After performing in a number of metal bands in high school, Townsend was discovered by a record label in 1993 and was asked to perform lead vocals on Steve Vai's album Sex & Religion. After recording and touring with Vai, Townsend was discouraged by what he found in the music industry, and vented his anger on a solo album released under the pseudonym Strapping Young Lad. He soon assembled a band under the name, and released the critically acclaimed City in 1997. Since then, he has released three more studio albums with Strapping Young Lad, along with solo material released under his own independent record label, HevyDevy Records. Townsend's solo albums, a diverse mix of hard rock and progressive metal, have featured a varying lineup of supporting musicians. In 2002 he formed The Devin Townsend Band, a dedicated lineup which recorded and toured for two of his solo releases.
In 2007, Townsend disbanded both Strapping Young Lad and The Devin Townsend Band, taking a break from touring to spend more time with his family. After a two-year hiatus, he began work on a four-album series called The Devin Townsend Project, with each album written in a different style. The first two entries in the series, Ki and Addicted, were released in 2009. Townsend scheduled tours throughout Australia and North America in 2010 in support of the albums, and released the next two, Deconstruction and Ghost, in 2011.
Townsend's trademark production style, featuring a heavily multitracked wall of sound, has been compared to the styles of Phil Spector and Frank Zappa. His versatile vocal delivery ranges from screaming to an opera-esque singing, and his songwriting is similarly diverse. Townsend's musical style is rooted in metal, and his albums are written to express different aspects of his personality.
Coast
Devin Townsend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm all right to go
So go...
...you go.
They took their things and headed for the coast
Denied of all in life they needed most
Loves forgotten child
Born into the wild
Come to the coast it will find you...
The fallout from the California glow
Toronto's frozen over this every man should know
I've forgotten now
Won't you show me how?
Come.
So run away, so run away from here.
Just run away, just run away my dear...
'Cause love's forgotten child...
So go into the wild
Somebody took me away...something controls me...
The lyrics of Devin Townsend's song "Coast" convey a sense of existential wandering and a longing for escape, as the singer encourages someone to follow him to the coast, where they may find themselves again. The opening verse says that "the way it goes is the way it goes," which suggests a certain sense of resignation to one's fate. However, the overall message is one of hope, as the singer encourages the listener to have the courage to follow their dreams and leave behind anything that is holding them back.
The second verse describes people who have left behind everything they needed most and have headed for the coast, suggesting that this is where they may find something worth living for. The chorus repeats the invitation to come to the coast, which will find the listener and remind them of what they had lost. The bridge warns of the dangers of staying in one place too long, as the "California glow" fades and "Toronto's frozen over," suggesting that life is short and we must take the opportunities presented to us.
The final lines of the song express a sense of being controlled by something, which could be interpreted as external circumstances or internal thoughts and emotions. Nonetheless, the overall message is one of optimism and the belief that we can find our way through the challenges of life.
Line by Line Meaning
The way it goes, is the way it goes.
Things will happen the way they happen, without control or intervention.
I'm all right to go
I am prepared and capable of leaving this place.
So go...
You should leave as well, without delay.
...you go.
You should proceed with your travels or journey without me.
They took their things and headed for the coast
These people gathered their belongings and departed to the seaside.
Denied of all in life they needed most
They were deprived of everything they required for their well-being.
Loves forgotten child
A person who has been disregarded or neglected by love.
Born into the wild
Inherently, this individual is accustomed to living in a state of nature.
Come to the coast, come to the coast, come to the coast
Travel to the seaside, as it is an inviting and desirable location.
Come to the coast it will find you...
If you journey to the shore, it is possible that you may discover what you seek.
The fallout from the California glow
The repercussions or aftermath of life in a place that is associated with prosperity.
Toronto's frozen over this every man should know
It is public knowledge that the city of Toronto has turned frigid, and this is a widely known fact.
I've forgotten now
I cannot recall or remember.
Won't you show me how?
Would you be so kind as to demonstrate or guide me?
Come.
Please approach, accompany, or join me.
So run away, so run away from here.
Escape from this place, flee from this location.
Just run away, just run away my dear...
Beloved, quickly move elsewhere, do not linger.
'Cause love's forgotten child...
As someone who is uncared for by love and left behind, I understand the pain of similarly neglected individuals.
So go into the wild
Set off into nature, explore its beauty and wonder.
Somebody took me away...something controls me...
I was taken from one place to another and now feel restrained or dominated by an unknown force or person.
Contributed by Max O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@darkaquatus
The way it goes, is the way it goes.
I'm all right to go
So go...
...you go.
They took their things and headed for the coast
Denied of all in life they needed most
Loves forgotten child
born into the wild
Come to the coast, come to the coast, come to the coast
it will find you...
The fallout from the California glow
Toronto's frozen over this every man should know
I've forgotten now
Won't you show me how?
Coast.
Come...
Run away, just run away from here.
Just run away, just run away my dear...
'Cause love's forgotten child...
So go into the wild
...Come.
Somebody took me away...something controls me...
@ReticentIndignation
Devin is anything but normal, the dude is a musical genius when it comes to originality. His music is constantly changing, evolving.
@Ebin_Heart
I was in my first airplane ride on my birthday, flying over the SC coast. And this song kept playing in my head like a broken record. As we flew over the Cooper River, I realized this song was absolutely spot on for how gorgeous the scene was.
@punkinboy100
i had no idea this guy was so good, i just got done w Addicted and i am blown away. i never thought a band would blow me away like Tool but they do. His vocals are almost Freddy Mercury-esque
@sweetnoises512
Everything is perfect.
The lyrics
The acoustic side
The riffs
The atmosphere
The basslines.
@GwiLiX
This song is so addictive! It's like floating on a wave.
@savinisbitch
Saw his acoustic set last night. He played this, was magical. Felt so honoured to be there
@ReticentIndignation
I like Devin's music because of the whole multilayered meaning, besides the awesome sounds. His music makes me curious about their meanings which few songs do for me anymore. For whatever reason Devin is a very interesting and intriguing person; a very talented musician indeed.
@darkaquatus
The way it goes, is the way it goes.
I'm all right to go
So go...
...you go.
They took their things and headed for the coast
Denied of all in life they needed most
Loves forgotten child
born into the wild
Come to the coast, come to the coast, come to the coast
it will find you...
The fallout from the California glow
Toronto's frozen over this every man should know
I've forgotten now
Won't you show me how?
Coast.
Come...
Run away, just run away from here.
Just run away, just run away my dear...
'Cause love's forgotten child...
So go into the wild
...Come.
Somebody took me away...something controls me...
@pinoa7x
Seriously, Ki is an amazing album, one of the best ever made by Devin IMO. This is more than a single song. This is art folks.
@DemiseUnseen
The best may be yet to come