Bonobo's first album - 2000's Animal Magic - was released via Tru Thoughts before being picked up by Ninja Tune. It announced him as a serious talent; able to bring a musician's edge to electronic music, with all the freedom that skill allowed. His subsequent albums for Ninja, Dial 'M' for Monkey and Days to Come, developed his sensibility, won him fans across the globe, and saw him develop his live show into a mesmeric re-working of his records.
He has also worked hard as a DJ, a part of Green's arsenal that perhaps truly came into its own at the same time as 2010’s Black Sands. 2012 saw him take the uptempo, club re-edits of Black Sands from a seminal Boiler Room performance in London to dance floors across the world, and unveil a new light show that further enhanced the impact of these stunning songs. A remix album was released featuring reworkings by fans and peers such as Machinedrum, Floating Points, Mark Pritchard, Lapalux and FaltyDL.
Later the same year, he finally settled down in his New York studio to write his fifth album. The North Borders was another long stride forward - both a natural evolution and a continuation of the electronic palette of Black Sands. With vocal features from Erykah Badu, as well as Grey Reverend (The Cinematic Orchestra) and Cornelia (Portico Quartet) it's another finely balanced body of work.
Bonobo has a long history of unearthing new talent (Andreya Triana, Bajka) and The North Borders saw him do so once again. The vocals of new collaborator Szjerdene are sprinkled across the album.
Since the album’s release, Green has gone on to play over 175 shows across three continents and 30 countries, wowing audiences with the hypnotic, extended live versions of his songs. He performed sold out shows at The Sydney Opera House and Brixton Academy, and his very own, day long festival at London’s Roundhouse. 2014 saw him and his band play the iconic Coachella, Sonar, Glastonbury and many more. This period of extensive touring came to a breathtaking close with his largest show to date at London’s Alexandra Palace in November. In celebration, Ninja Tune released The North Borders Tour. — Live. in October. A deluxe release including a live album, hardback book and a DVD of seminal live performances from a truly memorable tour.
In January 2016, Bonobo announced on Twitter that he intended to release a new album sometime in 2016. Bonobo released his sixth album, Migration, on 13 January 2017 via Ninja Tune. It was announced on 3 November 2016 with the release of the single "Kerala", and an official video. The album features Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker), Rhye, Innov Gnawa and Nicole Miglis (Hundred Waters).
stay the same
Bonobo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Midnight
Bags gathered round my feet
Possessions
Some lessened
To carry with me
Heavy and
Soothing
I rest my
Head right
Back upon my seat
It's hard
And cold tho'
The best thing for me
This train is
Movin'
But my heart is stationery
Seasons change
It won't ever be the same
I'm hopin'
I won't stay the same
Reasons strange
Why we always play these games
I left it
With you
I hope that was discreet
I made sure
I put it
Upon the cellar doors
It's hanging open
When you read it while I weep
Last time
The last time
It flickers through me
So vivid
It rushes from my head down to my feet
We're laughing we're joking
Through ??? to my defeat
Seasons change it will never be the same
I'm hoping I won't stay the same
Reasons strange
Why we always play these games.
The opening verse of Andreya Triana's "Stay the Same" is an intimate portrait of a person in transit, both physically and emotionally. The singer is on a night train, surrounded by their belongings, which seem to offer some comfort in the midst of an uncertain journey. The train itself is "moving" but the singer's heart is "stationery," suggesting that they are struggling with feelings of emotional stagnation. The song feels contemplative and full of longing for a change that has not yet materialized.
As the chorus declares "Seasons change it will never be the same, I'm hoping I won't stay the same," it becomes clear that the singer is seeking transformation. They seem to be grappling with the reasons for their feelings of stasis, suggesting that they may be playing some kind of emotional game that is keeping them stuck. The final verse is the most cryptic - the singer has left something with someone else that they hope is discreet, and they weep as they anticipate that person reading it. As the song ends, the singer seems to be reflecting on a past moment of intense connection when they were "laughing we're joking," before descending into a moment of uncertainty.
Overall, "Stay the Same" feels like a song about a journey, both external and internal. The singer is seeking change but is not sure how to achieve it, and is struggling with feelings of isolation and emotional stagnation. The lyrics evoke a sense of loneliness but also of hope, as the singer moves through an uncertain landscape in search of a new beginning.
Line by Line Meaning
A night train
The singer is on a train at night.
Midnight
It is exactly midnight when the singer is on the train.
Bags gathered round my feet
The singer has packed their possessions and placed them around their feet.
Possessions
The things that the artist owns.
Some lessened
The artist has reduced the number of possessions they have.
To carry with me
The singer has only brought the possessions they can carry with them.
Heavy and
The possessions that the singer has brought are heavy.
Soothing
There is something calm and peaceful about the heaviness of the possessions.
Like a gentle symphony
The heaviness of the possessions is comforting, like a soft and gentle music.
I rest my
The artist takes a break and sits down.
Head right
The singer leans their head backwards.
Back upon my seat
The back of the artist's head is touching the back of the seat.
It's hard
The surface that the singer is leaning against is firm and unyielding.
And cold tho'
The surface against which the singer leans their head is also cold.
The best thing for me
Despite being hard and cold, leaning against the surface is good for the singer.
This train is
The train that the artist is on is in motion.
Movin'
The train is moving at a steady pace.
But my heart is stationery
The singer's emotional state is not changing even though they are physically moving on the train.
Seasons change
The natural cycle of seasons moves forward.
It won't ever be the same
The future will never be exactly like the past.
I'm hopin'
The artist expresses a desire for the future.
I won't stay the same
The artist doesn't want to remain the same.
Reasons strange
The reasons that motivate people to act can be strange or difficult to explain.
Why we always play these games
The artist is questioning the reasons behind why people often engage in behavior that is emotionally complex or confusing.
I left it
The singer has left something behind.
With you
The singer gave or left something with someone else.
I hope that was discreet
The singer wants to keep the thing they left behind private or secret.
I made sure
The artist took care to do something properly or thoughtfully.
I put it
The artist placed the thing they left behind somewhere.
Upon the cellar doors
The singer placed the thing they left behind on the doors to a cellar.
It's hanging open
The door to the cellar that the singer left the thing on is open.
When you read it while I weep
The artist is crying as the person they left the thing with reads it.
Last time
The last time the artist experienced something similar.
The last time
The artist is reminded of a previous experience.
It flickers through me
The memory of the past experience is vivid and moves through the singer.
So vivid
The memory is clear and sharp.
It rushes from my head down to my feet
The memory has a physical effect on the singer, causing a strong emotional response that affects their whole body.
We're laughing we're joking
The people around the singer are happy and joking around.
Through ??? to my defeat
The singer doesn't know what is happening to them, but the happiness around them only makes them feel worse.
Seasons change it will never be the same
The constant progression of time ensures that the past can never be truly repeated.
I'm hoping I won't stay the same
The artist wants to change and grow.
Reasons strange
The reasons behind why people do what they do are often difficult to explain.
Why we always play these games.
The singer is questioning why people engage in complex or messy emotional behavior.
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED
Written by: ANDREYA TRIANA, SIMON CHARLES GREEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@radekradek8509
We used to listed to this song with my then gf, especially during long winter nights. Life hurts but it's also very beautiful.
Peace to all lonely souls out here.
@andres90alvaro
Same here man. I feel you.
@didiknowwho2054
1:1
@abiassiraymond382
This song is a mix between a happy and sad feeling, mixing in your mind making such a weird feeling
@anja1789
and peaceful
@tranquilitybase2351
It's melancholy, which has existed for eons in popular and traditional music, but seems in short supply in today's songs.
@cryptoshuttle
It reminds me of walking by myself in the rain while it’s getting dark through small streets in Europe lol ... very intrigue and mysterious
@abiassiraymond382
@@cryptoshuttle It reminds me of every post break up depression ive had
@cryptoshuttle
Abi Assi Raymond hahah for real
@nilacurry4230
That sax is like the icing on the cake... I’m on a sugar high ❤️