CHVRCHES (pronounced as "churches"; stylised as CHVRCHΞS) are a Scottish el… Read Full Bio ↴CHVRCHES (pronounced as "churches"; stylised as CHVRCHΞS) are a Scottish electronic band from Glasgow, formed in 2011. The group consists of Lauren Mayberry (lead vocals, occasionally synths and samplers), Iain Cook (synths, guitar, bass, vocals) and Martin Doherty (synths, samplers, vocals). The group's debut album, The Bones of What You Believe, was released on 20 September 2013.

Previously, Mayberry was a member of the bands Boyfriend/Girlfriend and Blue Sky Archives. Mayberry is a trained drummer and also did a four-year law degree, followed by a Masters in journalism. Cook was a member of Aereogramme and The Unwinding Hours and also wrote music for film and TV. Doherty was a live member of The Twilight Sad. According to Mayberry, "Iain and Martin went to university together so they've known each other for quite a long time".

The band started in October 2011 as a studio project between the long time friends Iain Cook and Martin Doherty. Cook already knew Lauren Mayberry from working with Blue Sky Archives and suggested her as a potential vocalist for the project.

CHVRCHES were influenced by acts such as Prince, Tubeway Army, Robyn, Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Laurie Anderson. The band write, record, mix and master everything in a basement studio in Glasgow.

In May 2012, they released the song "Lies". In the same year, CHVRCHES toured with Passion Pit, as the opening band for their concerts and also toured on their own. "Lies" ranked at number 28 on NME's Best Tracks of 2012. CHVRCHES also came fifth on the BBC's Sound of 2013 list.

On 25 March 2013, they released Recover EP. They performed at SXSW and won the Inaugural Grulke Prize (for Developing Non-US Act). The band also supported Depeche Mode on four shows in July during their The Delta Machine Tour 2013.

On 20 September 2013, CHVRCHES released their debut album, The Bones of What You Believe. The album is supported by the singles "The Mother We Share", "Recover" and "Gun".

Links: official site at chvrch.es | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Tumblr | Vimeo

Tether
CHVRCHES Lyrics

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Where'd you go, you were there by my side
Keep believing it's my turn to hide
In a place where we don't have a prayer
There's a tether that's keeping me there

Trade our places
Take no chances
Bind me 'til my lips are silent

Stay where you are
Ever, after
Chasing things that we should run from

Will we ever get away from this place
It's an image that's burned on my chest
For a moment you need me to stay
Cold blooded and drifting away

Trade our places
Take no chances
Bind me 'til my lips are silent

Stay where you are
Ever, after
Chasing things that we should run from

I feel incapable of
Seeing the end

I feel incapable of
Saying it's over

I feel incapable of
Seeing the end

I feel incapable of
Saying it's over

I feel incapable of
Seeing the end

I feel incapable of
Saying it's over

I feel incapable of
Seeing the end

I feel incapable of
Saying it's over

I feel incapable of
Seeing the end

I feel incapable of
Saying it's over

I feel incapable of
Seeing the end

I feel incapable of
Saying it's over

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Tether" by CHVRCHES portray a sense of being trapped; the singer feels stuck in a place where there is no hope. The lyrics "where'd you go, you were there by my side, keep believing it's my turn to hide" express the idea of someone leaving or abandoning the singer, or perhaps that person has already left and the singer now feels alone. The line "there's a tether that's keeping me there" implies that the singer is being held back by something, or that they are attached to the place they are in and cannot break away.

The chorus with the repeated lines "trade our places, take no chances, bind me til my lips are silent" can be interpreted in different ways. It could suggest a plea for someone else to take the singer's place, or for them to switch positions to see things from a different perspective. The imagery of being bound and silenced implies that the singer feels powerless or trapped. The final lines of the chorus "stay where you are, ever after, chasing things that we should run from" suggest a sense of resignation, as if the singer and their companion are resigned to their fate and doomed to repeat their mistakes.

The lines "will we ever get away from this place, it's an image that's burned on my chest" express a sense of wanting to escape from a memory that is ingrained in the singer. The repetition of the line "I feel incapable of" at the end of the song adds to the feeling of being trapped and unable to move forward, whether it be emotionally or physically. Overall, "Tether" is a hauntingly beautiful song that explores the sometimes painful experience of feeling stuck and powerless.

Line by Line Meaning

Where'd you go, you were there by my side
Asking where the person they trusted had vanished to

Keep believing it's my turn to hide
Expecting to be the one in the shadows now

In a place where we don't have a prayer
In a hopeless situation

There's a tether that's keeping me there
A force or bond that's preventing freedom

Trade our places
Switch roles and positions

Take no chances
Avoid risk completely

Bind me 'til my lips are silent
Restricting freedom of speech and expression

Stay where you are
Remain in your current situation

Ever, after
Continuing for eternity

Chasing things that we should run from
Futilely pursuing harmful things

Will we ever get away from this place
Questioning the possibility of escape