1. An indie pop band from… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least four artists with this name
1. An indie pop band from Scotland
2. A synthpop group from the United Kingdom
3. A hardcore punk band from the United States
4. An electronic music group from France
1. Camera Obscura is an indie pop band which formed in 1996 in Glasgow, Scotland. Currently the band consists of Tracyanne Campbell (vocals, guitar), Kenny McKeeve (guitar), Gavin Dunbar (bass) and Lee Thomson (drums). Keyboardist Carey Lander was a member of the band from 2002 until her death from bone cancer in 2015.
The band was formed in 1996 by Tracyanne Campbell, John Henderson, and Gavin Dunbar and released their debut album Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi in 2001. Camera Obscura released a second album, Underachievers Please Try Harder, the following year, and in September, 2005, the band started recording their next album, named Let's Get Out of This Country, with producer Jari Haapalainen. This album was released on June 06, 2006 and appeared high up in many critical lists of the 'best albums of 2006'.
In November 2008, the band announced that they have completed recording the follow-up to Let's Get Out of This Country, and that the new album would be released in 2009. In February 2009, it was announced that the band had signed to the label 4AD, who released their fourth album, called My Maudlin Career, on April 20, 2009.
http://www.camera-obscura.net/
2. Camera Obscura comprised Nigel James and Peter Oldroyd, and hailed from the UK. The band formed in 1982 and soldiered through record label hardships until 1987, when they went on indefinite hiatus.
‘Destitution’ and ‘Race in Athens’ became the duo’s first single on Small Wonder Records in the spring of 1983, followed by ‘Village of Stars’ b/w ‘Insect’ for the B-side, in London, at the Atmosphere studios on Wardour Street . These tracks were never released and sadly the masters have not survived.
Camera played live extensively at this time and they soldiered on into 1985 with a 4-piece line up (Gary Scargill and Rob Gospel were added) and the Quartet formed Paradise Now in ‘86. Nigel left in ‘87 and was replaced by Steve Wright from “Fiat Lux”. Sadly the band ended there. However, Camera Obscura never officially split up. In 2005, Nigel and Peter dusted off their old material and took to playing shows throughout Europe, finally releasing their lost classic Horizons of Suburbia. All recent Camera Obscura material has been released by German label Anna Louge Records.
http://www.annaloguerecords.com/releases.htm
http://clancamera.com/
3. Camera Obscura is not pulling any punches: they're out to rock you so hard you fall onto the dance floor. The band launches its aural attack using an arsenal comprised of Michelle Maskovich's squealing keyboards, Duane Pitre's mountains of guitar squiggle, William Lamb's thunderous drums, and Russell White's urgent-yet-muffled vocals. Like a dance party during a tornado watch, Camera Obscura throws caution and moderation out the window in favor of thrilling, adventurous sound combinations.
Camera Obscura formed in '98 in San Diego, incorporating members of The Shortwave Channel, The Interstate Ten, and Spanakorzo. The band self-released a seven-inch (now in its fourth pressing on Three One G Records) in October '98 and went on its first U.S. tour in January '99. More touring and recording followed, leading up to the release of their first full-length, 2000's To Change the Shape of an Envelope, on Troubleman Unlimited.
http://www.epitonic.com/index.jsp?refer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epitonic.com%2Fartists%2Fcameraobscura.html
4. 1. Project active in 1982 from Die Form founder, Philippe Fichot. He released three cassettes under the moniker: "1 - "Terrains Vagues"", "2" and "3/Final Edition". Further information can be found here: http://www.discogs.com/artist/Camera+Obscura+%283%29
Marathon Not A Sprint
Camera Obscura Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I can't deny my need to be free grows
I resigned myself to climb the stairs to your
Winning thighs and endless prayers alone
My new-found confidence you hate,
Everything put down to fate
Nothing less or more
It's a marathon and not a sprint
Love should grow
Should boast
I feel I'm doing time
With someone not on my side
A mystery divide
Brings me close
To who I love the most
A friend from the capital came to visit
Will she comfort me or does she want to gossip
Who knows?
I'll take these troubles to the park
I won't come home until after dark
No one will know except you of course
I'll go swimming and ride a bike
Maybe turn into someone that you'd like
It's a marathon and not a sprint
That's what we said before we quit
Love should grow
Should boast
In Camera Obscura's song "Marathon Not A Sprint", the singer of the song has to make the difficult decision of ending her relationship with someone she once loved. The lyrics suggest that while the partner was "good for [her]", the singer feels the need to be free growing inside her. She walks away from that person, ready to start a new chapter by herself. The lyrics also mention her new-found confidence which has upset her partner, leading to the end of their relationship. The singer feels that she is "doing time" with someone who is not on her side, implying that the partner may have been toxic.
The lyrics mention a friend from the capital who came to visit. The singer is unsure if this friend is there to comfort her or to gossip. She plans to take her troubles to the park, ride a bike, and go swimming. She will not return until after dark, and the only person who will know about her plans is her ex-partner. The song implies that the breakup is painful but necessary for the singer's self-growth, as love should grow and boast.
Overall, "Marathon Not A Sprint" is about letting go of a relationship that's no longer serving an individual in their life and empowering oneself by taking charge of their decisions.
Line by Line Meaning
Honey you were good for me
I appreciate the way you treated me in the past
But I can't deny my need to be free grows
However, I am feeling a stronger desire to be independent
I resigned myself to climb the stairs to your
I accepted my role in our relationship
Winning thighs and endless prayers alone
To pursue your love and devotion without assistance
My new-found confidence you hate,
You disapprove of my newfound self-assurance
Everything put down to fate
You believe that destiny is responsible for everything
Nothing less or more
There is no room for compromise
It's a marathon and not a sprint
Our relationship requires long-term commitment
That's what we said before we quit
That's what we agreed upon before we ended things
Love should grow
Love should develop and mature
Should boast
Should be something to feel proud of
I feel I'm doing time
I feel stuck or trapped
With someone not on my side
With someone who isn't supportive
A mystery divide
An unknown separation
Brings me close
Brings me closer to my lover
To who I love the most
To the person who means the most to me
A friend from the capital came to visit
A friend from out of town is coming to see me
Will she comfort me or does she want to gossip
I wonder if she wants to console me or spread rumors
Who knows?
I have no way of knowing for sure
I'll take these troubles to the park
I'll go to the park to clear my head
I won't come home until after dark
I plan to stay out late
No one will know except you of course
The only person who will know is you
I'll go swimming and ride a bike
I'll stay active
Maybe turn into someone that you'd like
Perhaps I'll transform into someone more desirable to you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TRACYANNE CAMPBELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ian
love this song very dearly and makes me feel 16/17 again since that's when i was totally obsessed with it
darkguy555
definitely an underrated song