crying in pain
And I'm not looking for answers
No, I'm not looking for answers
But dear God, why did you choose her?
White sparrows fell from heaven and carried her away
Black arrows cut the strings of my heart, I kneel and pray
They gave her one more day
To say the words I couldn't say
I'm crying in pain (crying in pain)
Crying in pain
Our love will remain
I'm crying in pain
The song "White Sparrows" by Billy Talent is a heart-wrenching song that talks about losing a loved one. The singer begins the song by reminiscing on their old street where they used to meet but now have to dine alone in the same seats they used to share. The first chorus of the song narrates the moment when the love of his life passed away, with white sparrows, a symbol of hope and freedom, being the carrier of her soul, and the singer being left behind with nothing but a broken heart.
The second stanza of the song goes on to tell of the aftermath of the lover's death. The clothes of the deceased still hang in the closet, and the phone sits on the windowsill, each ring bringing a chilling memory of the tragic incident. The line, "my heart just stopped when I was told" - recalls the moment when he received the terrible news about his lover.
The final verse of the song takes a turn, where the singer shares his pain and grief, questioning God's actions, saying that he is not searching for any answers. The song ends with a statement of a love that will remain while the singer continues crying in pain.
The song expresses the pain of losing a loved one, and the significance of white sparrows is a symbol of that loss. It touches an emotional chord with the listeners, and the beautifully crafted lyrics enhance the song's overall impact.
Line by Line Meaning
Today I walked down our old street
I took a stroll down memory lane.
Past the diner where we'd meet
I saw the place where we used to hang out together.
Now I dine alone in our old seats
I eat by myself in the spot where we once shared meals.
The cold wind blows right through my bones
I feel the chill of the wind in my bones.
And I feel like I'm getting old
I am overwhelmed with the feeling of growing old.
But I wish I was getting old with you
I miss you, and I wish we could have grown old together.
I held your hand when we took shelter from the rain
I remember seeking shelter from the rain with you.
She laughed as we picked out our children's names
We used to discuss baby names and laugh together.
White sparrows fell from heaven and carried her away
She passed away, and I feel like it was sudden and unfair.
Black arrows cut the strings of my heart, I kneel and pray
I feel heartbroken and mournful and pray for comfort.
Her clothes hang in the closet still
Her clothes are still in the closet, but she's not here to wear them.
The phone sits on the windowsill
The phone is still there, but she's not here to answer it.
And every time it rings it gives me chills
I get anxious when the phone rings, hoping it's not bad news.
My heart just stopped when I was told
I was crushed when I found out she was gone.
Doctor, doctor, on the phone
I got a call from the doctor with news about her condition.
Said my love was never coming home
The news was devastating because she wasn't coming back.
I hold your casket gently walking to the grave
I carry her casket tenderly, walking towards her final resting place.
Dark clouds eclipse the sun won't shine again
I feel like my world is permanently darkened without her.
They gave her one more day
She was given extra time, but it wasn't enough.
To say the words I couldn't say
I never got the chance to say everything I wanted to say.
I'm crying in pain, crying in pain
I am deeply saddened and grieving over my loss.
And I'm not looking for answers
I'm not trying to understand why this happened. I just want her back.
No, I'm not looking for answers
I'm not searching for answers because nothing can make the situation better.
But dear God, why did you choose her?
I question why she was taken from me, and I don't understand why.
Our love will remain
Our love will live on despite her passing.
I'm crying in pain
I am deeply affected and in pain over her loss.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AARON SOLOWONIUK, BEN KOWALEWICZ, IAN D'SA, JON GALLANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Legitbagel2552
This song cannot be described in how much it means to many people who have lost loved ones
@joshmackenzie8342
<3
@thmswalters
This song gives chills...
2023 and Billy Talent still the most underrated band I know of.
@menime3933
This song still deserves a music video
@Silent_Suika
atleast it has the best album cover
@flames_fan_328
This song is way more depressing than I thought when I first heard it. Damn if it isn't a beautifully written song though
@MercyOfDarkness
This song gets me every time. The diner part is exactly what I experience on a daily basis but with my ex girlfriend. Love is a weird thing. It's been 2 years....
@gallonthegreat7036
@@MercyOfDarkness live on man live on
@owynhardman4109
My eyes are sweating, I swear.
@ClassyVT
The chorus gets me everytime