By any reckoning, Iranian native Kia has an extraordinary story to tell; he calls Ashes “music to lament to,” and he is only half-joking. As a small boy, he fled Tehran for London with his father, after witnessing up close the internecine violence of the Islamic Revolution. In the U.K., he was reintroduced to the mother he’d virtually never known, since she’d left Iran years before him, and he found himself placed in the strange, regimented environment of a British military school. As he grew up, the feelings that Kia was unable to articulate in words alone found expression in songs. He was so intuitively skilled at this creative channeling that he attracted the interest of a major London music publisher. As Kia built a repertoire, he decided to go to the United States in pursuit of his first record deal.
After making the rounds in New York City and Los Angeles, he signed a deal with Interscope Records. So far so good, but it wasn’t long before he discovered that the industry was more interested in molding him to suit the tastes of the moment than in exploring what he might really have to offer in his own right. One can understand why: Kia has an impressive, elastic vocal range, able to perform hushed ballads as eloquently as anthemic rockers.
As the powers that be tried to figure out how they wanted to present their find, Kia decided he would prefer to do it his own way. So he jettisoned the cadre of producers, mixers and constantly gear-shifting executives who surrounded him. He chose a tougher, more D.I.Y. approach to his fledgling career, touring relentlessly as a solo artist, opening for better-known acts. After meeting and working with bassist Toby Evers and Guitarist Simon Gibson, the trio began touring at an unrelenting pace, playing over 400 shows in less than two years. “It was on the road, in the crammed space of the tour van, that our new sound was formed and Buddahead was reinvented as a band”, says Gibson.
Their 2004 debut, Crossing The Invisible Line, showcased a prodigious talent with the vocal prowess of Thom Yorke and a band so skilled at arranging that it recalled vintage U2 or contemporary Coldplay. But these artful tracks barely hinted at the roiling emotions lying beneath their sleek surface and the truly dramatic stories Kia had yet to tell. Ashes changes all that. Surrounded by the darker musical influences of Gibson and Evers, Ashes are Kia’s stories as he wants to – has to – be heard. “Urgent but less desperate, Ashes is the amalgamation of a band that is growing up.”
Ashes has its origins in some of the darker moments of a few far-flung lives, yet these real-life scenarios connect in many tangible ways to our collective cultural and political history, and that makes them all the more powerful. In his lyrics, Kia doesn’t offer answers to the dilemmas he presents, yet in the very act of creating these songs, articulating these emotions, Kia makes Ashes an uplifting experience. His catharsis becomes our own. Gazing into the ashes of torched relationships, Kia discovers a spark of hope for us all.
Chains
Buddahead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Were beautiful and I somehow believed.
It hurts, the way you play.
You stone me to see if I can break in two easily.
I'm in chains and you don't see.
It feels like rain when you leave me.
I need your confidence and some peace of mind
But not so fast my innocence is still behind.
I'm in chains and you don't see.
It feels like rain when you leave me.
I need some light.
I tried to find you but couldn't reach you.
You were too faint.
It's harder every time underneath your waves.
Set me down on solid ground and I'll be safe.
The opening lines of Buddahead's "Chains" set the stage for a heart-wrenching tale of trusting someone deeply and then watching them break that trust. The singer speaks to a lover who made promises to stay and offered beautiful words that captured their heart. They believed in the love and commitment that was being shared, but soon realize that they were being played. The lover was merely testing their ability to break in two easily, leaving them feeling hurt and abandoned.
The chorus of "Chains" speaks to the singer's feeling of being trapped in a situation that they cannot escape. Despite their efforts to be released from the situation and the pain that it brings, they remain trapped in a world of hurt and broken promises. They plead for their lover's understanding and the confidence that comes from a strong and healthy relationship, but they are held back by their own innocence and the weight of past disappointments.
The final lines of the song are a call for safety and security. The singer is looking for solid ground on which they can stand, away from the waves of uncertainty and pain that have battered them. They place their trust in their lover, hoping that they will be able to find the light that they so desperately need.
Line by Line Meaning
The words you said to me and your promises to stay
Your comforting words and promises to stick around were beautiful, and I believed them.
It hurts, the way you play.
Your treatment of me is painful - it feels like you're testing my emotional resilience.
You stone me to see if I can break in two easily.
You're intentionally causing me emotional pain to see if I'll crumble.
I'm in chains and you don't see.
I feel trapped by our relationship, but you're not aware of it.
It feels like rain when you leave me.
Your absence leaves me feeling empty and sad - like a rainy day.
I need your confidence and some peace of mind
I require your trust and assurance so that I can feel secure and content.
But not so fast my innocence is still behind.
Don't rush things too quickly, as I'm still a bit naive and inexperienced.
I need some light.
I'm feeling lost and need guidance - in the darkness I can't find my way forward.
I tried to find you but couldn't reach you.
I attempted to connect with you, but I couldn't make contact.
You were too faint.
You seemed to be distant and hard to perceive - like a faint whisper.
It's harder every time underneath your waves.
With every emotional tidal wave you bring, it becomes more and more difficult to stay afloat.
Set me down on solid ground and I'll be safe.
If you can provide me with stability and security, I can feel protected and at peace.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kyrah Naegle
Thank you for uploading this music to YouTube. This has always been an album that's very close to my heart. I remember growing up on this music and it brings back a lot of good memories. I actually own a CD of this album that my dad bought and handed down to me. Over the years I've tried to look up lyric videos or find this album and was disappointed with how hard it seemed to get ahold of a digital copy to enjoy. I've always felt this was a seriously underrated band and now I know I can find it here when I need. Thanks for making my day. 💜
Beetlemuse
your welcome! Thanks for making my day with this comment! :)
Gia
Thank you for uploading this album. This was my late brother's favourite band and it just helps me remember him. So thank you! <3
Joseph Johnson
Extremely underrated album and band
Seikō ofu
Finally found this after years and years