They formed in 2005 and spent their last couple of years in school writing songs that would eventually become their debut album. In 2007, after leaving education, they began to take the band more seriously and took to the road, touring relentlessly for the next 4 years playing hundreds of shows around the UK and Ireland. Starting off in opening slots for anyone who would have them, they progressed to slots on much higher profile UK wide tours with the likes of Billy Talent, Enter Shikari, Against Me, Twin Atlantic and You Me At Six, and quickly gained themselves a country-wide following of fans.
October 2009 saw the self-release of their debut album ‘Thank You’. The band decided they would put the album up for free download via their website with the idea that they wanted as many people as possible to hear their music without expecting them to pay out, or download it illegally, effectively ‘officially’ leaking the album. ‘Thank You’ received fantastic feedback in various national press reviews and took the band from their relatively ‘local’ status to a more well-known, yet still underground, national name within the UK music scene. To date the album has had well over 35,000 downloads and rising.
Work on the bands follow up release is now under way as they take time out from touring to write & record. Canterbury will be playing a few select UK festivals this summer.
Garden Grows
Canterbury Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When my head's been innocently floating in and out of time, and what is today?
Killing time is not what you want to worry about, because it's never ending
Throw a hand out, save it for as long as you can, it'll be on your side
But I've been blindly starring out the window,
Staring out the window trying to see the colours collide
But they won't until I step into the sunlight and take a breath
To fix a problem you're never going to do it with eyes, you're just wasting more time
To make amends you have to mend, your hands will be fine
They're the perfect tool but...
Nothing, nothing in the garden grows without a little bit of care and attention
I thought I should mention, from here it seems that nobody knows
Woah, I found out I'm going under, found out I'm going under the waves that used to wave at me
I'm sure I used to think that they were friendly
Until they held me by the chest and filled my lungs with doubt
And said, "breathing's just a luxury we choose to give it out now!"
Let me go I'm sick of being drowned and staying alive, I'm not asking nicely
Cut the ties, close your eyes, take a breath you'll be fine, you can slip right under
Nothing,, nothing in the garden grows without a little bit of care and attention
I thought I should mention, cos from here it seems that nobody knows
I've been, I've been known to open doors
I'm not allowed to see inside it so blind me with words
That confine me to a garden where I'll sit on my own
This song seems to be about feeling lost and disconnected, but also about finding hope and inspiration despite those feelings. The first verse talks about the desire to escape from the world and sit on a cloud, but realizing that it's not productive to just kill time. The lyric "To fix a problem you're never going to do it with eyes, you're just wasting more time" suggests that it's important to take action rather than just observe. The idea of stepping into the sunlight and taking a breath is a metaphor for taking control and making a change. The line "Nothing in the garden grows without a little bit of care and attention" reinforces the idea that we need to actively work towards our goals and cultivate our own growth.
The second verse seems to deal with the idea of being overwhelmed by doubt and negativity, and feeling like you're drowning. The waves mentioned in the lyrics could represent challenges or negative emotions that can feel insurmountable. The line "breathing's just a luxury we choose to give it out now" reflects a sense of hopelessness and resignation. However, the chorus again reminds us that even in difficult times, we need to give our own growth and well-being care and attention.
Overall, the song seems to be a message of hope and encouragement to keep pushing forward even when things feel overwhelming. The metaphor of the garden suggests that we have to actively cultivate our own growth and well-being, and that it requires effort and attention.
Line by Line Meaning
Why oh, why's the thought of sitting on a, the thought of sitting on a cloud so many miles away?
Why do people indulge in unrealistic expectations, such as sitting on a distant cloud?
When my head's been innocently floating in and out of time, and what is today?
I am lost in thought about the passage of time and have lost touch with the present moment.
Killing time is not what you want to worry about, because it's never ending
Worrying about how to fill time is pointless since time will continue to pass.
Throw a hand out, save it for as long as you can, it'll be on your side
Extend a helping hand and build strong relationships that will support you in the long run.
But I've been blindly starring out the window, Staring out the window trying to see the colours collide
I've been daydreaming and not taking action to make my goals a reality.
But they won't until I step into the sunlight and take a breath, Suddenly the clouds I want to sit on start moving aside
I need to take action to achieve my goals and once I do, the obstacles preventing me will disappear.
To fix a problem you're never going to do it with eyes, you're just wasting more time
Solving a problem won't happen by just observing, it requires proactive action.
To make amends you have to mend, your hands will be fine, They're the perfect tool but...
To reconcile with someone or something, effort must be made and your hands are capable, but may need guidance.
Nothing, nothing in the garden grows without a little bit of care and attention I thought I should mention, from here it seems that nobody knows
Nothing can flourish without effort and attention, but it seems like nobody knows this.
Woah, I found out I'm going under, found out I'm going under the waves that used to wave at me, I'm sure I used to think that they were friendly, Until they held me by the chest and filled my lungs with doubt, And said, "breathing's just a luxury we choose to give it out now!" Let me go I'm sick of being drowned and staying alive, I'm not asking nicely
I've realized that I am struggling and drowning under the pressures of life, even though the cause of my stress used to seem benign. I am angry and demand to be set free from this pain.
Cut the ties, close your eyes, take a breath you'll be fine, you can slip right under
Cutting ties with toxic relationships, taking a break and focusing on self-care can help you cope and heal.
I've been, I've been known to open doors, I'm not allowed to see inside it so blind me with words, That confine me to a garden where I'll sit on my own
I have the ability to empower myself and access new opportunities, but often am hindered by negative self-talk that limits me to a life of isolation and stagnation.
Contributed by Aaron E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.