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.
Losing My Mind
Eskimo Joe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Am I spiralling away from these plans
Do I drive too much when I'm drunk
Do I preach to you all like a punk
And I am
Losing my mind
I'm losing my mind
Losing my mind
Do I look like a man you might know
When I breathe on your lips does it show
Well we spent all the night like we were millionaires
And the world was alive with the fireworks
The fireworks in your stare
I'm losing my mind
Losing my mind
Did they put you on their shoulders
Show you all the sights
When you got down did you still feel alright
Well I've walked amongst the ruins
And there's no haunted heart
There is no bird that's singin for the light
I'm losing this fight
I'm losing this fight
I'm losing my mind
Did they put you on their shoulders
Show you all the sights
When you got down did you still feel alright
Well I've walked amongst the ruins
And there's no haunted heart
There is no bird that's singing for the light
I'm losing my mind
I'm losing my mind
The lyrics to Eskimo Joe's song "Losing My Mind" express the inner turmoil and confusion of the singer. The song opens with a series of questions that reflect the singer's self-doubt and insecurity. They wonder if they are living up to expectations, if they are a bad influence on others, and if they are losing control. This indicates that the singer is struggling with their identity and how others perceive them.
The chorus of the song, "Losing my mind," is repeated throughout the song and adds to the feeling of confusion and anxiety. The singer feels overwhelmed and out of control, as if their mind is slipping away from them. He mentions that he spent a night with someone, and it was as if they were millionaires, but the relationship was not enough to cure the confusion in his mind.
Towards the end of the song, the singer reflects on his experiences, walking amongst the ruins, haunted by a lack of purpose or meaning. The absence of a singing bird represents the hopelessness the singer feels in life. The song ends with the singer admitting defeat and losing the mental struggle they have been fighting throughout the song.
Overall, "Losing My Mind" is a song about the search for identity, meaning, and purpose, and the toll it can take on a person's mental health.
Line by Line Meaning
Am I all that they say that I am
Do people's opinions of me accurately reflect who I am?
Am I spiralling away from these plans
Am I deviating from my intended course of action?
Do I drive too much when I'm drunk
Am I endangering myself and others by driving under the influence?
Do I preach to you all like a punk
Do I come across as arrogant or condescending when sharing my opinions?
And I am
And I am questioning myself
Losing my mind
Feeling overwhelmed and losing control
I'm losing my mind
Reaffirming the feeling of being overwhelmed and losing control
Do I look like a man you might know
Do I appear familiar to you?
When I breathe on your lips does it show
Does my attraction to you show in my actions?
Well we spent all the night like we were millionaires
We lived extravagantly as if we had unlimited funds
And the world was alive with the fireworks
The night was full of excitement and wonder
The fireworks in your stare
The spark and intensity in your gaze
Did they put you on their shoulders
Did others praise and uplift you?
Show you all the sights
Expose you to great opportunities
When you got down did you still feel alright
Did you feel satisfied with your experiences in the end?
Well I've walked amongst the ruins
I've been in dark and damaged places
And there's no haunted heart
There's no lingering pain or sorrow
There is no bird that's singin for the light
There's no hope or motivation to move forward
I'm losing this fight
I'm struggling to stay afloat
I'm losing my mind
Reiterating the feeling of being overwhelmed and losing control
Contributed by Cole I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Martin T
its bin a while since i heard this special & great voice - best regards from germany!
cal gaming
Insightful, beautiful and haunting. Come to Melbourne after ISO!!