Despite having their commercial peak seemingly behind them, Bodyjar remain a major attraction on the all-ages circuit in Australia, and continue to tour and play festivals. Selections from their discography have also been repackaged and released for the American and Japanese markets, where they have consolidated live followings.
Band members are also part of other side projects – Daughters of the Rich and Burn the City.
Despite an announcement on the official Bodyjar website, as of the 10th of January 2008, a new album "looks to be shaping up for late in the year". However, the band announced on September 4, 2009 they would be calling it quits after a farewell tour.
Bodyjar reunited in March 2012 to perform No Touch Red in its entirety at Melbourne's Corner Hotel, together with former tour mates One Dollar Short and Antiskeptic. Regarding the show, bassist Relf remarked, "When a good friend of Bodyjar’s says they want to start a label and release one of your old albums on vinyl, you don’t have to think too long or too hard about the response. No Touch Red kicked some arse back in the day and still holds its head up high all these years later, so I say let there be vinyl and a show to boot."
As of February 2013, Bodyjar has performed as a support act for various touring bands in Australia, such as The Descendents. Read explained in an October 2013 interview that, following the Descendants tour, the band had "a little bit of money in the bank" and decided to write and record for a new album: "we just thought let's write some songs and if they are good enough we can record them and if they're not then we can spend the money on beer I guess. But they turned out really well."[4]
Satisfied with their new songs, the band announced the release of a new record, Role Model, which is the first collection of new material in eight years. The first single, "Fairytales", premiered on 12 September 2013.
Read also explained that Tom Larkin of New Zealand band Shihad produced the album at his own studios in Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia, and that the band referenced the sound production of the bands Refused, Foo Fighters and Starmarket for the recording process. Joey Cape from the U.S. band Lagwagon and Ahren Stringer from the Australian band The Amity Affliction contributed vocals to the album.
Bodyjar enlisted Australian independent music label UNFD to release Role Model on 18 October 2013, and bundle packages that included a skateboard deck, a t-shirt and a stubby holder were released. Baines hired Dutch design company ATTAK to create the artwork for the album.
Light
Bodyjar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know there's something
I can do to take the pain away
It's getting to hard to know,
if you've made a connection
Tell me how far you'd go
when you starved for affection
Your gonna break soon
Locked in the bathroom
With all the lights out
Wait for the come down
You got your own life
You better start today
[Refrain]
I know there's something I can do to take the pain away
I know there's something I can do to take the pain away
I know there's something I can do to take the pain away
[Verse]
Living from day to day
with the wrong information
But you only talk to me
when you're under sedation
[Bridge]
You're on the wrong side
You gotta fight more
Not just a phone call
Something to live for
You got your own life
But there's a price to pay
[Refrain]
[Bridge 2]
You cry out, but they never listen
You cry out, but they never listen
You cry out, but they never listen
You cry out, but they never listen
[Refrain]
Nothing I can do to take the pain away
I know there's nothing I can do to take the pain away
I know there's nothing I can do to take the pain away
[Bridge 2]
The song "Light" by Bodyjar speaks about the feeling of being helpless when a loved one is struggling with pain and suffering. The verses address the singer's belief that they can find a way to provide comfort and relief to their loved one, but they cannot determine the best approach. The uncertainty about whether they're making an adequate connection and the characterizing of seeking attention and affection as a hunger and starvation are poignant references to the anguish experienced by the person in pain.
The song portrays how the pain and suffering of a loved one can affect one's own life. It expresses the helplessness experienced when there is no way to alleviate the pain of another person fully. The bridge further accentuates the dilemma and the singer's recognition that they cannot save their loved one.
The second bridge is a repetition of the previous bridge but talks about how the loved one is crying out for help but is not being heard. This refrain conveys the feeling of hopelessness when all attempts have failed and there is nothing that can be done.
In total, the song is a portrayal of the intense feelings of helplessness one experiences when they cannot relieve the pain of someone close to them.
Line by Line Meaning
I know there's something
The singer acknowledges the presence of a solution to the problem at hand.
I can do to take the pain away
The singer is aware of the power they possess to alleviate someone's suffering.
It's getting too hard to know
The increasing complexity of the problem makes it difficult for the singer to understand what's going on.
If you've made a connection
The artist is unsure if the other person shares a strong bond with them.
Tell me how far you'd go
The artist asks the other to what extent they're willing to engage.
When you starved for affection
The other person is deprived of love and care.
You're gonna break soon
The other person is on the brink of emotional collapse.
Locked in the bathroom
The other person seeks isolation and privacy to cope with their problems.
With all the lights out
The other person prefers darkness as it helps them detach from reality.
Wait for the come down
The other person tries to calm down and recover from a distressing state.
You got your own life
The other person has autonomy over their decisions and actions.
You better start today
The artist urges the other person to take responsibility for their life and start making positive changes.
Living from day to day
The other person is unable to plan long-term and instead takes life one day at a time.
With the wrong information
The other person is misinformed or basing their decisions on false assumptions.
But you only talk to me
The other person only confides in the singer when they're under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
When you're under sedation
The other person seeks refuge in substances to numb their emotional pain.
You're on the wrong side
The other person is not making the right choices and is heading down a dangerous path.
You gotta fight more
The singer advises the other person to put up a fight and stand up for what's right.
Not just a phone call
The singer wants the other person to take real, tangible action instead of just relying on phone conversations.
Something to live for
The artist encourages the other person to find a healthy source of motivation and inspiration.
But there's a price to pay
The artist warns that making important changes requires sacrifice and hard work.
You cry out, but they never listen
The other person feels unheard and ignored despite trying to communicate their struggles.
Nothing I can do to take the pain away
The singer realizes that not all problems have a solution and some pains can't be taken away.
I know there's nothing I can do to take the pain away
The artist reiterates their recognition of the limits of their power to help someone else's suffering.
Contributed by Sydney M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Devin Hawkins
Nice!