Empathy Test released a double A-side single, Demons | Seeing Stars on September the 9th, 2016, which featured featured remixes by Sidewalks And Skeletons and MNYNMS, before embarking on a European tour on 16th September. Empathy Test recruited live drummer Christina Lopez and keyboard player Jacob Ferguson Lobo to accompanying Isaac on the tour. They continued to perform with Isaac until April 2017, when Jacob was replaced by Sam Winter-Quick. The band then released another single, By My Side with b-side Vampire Town and remixes by New Portals and Papertwin on February 17th, 2017. A third single, Bare My Soul was released 21st April, 2017, to coincide with a second European tour.
Empathy Test are currently crowd funding two debut albums plus a final single via PledgeMusic: http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/empathy-test-album/. They are slated for release on 17th November. The first album, Losing Touch, will feature all the original 2014 EP tracks plus Demons and two previously unreleased tracks, Siamese and Sleep. Safe From Harm will feature all the singles (minus Demons) plus new tracks Safe From Harm, All It Takes, Trampoline, Everything Will Work Out and Burroughs & Bukowski. The band previously stated that Safe From Harm, the album title track, would be the final single. However, it is now looking like the final single will be Everything Will Work Out.
Here Is The Place
Empathy Test Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sound the horn on every bend.
Bow your heads, respect the dead
For he had many, many friends.
Now follow the road, through the tunnel of trees
To the big, wide open field.
And take a left, up the muddy track
To the house where I grew up...
And here is the place, when I die,
I want you to bury me
Beneath this old, willow tree
Enough of an epitaph for me.
And here is the place, when I die,
I want you to bury me
These friendly roots will hold my bones
And I will never be alone.
Stop the car, on the track
Stoop to kiss me - I can't kiss you back
Shed no tears, for all the years
You've made up for what I lacked.
And heave me up, to head height
On the shoulders of my friends.
And lay me down, on the lawn
When all the curtains have been drawn...
And here is the place, when I die,
I want you to bury me
Beneath this old, willow tree
Enough of an epitaph for me
And here is the place, when I die,
I want you to bury me
These friendly roots will hold my bones
And I will never be alone.
Empathy Test's "Here Is the Place" tells the emotional story of a person's death and their final wishes to be buried under a willow tree in their childhood home. The song opens with the singer's request to be driven slowly down the road to their final resting place, asking that the horn be sounded on every bend to show respect for the dead. They acknowledge that the deceased had many friends and ask them to follow the road through a tunnel of trees to the big, open field and take a left up a muddy track to the house where they grew up.
As the song progresses, the singer asks for their loved ones to stop the car and kiss them goodbye, knowing that they cannot kiss back. They ask for no tears to be shed for the years they lacked, as their friends have made it up for them. They request to be heaved up on the shoulders of their friends and laid down on the lawn when all the curtains are drawn. They affirm that when they do die, here is the place they want to be buried under the old willow tree. They believe that the friendly roots of the willow tree will hold their bones and they will never be alone.
The song's tone is bittersweet and melancholic, yet, at the same time, it is a celebration of friendship, love, and remembrance. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the singer's final resting place, evoking a sense of nostalgia and the desire for one’s final resting place to be in a peaceful environment.
Line by Line Meaning
Drive me slow, down the road
Take your time and drive slowly down the road
Sound the horn on every bend
Be cautious and alert on every turn or bend on the road, sound the horn to warn others if needed
Bow your heads, respect the dead
Show respect for the deceased by bowing your head in honor
For he had many, many friends
The deceased was loved by many and had a lot of friends
Now follow the road, through the tunnel of trees
Continue along the road that goes through a tunnel of trees
To the big, wide open field
The road will lead you to a large, open field
And take a left, up the muddy track
Make a left turn and take the muddy track to get to the destination
To the house where I grew up...
The destination is the house where the deceased grew up
And here is the place, when I die,
This is where the deceased wants to be buried after their death
I want you to bury me
The deceased's wish is to be buried in this specific location
Beneath this old, willow tree
The deceased wants to be buried beneath an old willow tree
Enough of an epitaph for me.
The willow tree serves as a fitting enough epitaph for the deceased
These friendly roots will hold my bones
The roots of the willow tree will gently hold the deceased's bones
And I will never be alone.
The deceased will never be alone as they will be surrounded by the comforting presence of the willow tree
Stop the car, on the track
Stop the car on the track or path leading to the destination
Stoop to kiss me - I can't kiss you back
Bend down to kiss the deceased goodbye, even though they cannot kiss you back
Shed no tears, for all the years
Do not cry for the years gone by, cherish the memories instead
You've made up for what I lacked.
The loved ones have made up for what the deceased could not achieve or lacked in their lifetime
And heave me up, to head height
Lift the coffin or body up to shoulder height
On the shoulders of my friends.
The coffin or body will be carried by the deceased's friends
And lay me down, on the lawn
Lower the coffin or body onto the grassy lawn near the destination
When all the curtains have been drawn...
The family wishes for privacy and has closed all the curtains
Writer(s): Isaac Thomas Howlett, Adam Relf
Contributed by Parker Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@6doublefive3two1
Every generation deserves their version of The Cure.
@michaelkratzke6571
No He Is Ian curtis :D
@jaydavis5598
@@michaelkratzke6571 No He is David Gahan
@han3837
Hi I'm from South Korea. I'm a fan of Hurts, an English synthpop duo. I was searching for other synthpop musicians and I discovered your songs last night. I like your songs! I started my day listening to your music. It's wonderful.
@Mishkah52
Sometimes finding one band can lead you down the rabbit hole.
@tonytonz88
catfish brought me here. Its one of those songs and sounds you instantly feel. I literally paused the show and googled what lyrics I heard to hear this full song.
@9Twinkler9
Hahaha I did the exact same thing (that episode is currently paused in another window lol)
@ariellealexander2807
Needs more views, its such an amazing song
@TheMrXenomorph
When my depression comes on strong, I sit and listen to this song and cry till it goes away
@EmpathyTest
Hope it helps ♥️