The group initally formed to compete in the National Campus Band Competition in 1997. Temperley and Quartermain were already in a band at the time, Freud's Pillow, but had met with little success and asked Temperley's childhood friend MacLeod to form a new band, which became Eskimo Joe. The band ended up winning the competition prize: a slot at the 1997 Livid Festival and a session in a studio to record their first EP, Sweater. The title track became so successful on national broadcaster Triple J, it gained much airplay and featured in the Hottest 100 of 1998. A second EP Eskimo Joe followed up in 1999.
Later in 1999, Eskimo Joe was signed on to Modular and in 2001, their debut album Girl, which went gold. After splitting with Modular, they signed a new contract with Mushroom in 2002, releasing sophomore album A Song is a City in 2004. The album went double-platinum and earned the group Best Artist the following year.
Settling down for six weeks over Christmas in 2005, the noticeably darker album Black Fingernails Red Wine, was recorded and released the following June, debuting at number one on the ARIA charts and later going platinum. The band (jokingly) described the album as their "stadium rock" record and headed out on extensive touring around the country, including a stint at Live Earth in Sydney.
The band eventually went on to tour the globe, with trips around the US and Europe, before recording their fourth album, Inshalla, in Byron Bay. The album was released in May 2009 and topped the charts at number one in the ARIA album charts. It explores a very different sound for Eskimo Joe, with lead singer Temperley saying the band were a stage where they wanted to do something different musically and also in their personal lives.
Falling for You
Eskimo Joe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm falling
I'm falling for you
I'm falling
I'm falling
I'm falling for you
I'm falling
I'm falling
For you
Take a look at my eyes
I'm like a homeless man
And I'm trying to find
A safe place to stand
Take a look at my hand
I got a pocket of holes
And I'm falling
I'm falling
I'm falling for you
If this is a war
In a holy land
Then all of the sky
Should be tumbling down
The king's army will be gone for good
And I'm falling for you
I'm falling
I'm falling
I'm falling for you
I'm falling
I'm falling
I'm falling for you
And I fall for you
Like ashes to the ground
(Falling down to the lonely ground)
And I fall for you
But they never make a sound
(Falling down to the lonely ground)
I'm falling for you
There's no getting away
And no place to run
And by the look in your eyes
I should've carried a gun
I would've carried your heart
But it's covered in holes
And I'm falling
I'm falling
I'm falling for you
And I fall for you
Like ashes to the ground
(Falling down to the lonely ground)
And I fall for you
But they never make a sound
(Falling down to the lonely ground)
And I bleed for you
But the battle's never won
And I fall for you
But I'm always on the run
I'm falling
I'm falling
I'm falling for you
If these walls were sticks and wood
Then we'd burn them down like we said we would for good
The lyrics of the song 'Falling For You' by Eskimo Joe discusses a person who is falling deeply in love with someone despite all their flaws and imperfections. The use of 'falling' repeatedly in the song creates a sense of overwhelming emotion, passion, and vulnerability. It is clear that the person is willing to take a risk and completely expose themselves even though they are aware of the potential hurt they may face.
The song also showcases a sense of desperation and helplessness, as the singer feels like they are lost and without direction in their love life. They feel like a 'homeless man' searching for a safe space to stand, and their pockets are full of holes, symbolizing the feeling of emptiness in their life. Despite all these feelings, they are still willing to throw themselves into this love even if it ends up burning like the walls that they mentioned in the end.
Overall, 'Falling For You' is a song that speaks to the intense and complex nature of love, showcasing the willingness to take risks and let go of control in the name of true passion.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm falling
I am deeply and strongly attracted to you and falling in love with you.
For you
The person I am falling for is you and no one else.
Take a look at my eyes
I'm like a homeless man
And I'm trying to find
A safe place to stand
I am lost and vulnerable; my eyes show my desperation for a safe and secure place in your life.
Take a look at my hand
I got a pocket of holes
I am weak and insufficient in myself, and I need you to fill the gaps and provide for me.
If this is a war
In a holy land
Then all of the sky
Should be tumbling down
The king's army will be gone for good
And I'm falling for you
Even if the world falls apart or a conflict arises, I will still fall for you and stay committed to you.
And I fall for you
Like ashes to the ground
(Falling down to the lonely ground)
I am falling deeply and inescapably in love with you, and it feels like everything is falling apart around me.
But they never make a sound
(Falling down to the lonely ground)
The pain and struggles of my falling for you go unnoticed and unvoiced by others.
There's no getting away
And no place to run
And by the look in your eyes
I should've carried a gun
I am captured by my love for you, and there is no escape or reprieve from it, even though it is risky and dangerous.
I would've carried your heart
But it's covered in holes
I would have loved you fiercely and completely, but your heart is broken and flawed, making it hard for me to connect with you on a deep level.
And I bleed for you
But the battle's never won
And I fall for you
But I'm always on the run
Falling for you has brought me pain and suffering, and the battle to be with you is never-ending, constantly chasing after you but never fully getting close.
If these walls were sticks and wood
Then we'd burn them down like we said we would for good
If our past hurts and pains were tangible, we would destroy them with great force and leave them behind forever, moving forward together.
Contributed by Charlie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Em Rowland
from Qld to all you lucky enough in Bunbury to see Eskimo Joe live, SHUTUP while they're playing. Bet no talks when snow patrols up. Great song guys.