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.
How Does it Feel
Eskimo Joe Lyrics
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You can't give up, your body's trying
You build so tall it's like you're flying
But rocks will fall, the sky keeps climbing
You're gonna lose everything (x4)
How does it feel
How does it feel
I'm not scared so much of trying
But don't look up you might start flying
You're gonna lose everything (x6)
How does it feel
How does it feel
Oh know
I want to know
I want to know
How does it feel
Oh, how does it feel
You're gonna lose everything
You're gonna lose everything
How does it feel
Oh, how does it feel
You live so much, its like you're dying
You can't give up, your body's trying
Oh you build so tall, its like you're flying
But rocks will fall, the sky keeps climbing
The lyrics of Eskimo Joe's song "How Does It Feel" depict a sense of existentialism and the inevitability of death. The first line, "You live so much, it's like you're dying," suggests that living life to the fullest is almost akin to the notion of dying, as it is all-encompassing and all-consuming. The following lines illustrate the struggle to keep going despite the body's limitations; "You can't give up, your body's trying." The lyrics "You build so tall it's like you're flying/But rocks will fall, the sky keeps climbing" are an allusion to the Tower of Babel's story. The biblical story tells about people building a tower to reach the heavens and how their efforts were futile. The song implies that one might become too proud of their achievements and forget that success is often ephemeral.
The chorus repeats the lines, "You're gonna lose everything/How does it feel?" It emphasizes the sense of emptiness that comes after one achieves all their dreams; there is nothing left to attain and nothing to hold on to. The next lines, "I'm not scared so much of trying/But don't look up you might start flying," are a warning to not let one's success get to their head.
In conclusion, Eskimo Joe's "How Does It Feel" is a haunting and thought-provoking song that examines the transient nature of life's pleasures and the inevitability of loss. It warns against becoming too complacent in one's achievements and forgetting that everything in life is fleeting.
Line by Line Meaning
You live so much, it's like you're dying
You are living your life to the fullest, but it feels like it's rapidly coming to an end.
You can't give up, your body's trying
Your instinct to survive is fighting hard, even though your body may be failing.
You build so tall it's like you're flying
You are reaching great heights and accomplishing huge things that feel like soaring through the clouds.
But rocks will fall, the sky keeps climbing
Obstacles and challenges will come crashing down on you, while the sky keeps pushing higher and higher.
You're gonna lose everything (x4)
No matter how much you achieve and how high you climb, eventually it will all slip away.
How does it feel
The singer wants to know what it feels like to experience loss and defeat.
I'm not scared so much of trying
The singer is not afraid of taking risks and trying new things.
But don't look up you might start flying
While the artist is not afraid of trying, they also recognize the dangers of reaching great heights and potential failure.
You're gonna lose everything (x6)
A repetition to emphasize the inevitable loss that comes with life's endeavours.
Oh know
Expression of realization and concern.
I want to know
The singer is eager to learn and understand.
Oh, how does it feel
Repetition of the question, searching for a deeper understanding of loss and failure.
You're gonna lose everything
Final reminder of life's fleeting nature and inevitable loss.
Oh, how does it feel
The singer wants to end on this question, leaving us with something to ponder.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: FINLAY TEMPERLEY BEATON, JOEL PETER QUARTERMAIN, STUART LESLIE MACLEOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind