The band is named after a line in the BBC TV mini-series 'The Singing Detective', in which a character says that the word "elbow" is the most sensuous word in the English language (not due to its definition per se but due to how it feels to say it). Though the group came about in 1990, intially going by names such as 'Soft' and 'Mr. Soft', it wasn't until 'The Noisebox EP' came out on 1 January 1998 that they had a real release. Elbow started out specializing in "chilled funk", but the guys changed the direction of their music after unanimously deciding that they were "shit."
Their new songs picked up notice from both Island Records, but the band got dropped due to business shenanigans before anything actually came out post-singing. Elbow then released two critically acclaimed EP's on the independent Ugly Man Record label, starting with the aformentioned 'Noisebox EP'. Luckily, their work caught the attention of V2 Records.
V2 released Elbow's debut album: "Asleep In The Back." The album was a surprisingly moderate success, gaining substantial critical acclaim and, ultimately, a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize in 2001. The single "Newborn" received attention after being banned by Radio 1 for the lyric, "I'll be the corpse in your bathtub."
Word of mouth then began to work in Elbow's favor. Its 2003 album, "Cast Of Thousands," entered the UK Charts at #7 to critical acclaim. The lead single, "Fallen Angel," charted at #19.
In 2004, Elbow became the first British band to ever play a concert in Havana during an unofficial Cuban tour. The tour was made into a short film by British documentary maker Irshad Ashraf.
Elbow released its third album in 2005: "Leaders Of The Free World." Despite a continued lack of commercial notice, "Leaders Of The Free World" charted at #12, with its lead single, "Forget Myself" achieving #22 in the charts. That autumn, Elbow headlined the first of two sell-out tours.
March 17, 2008, saw the release of Elbow's fourth album, entitled "The Seldom Seen Kid." Released through Fiction, it entered the UK album chart at #5, and went on to win the 2008 Mercury Music Award. "The Fix," features guest vocals and lead guitar by Richard Hawley. April 2009 saw the release of The Seldom Seen Kid Live At Abbey Road, recorded with The BBC Concert Orchestra and Chantage. This album, recorded in Studio One of the world famous Abbey Road Studios on Saturday, January 17, 2008, is a complete run-through of the Mercury winning album. It features the band, a 52-piece orchestra, and a 20-member choir.
"Grounds for Divorce" was featured in VALVe Software game Left 4 Dead in 2008.
The band's fifth album Build A Rocket Boys! was released in the UK on March 14, 2011.
The First Steps Songfacts reports that Elbow was commissioned by the BBC to write a song for their coverage of the 2012 Olympics. The resulting tune is "First Steps". The full song lasts six and a half minutes, but it was written in such a way so that it could be divided into different minute or two long elements for use over both winning and losing footages.
In July 2015, Elbow released the Lost Worker Bee EP, which was soon followed by Guy Garvey's first solo album 'Courting the Squall' (Oct 2015).
Their seventh studio album, 'Little Fictions' was released on 3 February 2017, with Elbow's eighth studio album, 'Giants of All Sizes', released 2 years later on 11 October 2019.
Website: http://elbow.co.uk/
Real Life
Elbow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pounding the ground in a sawn off ballet
Bring us in an indigo dawn with the lovelorn and renegade
You always found peace in the grip of the beat, darling
Time alone with the pounding of your heart
As it starts to heal you'll find a better mirror in another
So out of reach and hollowed through
Blue and white the light and sound surrounding
As the music pulls you through
And on that hallelujah morning
In the arms of new love, the peace that you feel's real life
Go straight to the place where you first lost your balance
And find your feet with the people that you love
And bring us in an indigo dawn with the lovelorn and renegade
Yes you with the eyes ever met not forgotten
Get hold of the night that rises in your blood
Focus on your pulse, focus on your breath, know that we're never far away
You have never known dumbfounded
So out of reach and hollowed through
Blue and white the light and sound surrounding
As the music pulls you through
And on that hallelujah morning
In the arms of new love, the peace that you feel's real life
Angel
Angel
Angel
Angel
You with the eyes ever met not forgotten
You with the arms for the lonely whoever
You with the laugh that could bring down a tenement
Talking your way through the heart of the citadel
Up on the tables, or shouldering strangers, or
Under my arms we add to the waterfall
My little sister with brothers in common
You never need fear a thing in this world while
I have a breath in me, blood in my veins
You never need fear thing in this world while
I have a breath in me, blood in my veins
You never need fear a thing in this blue world
You have never known dumbfounded
So out of reach and hollowed through
Blue and white the light and sound surrounding
As the music pulls you through
And on that hallelujah morning
In the arms of new love, the peace that you feel's real life
Angel
Angel
The lyrics of Elbow’s song Real Life are about finding solace in music and the healing power of love. The opening verses describe waking up in the aftermath of heartbreak, feeling lost and grounded by the pounding of one’s heart. The refrain, “And on that hallelujah morning / In the arms of new love, the peace that you feel’s real life”, suggests that the healing process culminates in finding new love and feeling a sense of peace and purpose in life. The song encourages the listener to focus on their pulse and breath, and to find their balance with the support of loved ones. The closing verses are an ode to a close friend or sibling, with the repeated refrain “Angel” evoking a sense of protection and guidance.
The use of the color indigo throughout the song may also be symbolic of the journey of healing, as indigo is traditionally associated with the third eye chakra, representing intuition and spiritual insight. The imagery of dancing, the pounding beat, and the sound and light surrounding the singer may represent a trance-like state induced by music, helping to block out negative thoughts and emotions.
Overall, Real Life is a poignant reminder of the power of music and love to heal and uplift us during difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
If you wake in the quake and the roll of the heartbroken
If you wake up feeling lost and overwhelmed by heartbreak
Pounding the ground in a sawn off ballet
Feeling like you're dancing a broken, disjointed dance as you try to move forward
Bring us in an indigo dawn with the lovelorn and renegade
Together, let's move towards the future with the lost and rebellious, and find hope in a new day
You always found peace in the grip of the beat, darling
Your soul has always found comfort and healing in the rhythm of music
Time alone with the pounding of your heart
Taking time to listen to your own heartbeat, and finding strength in it
As it starts to heal you'll find a better mirror in another
As your heart begins to heal, you will see yourself more clearly through the eyes of someone new
You have never known dumbfounded
You have never been at a loss for words
So out of reach and hollowed through
Feeling isolated and empty inside
Blue and white the light and sound surrounding
Sensory overload of both color and sound
As the music pulls you through
Feeling the healing power of music, as it carries you through difficult times
And on that hallelujah morning
Looking forward to a joyous, new beginning
In the arms of new love, the peace that you feel's real life
Feeling true peace in the embrace of new love
Go straight to the place where you first lost your balance
Go back to a place where you felt lost and try to find your footing again
And find your feet with the people that you love
Reconnect with the love and support of the people in your life
Yes you with the eyes ever met not forgotten
Addressing someone who has left an unforgettable impression
Get hold of the night that rises in your blood
Embrace the energy and vibrancy that you feel inside
Focus on your pulse, focus on your breath, know that we're never far away
Remember to breathe and focus on your own body, knowing that others are there to support you
You with the arms for the lonely whoever
Addressing someone who has a gift for comforting the lonely
You with the laugh that could bring down a tenement
Addressing someone with a contagious and joyful laugh
Talking your way through the heart of the citadel
Navigating through difficult situations with charm and grace
Up on the tables, or shouldering strangers, or
Having a good time with strangers or friends
Under my arms we add to the waterfall
Together, we can add to the beauty of the world
My little sister with brothers in common
Addressing someone who feels like family
You never need fear a thing in this world while I have a breath in me, blood in my veins
Promising unwavering support and protection from anything that may cause fear or harm
Angel
Addressing someone as an angel for their kindness and support
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Craig Lee Potter, Guy Edward John Garvey, Mark Potter, Peter James Turner, Richard Barry Jupp
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@harveyjones1245
If you wake in the quake and the roll of the heartbroken
Pounding the ground in a sawn off ballet
Bring us in an indigo dawn with the lovelorn and renegade
You always found peace in the grip of the beat, darling
Time alone with the pounding of your heart
As it starts to heal you'll find a better mirror in another
You have never known dumbfounded
So out of reach and hollowed through
Blue and white the light and sound surrounding
As the music pulls you through
And on that hallelujah morning
In the arms of new love, the peace that you feel's real life
Go straight to the place where you first lost your balance
And find your feet with the people that you love
And bring us in an indigo dawn with the lovelorn and renegade
Yes you with the eyes ever met not forgotten
Get hold of the night that rises in your blood
Focus on your pulse, focus on your breath, know that we're never far away
You have never known dumbfounded
So out of reach and hollowed through
Blue and white the light and sound surrounding
As the music pulls you through
And on that hallelujah morning
In the arms of new love, the peace that you feel's real life
Angel
Angel
Angel
Angel
You with the eyes ever met not forgotten
You with the arms for the lonely whoever
You with the laugh that could bring down a tenement
Talking your way through the heart of the citadel
Up on the tables, or shouldering strangers, or
Under my arms we add to the waterfall
My little sister with brothers in common
You never need fear a thing in this world while
I have a breath in me, blood in my veins
You never need fear thing in this world while
I have a breath in me, blood in my veins
You never need fear a thing in this blue world
You have never known dumbfounded
So out of reach and hollowed through
Blue and white the light and sound surrounding
As the music pulls you through
And on that hallelujah morning
In the arms of new love, the peace that you feel's real life
Angel
Angel
@mariaholtz1
This is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard & I've heard many. I haven't seen the videos. The lyrics and the music are enough.
@bradleybennett1829
the birds, in fact pretty much every elbow track :) so hard to pick a favorite, every person picks one that gets them the most. for me it's the birds .... or possibly love you mate
@novelty61
elbow has another song "Dear Friends"...i would say its on this level in terms of beauty
@fredh1720
@@novelty61 I find Dear Friends to be a little saccharine although I do like it. It feels like a slightly more obvious version of "Friend Of Ours" from The Seldom Seen Kid, which is a much better song in my opinion. Nothing on Build A Rocket Boys is as good as the first two songs, they are amazing.
@nathanhammond667
Huge fan here. This track is very akin to some Doves material. Pounding percussion, smoky vocals, and incredibly melodic. Two of my favorite bands of all time. This one always makes me smile and cry simultaneously. Behold, the POWER of beautiful music😁
@zaritawreschinsky1088
beautiful video - captures the spiritual, free and peaceful love of swimming. It's more than just swimming, it's really feeling like your part fish, really loving the water. Something I grew up with and still love today.
@christidee5525
Almost feel I could respond to your comment in dolphin!
@heberose1
I love elbow, I only head of them from my dad I have pretty much grown up to their music and I know most of their songs. I really like them. Wow!
@nefertiti4493
Listening to this song and dreaming - Its what i call happiness ) But to be honest, all songs from Elbow makes me dream)) every,every song.......
@wmarler
Great song, great album, great band.