Circa Waves is a four-piece British indie rock band formed in Liverpool, U… Read Full Bio ↴Circa Waves is a four-piece British indie rock band formed in Liverpool, UK in 2013. The band consists of Kieran Shudall (vocals, guitar), Sam Rourke (bass), Colin Jones (drums) and Joe Falconer (guitar). The band released a double-A side single late in 2013, featuring "Get Away" and "Good For Me" and an EP launch in mid 2014 (Young Chasers EP) on the Transgressive label.

The band's debut album,Young Chasers, was released on March 30, 2015 on the Virgin EMI label and was produced by Dan Grech. Harriet Gibsone in the Guardian described the album as having "traces of We Are Scientists, the Kooks, the Libertines and Razorlight". It features the title track from their 2014 Young Chasers EP, as well as the singles "T-Shirt Weather" and "Fossils".

The band's second album, Different Creatures, was released on March 10, 2017, on the Virgin EMI label and was produced by Alan Moulder and Kieran Shudall. After releasing three different singles ("Wake Up", "Fire That Burns" and "Stuck"), the band came up with a deeper and more mature composition that keeps the first album's energy adding more meaningful lyrics and unusual instruments like violins and cellos.

On 5 April 2019 the band released their third studio album titled, What's It Like Over There?, to critical success. It was supported by the singles, "Times Won't Change Me", "Movies", and "The Way We Say Goodbye". The album earned critical acclaim for its mix of indie and pop rock, as well as the experimentation by the band. It peaked at Number 10 on the UK Albums Chart.

On 19 November 2019 the band released the single "Jacqueline" via BBC Radio 1. The single was accompanied by the announcement of their fourth studio album Sad Happy. The album was released in two parts, with the 'Happy' side released in January 2020 and the 'Sad' side followed in March 2020. According to the band, the double album concept "represents two sides of this tech-saturated, highly insecure age".

The Way We Say Goodbye
Circa Waves Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Take this plane, delay it
I was only waiting
For you, you know
For you, you know

I stayed in here for ages
And felt the sunlight fading
On you, you know

On you, you know

But it's the way we say goodbye
It kills me now
It's the way we say goodbye
It kills me now
And I won't look back in time
'Cause, darling, it's just the way we say goodbye

Take this plane, delay it
I heard the music fading
With you, you know
With you
We'll stay outside the cages
And read all the last pages
With you, you know
With you

And I miss you
God, I miss you
Love, I miss you
You know I do

But it's the way we say goodbye
It kills me now
It's the way we say goodbye
It kills me now
And I won't look back in time
'Cause, darling, it's just the way we say goodbye

Ohh, ohh-oh, ohh, ohh-oh
Ohh, ohh-oh, ohh, ohh-oh
Ohh, ohh-oh, ohh, ohh-oh
Ohh, ohh-oh, ohh, ohh-oh

And I miss you
God, I miss you
Love, I miss you
You know I do

And I won't look back in time
'Cause, darling, it's just the way we say goodbye

Just the way we say goodbye
Just the way we say goodbye

Overall Meaning

In "The Way We Say Goodbye," Circa Waves lead singer Kieran Shudall appears to be lamenting a separation, likely from a loved one. The opening verse finds him waiting for someone, anticipating their arrival. The delay of a plane suggests a long-distance relationship, where each meeting is precious and eagerly awaited. As the wait dragged on, he noticed the sunlight fading, perhaps a metaphor for his hope dwindling. The chorus highlights the pain and difficulty of saying goodbye, and Shudall recognizes that, regardless of the circumstances, the way they part is what truly stings. The second verse offers a glimmer of hope, as the couple plans to break free from their cages and go on an adventure together. However, this is only a dream or a longing, as the chorus repeats, emphasizing the way they say goodbye, and the pain it brings.

The song's mood is melancholic, with the lyrics portraying emotions of longing, love, and loss. The lines “And I miss you; God, I miss you; Love, I miss you; You know I do,” reflect the intensity of emotions felt during a separation, where the sense of being without someone you love can feel palpable. The tone of the song is further supported by the music, with a slow and steady rhythm that reflects the sad and reflective lyrics. The repeating chorus emphasizes just how much the way that they say goodbye affects the author, and ultimately, they won't look back in time because it's just the way they say goodbye.

Line by Line Meaning

Take this plane, delay it
I wish this plane would be delayed so you cannot leave

I was only waiting
I stayed because I wanted to see you

For you, you know
I stayed because of you

I stayed in here for ages
I waited for a long time

And felt the sunlight fading
The day was ending but you still hadn't come

On you, you know
I hoped you would come before the sunset

But it's the way we say goodbye
The way we say goodbye is very painful

It kills me now
The pain is unbearable right now

And I won't look back in time
I won't dwell on the past

'Cause, darling, it's just the way we say goodbye
The pain comes from our way of saying goodbye

I heard the music fading
The moment was ending and we had to part