Easter Island may reffer to two artists:
1) An U.S progressive band form… Read Full Bio ↴Easter Island may reffer to two artists:
1) An U.S progressive band formed in 1973
2) An U.S "dream pop" band formed in 2010

1)EASTER ISLAND was originally formed in 1973 by guitarist Mark Miceli. They were easily one of the
best US prog bands to have recorded during the 1970's. The music places emphasis on rich mini-moog and Mellotron work as well as guitar, like most Prog bands from the mid-'70s seemed to do. Their original and progressive music has its roots in the compositional techniques of KING CRIMSON, YES, and ELP. Musically their new opus recalls latter-day KING CRIMSON mixed with heavy doses of world music (in the rhythms) and some modern rock sounds, too. Maybe a little GENESIS creeps in here or there, but the majority of this album really recalls no one in particula

2)Formed by brothers Ethan and Asher Payne in 2010, Easter Island creates panoramic, post-rock inspired dream pop. Behind the wall of towering drums, glassy guitars, and the forceful tide of synthesizers, hide soft-spoken melodies, tender harmonies, and understated musings on the subtle, yet visceral moments in life.

Often compared to sonic pioneers of the 90s and 00s, Explosions In Sky, My Bloody Valentine, Pedro The Lion, and Sigur Rós, Easter Island makes no compromise to explore unknown sonic territory, embodying the “feeling that you’d stumbled onto something great...knowing that you had a potential game changer in your hands” (Pop Matters).

In 2011, Easter Island’s “Proud” from the debut EP, Better Things, was featured on ABC’s Off The Map. In 2012 band released new EP frightened.

Independence
Easter Island Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's only a kingdom
and you wouldn't know if
you're falling asleep inside
you're running your mouth and
you're running your empire
with cottonwood strings stretched tight
who are you to notice
who are you to question

who are you to step outside
it's looking so peaceful
it's looking so hellish
it's looking like paradise
when you say
got to run away

it's not the same as it was back when we were all ok

and you said
got to run but you could have this for the rest of your life

it's only a kingdom
and only an ounce of
the best whiskey you can buy
you measure success here
you measure yourself here
the air here is warm and dry
hold onto your money

hold onto your loved ones

it's personal, it's your right
a perfect arrangement
you finally found it
keep moving to stay alive
and you say
got to run away
it's not the same as it was back when we were all ok
and you said
got to run but you could have this for the rest of your life

you could have me for the rest of your life
you could have me for the rest of your life

Overall Meaning

The song "Independence" by Easter Island describes the conflicts and struggles of maintaining a kingdom or an empire, and the questioning of those in power. The lyrics suggest that those in charge may be blinded by their own success and comfort, leading to a lack of empathy and concern for the rest of society. The repetition of the line "it's only a kingdom" serves to highlight how those in power may view their reign as insignificant or unimportant, and may prioritize their own personal gain over the needs of their people.

The song also touches on the idea of running away from one's problems, as the chorus repeats the line "got to run away." This suggests a desire to escape the pressures and responsibilities of leadership, or perhaps to escape the consequences of one's actions. The lyrics also hint at a sense of nostalgia for a time when things were simpler and better, with the line "it's not the same as it was back when we were all ok."

Overall, "Independence" serves as a commentary on the corrupting nature of power and the difficult choices faced by those in leadership positions, while also exploring the desire to escape and find peace.

Line by Line Meaning

It's only a kingdom
Easter Island is a small kingdom, insignificant to the rest of the world.

and you wouldn't know if
The outside world is unaware of their kingdom's existence.

you're falling asleep inside
Their kingdom is not thriving and may be dying.

you're running your mouth and
The leaders of the kingdom are boastful and talk too much.

you're running your empire
The kingdom is small and insignificant, and not really an empire.

with cottonwood strings stretched tight
Resources are scarce and they have to improvise with what they have.

who are you to notice
The outside world doesn't notice them or their problems.

who are you to question
They are invalid and want people to stop questioning them.

who are you to step outside
They fear criticism or anyone leaving the island.

it's looking so peaceful
Despite their problems, the island appears peaceful.

it's looking so hellish
Their problems and inner struggles make life hellish.

it's looking like paradise
The contrast between the heaven and hellishness gives the impression of an island paradise.

when you say got to run away
The leaders of the island are deluded and believe in running away from their problems.

it's not the same as it was back when we were all ok
They remember a time when things were better but things have changed and they cannot deny that.

and you said got to run but you could have this for the rest of your life
Despite their problems, there is potential for growth and a good life on the island.

it's only a kingdom
The kingdom is of little significance to the rest of the world.

and only an ounce of the best whiskey you can buy
The island is small and can only afford very little luxuries.

you measure success here
Success is measured differently on the island than it is elsewhere.

you measure yourself here
Their sense of self-worth depends on their lives on the island.

the air here is warm and dry
The island is located in a warm and arid climate.

hold onto your money
They value their limited resources and need to hold on to them for survival.

hold onto your loved ones
They value their interpersonal relationships above all else.

it's personal, it's your right
They highly value their personal freedoms and their right to live on the island.

a perfect arrangement
Despite their problems, they believe that the island is a perfect place to live.

you finally found it
They believe that the island is the solution to all their problems.

keep moving to stay alive
They have to keep adapting and changing to survive on such a small, resource-scarce island.

and you say got to run away
The leaders of the island still believe in running away from their problems despite the potential for growth.

it's not the same as it was back when we were all ok
The state of the island has changed too much, and they cannot look at it with the same eyes as before.

and you said got to run but you could have this for the rest of your life
Despite their problems, there is potential for growth and a good life on the island.

you could have me for the rest of your life
Despite their problems, there is love and companionship to be found on the island.

Contributed by Nolan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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