The band's first release was in 2007 with an EP titled When The Sea Became A Giant. The band released a full-length album, What It Takes To Move Forward, in 2009. The band is signed to Count Your Lucky Stars Records and has released albums on a number of other labels, such as strictly no capital letters (UK), Topshelf Records, Stiff Slack (Japan), and Hobbledehoy Record Co (Australia). The band released their second album You Will Eventually Be Forgotten on August 19, 2014. On February 16, 2016, the band announced their final tour before their breakup on their official Facebook page.[2]
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Labels: count your lucky stars / strictly no capital letters / stiff slack / keep it together / topshelf
Keep What You Have Built Up Here
Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) Lyrics
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i remember thinking this evidence you left was damning enough
but you took all the words from my mouth and pulled them out.
how could i not see you for what you are?
but you turned all the words from my mouth into doubt.
and i wish i could tear your heart out!
break meter and release, and still the voice it keeps
and finally give air to breathe
but i know better now. no words could weed you out
when your back's against the wall, you'll be crying out,
"i'll take all the words from your mouth and leave them out."
and your hands are shaking.
finally, call out!
and the silence breaks your heart, finally.
oh, i almost pity you now (i almost pity you now).
finally, call out!
oh, i almost pity you now.
and i wish i could tear your heart out!
break meter and release, and still the voice that keeps
and i wish for you lungs to give out, finally.
The song "Keep What You Have Built Up Here" by Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) is a reflection on a failed relationship where the singer feels betrayed and hurt by the actions of their partner. The opening lyrics suggest a sense of betrayal when the singer says "oh no! I thought you'd changed; take back all the things you said." The singer thought their partner had changed for the better but is disillusioned when they realize that evidence proves otherwise.
The chorus of the song plays with the idea that the singer wishes they could tear their partner's heart out. The use of the metaphor may imply that the singer feels that their partner's betrayal has hurt them so deeply that nothing they say or do can make amends. The verse "and still the voice it keeps/and I wish that your lungs would give out" further illustrates the idea that the singer wants their partner to stop speaking since their words only cause more pain.
The song is a lyrically charged reflection on a failing relationship and the emotional aftermath that the singer experiences. The lines "and your hands are shaking/finally, call out!" suggest that the partner, at the end of the relationship, is trying to come to terms with their own culpability in the failure, even as the silence of the singer's broken heart forces them to confront the reality of what has been lost.
Line by Line Meaning
oh no! i thought you'd changed; take back all the things you said.
I believed you had changed, but now I want you to take back everything you said to prove it.
i remember thinking this evidence you left was damning enough
At one point, I thought the proof you left would be enough to condemn you.
but you took all the words from my mouth and pulled them out.
You twisted and manipulated everything I said until I had no voice.
how could i not see you for what you are?
I question how I could have been so blind to your true nature.
but you turned all the words from my mouth into doubt.
You made me doubt the truth of what I had originally said.
and i wish i could tear your heart out!
I wish I could hurt you as much as you hurt me.
break meter and release, and still the voice it keeps
Despite trying to ignore it, my mind can't stop replaying everything you did.
and i wish that your lungs would give out, and finally give air to breathe
I want you to suffer until you can no longer breathe.
but i know better now. no words could weed you out
I know now that mere words won't solve anything with you.
when your back's against the wall, you'll be crying out, "i'll take all the words from your mouth and leave them out."
When you feel trapped, you resort to your old tactics of twisting words and denying responsibility.
and your hands are shaking. finally, call out!
I can sense the guilt and fear within you, and I want you to confess to your misdeeds.
and the silence breaks your heart, finally.
Your own silence and lack of defense finally reveal the truth of your actions to you.
oh, i almost pity you now (i almost pity you now). finally, call out!
I feel sorry for you, but you still need to take responsibility for your actions.
oh, i almost pity you now. and i wish i could tear your heart out!
While I pity you, I still want you to feel the pain you caused me.
break meter and release, and still the voice that keeps
My mind can't stop replaying everything you did to me, even when I try to forget.
and i wish for you lungs to give out, finally.
I hope you suffer until you can no longer breathe.
Contributed by Aiden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.