The would-be next album, "Dear Tommy" (2016), was scrapped, and was meant to be re-worked for a subsequent release, however the fate of album is unclear, as on August 10, 2021, Ruth Radelet, Adam Miller and Nat Walker announced the breaking up of Chromatics. Later that day the label, Italians Do It Better, and Johnny Jewel's representative, also confirmed the breakup. Their last album is "Closer to Grey" (2019), which has a companion album, "Faded Now" (2020).
The band originally hailed from Seattle and formed in 2002 as a quartet featuring vocalist Adam Miller, drummer Hannah Blilie, guitarist Devin Welch, and bassist Michelle Nolan. That lineup debuted in 2002 with a Calvin Johnson-produced 7" on Gold Standard Laboratories -- a split with Die Monitr Batss -- and followed with the similarly GSL-issued Chrome Rats vs Basement Ruts LP.
While Chrome Rats was critically hailed, Chromatics couldn't keep it together, and Miller was soon the only member in good standing (Blilie, Welch, and Nolan went on to form the similar-sounding Shoplifting). Unworried, Miller added guitar and drum programming to his vocal duties and tapped bassist Nat Sahlstrom for the 2003 GSL 7" Ice Hatchets. That was followed by the February 2004 full-length Plaster Hounds (which featured the percussion work of Get Hustle's Ron Avila), and a repositioning of the Chromatics axis to greater reflect its dub and no wave influences.
This lineup too dissolved and Adam Miller relocated Chromatics to Portland, teaming up with Glass Candy's Johnny Jewel, Ruth Radelet on lead vocals, and Nat Walker on percussion and saxophone. The new lineup of Chromatics had a more lo-fi electronic sound as opposed to the earlier dub and no-wave sounds.
Birds of Paradise
Chromatics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I knew you held the keys to my heart,
And in the setting sun we flew away
To a broken kind of paradise
Where time would stand still.
You are the black sky
Always running from the sun.
I kissed the tide,
You held the moon
And carried the stars
Like life was a memory
And death just a possibility.
You are the black sky
Always running from the sun.
You're always running from the sun.
The lyrics of Chromatics' "Birds of Paradise" seem to describe a love affair that has taken flight, soaring away to an idyllic paradise. The opening verse captures the moment of falling in love, recognizing the power of that connection: "Baby, when I first saw you, I knew you held the keys to my heart." The couple then "flew away" to "a broken kind of paradise," a place where "time would stand still." This phrase carries a sense of both beauty and sadness, as if the paradise is perfect but somehow damaged or incomplete.
The second verse is more mysterious, using a series of images to evoke the intensity of the lovers' bond: "Paralyzed, I dug a well deep inside. I kissed the tide, You held the moon And carried the stars." These lines suggest the depths of emotion that the singer is experiencing, as if they are willing to go to any lengths to be with their beloved. The final lines repeat the black sky metaphor established from the first verse: "You are the black sky Always running from the sun. You're always running from the sun." Here, the darkness and perpetual motion of the sky seem to represent the mystery and unattainability of the loved one.
Overall, "Birds of Paradise" is a song that celebrates the power and mystery of love, exploring its ability to transport us to otherworldly realms even as it eludes our grasp. The lyrics are enigmatic and poetic, leaving much to interpretation and inviting listeners to connect with the emotions that the words and melody evoke.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, when I first saw you,
From the moment I laid eyes on you, I felt a deep connection in my heart.
I knew you held the keys to my heart,
I knew that you had the power to unlock the deepest parts of my soul.
And in the setting sun we flew away,
We escaped from the troubles of the world, bathed in the beauty of the setting sun.
To a broken kind of paradise,
We found solace in a flawed utopia.
Where time would stand still.
Our time together was so special it felt as though it could pause the very flow of time.
You are the black sky,
You are mysterious and alluring, like the endless depth of a dark night sky.
Always running from the sun.
You are constantly on the move and seeking new horizons, never staying idle or complacent.
Paralyzed, I dug a well deep inside.
I found myself stuck and unable to move forward, so I looked inward to find a solution.
I kissed the tide,
I made peace with the ebb and flow of life's challenges.
You held the moon
You are a steady, grounding force in my life, like the moon controls the tides.
And carried the stars
You carry the hopes and dreams that guide me toward a brighter future.
Like life was a memory
Together, we live fully in the present moment but hold onto the memories that make life worth living.
And death just a possibility.
We cherish our time together, knowing that life is fleeting and death is always a possibility.
You're always running from the sun.
You will never be satisfied with staying still or remaining stagnant, choosing instead to chase new adventures and possibilities.
Lyrics © ITALIANS DO IT BETTER INTERNATIONAL, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Adam Miller, John Padgett, Ruth Radelet
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Candy Theory
Baby, When I first saw you I knew, you had the keys to my heart And in the setting sun we flew away To a broken kind of paradise Where time would stand still You are the black sky, always running from the sun. Paralyzed, I dug a well deep inside I kissed the tide, but you held the moon and carried the stars Like life was a memory, and death, just a possibility You are the black sky, always running from the sun You're always running from the sun.
DR ALGIERS
“Held” the keys to my heart
le_petit_ben_69.0
Whaou !!! on this song, the voice of Ruth is downright sublime !!!
cantforgetyou
Thanks for posting these great album tracks.
kunegunda przyb
I love them, this song reminds me of "Daniel" by Bat for lashes <3
Gladson Mascarenhas
totally
Marqo Saucedo
this song is a brilliant sparkle in the dark...
Piotr Kasperowicz
They are really heartbreakers and life takers in the music. Feel crushed.
Louie
"You are the Black Sky, always running from the Sun" ....damn. These lyrics, simple but intoxicating..
anautonomousagent
incredible song