What happens when dreams become real life?
The three Hume brothers of Evermore have come a long way since the release of their debut album Dreams. With over 300 live shows, an MTV Award, a NZ Music Award, the APRA Silver Scroll, five ARIA nominations, and hung a platinum record plaque on the wall of their home studio. It's a far cry from their humble beginnings in rural New Zealand, and it all culminates in their second album, Real Life.
The writing and initial recording took place in the isolation of their Central Coast abode, an isolation the boys were not only used to, but actively encouraged. Separating into different rooms, they each had their own private recording studio in miniature, working on tracks solo before bringing them together for the Evermore polish.
After two months in the warm environs of the Australian summer they leapt into the freezing winter of inland Massachusetts, USA. Actually, the term freezing is an understatement, we're talking temperatures of minus 25 degrees and below. Keeping true to their rural roots, they recorded in the oldest studio still operating in the US, Longview Farm. Artists such as Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith have all frozen their butts off there in the past. Respected engineer John Alagia (who mixed Dreams, and has worked with acts like John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band and Ben Folds) was chosen for the job for his twiddling tenacity and his striking good looks.
"I ended up doing a lot of the recording myself," explains Jon, speaking of their time at the farm. "We liked working with John Alagia because he believes in letting the artist have freedom rather than forcing ideas on to you. Plus he's a really funny guy. And when you're in the studio for months on end your sense of humor goes a little haywire!"
Allowing themselves freedom was also high on the agenda, with the two younger Humes contributing to the songwriting a lot more heavily than on Dreams. "Instead of me writing almost everything, we suddenly had three writers coming up with a lot," Jon says. "We could have made two albums simultaneously."
"Dann wrote nearly a song a day," echoes Peter. "He had over one hundred songs - which is insane! We definitely didn't have a lack of songs."
But perhaps the main difference between the two albums is in the songs themselves. From the epic energy of Running, the band's first single off the album, to the melodic harmonies of Never Let You Go; from the dynamic rock of Unbreakable to the uplifting lyrics of Light Surrounding You, this second album has seen the band's songwriting grow and diversify.
"Dreams was very atmospheric and mood-based," explains Jon. "This one jumps out of the speakers at you. The songs are more positive and sonically, it's more direct."
"Its louder and more to the point," agrees Dann. "We're going to grab people's attention, and leave them with something to think about."
With the likes of the Beatles, David Bowie and Bob Dylan on high rotation throughout the recording process, their shift to a focus on song writing seems only natural. "We've taken so much inspiration from classic songs," explains Pete. "We wanted to be sure all the tunes sounded great just played simply on a guitar, that way you know you have a great song."
"We're the kind of band that is going to change with every record," adds Jon. "We will always sound like us, but we'll utilise our strengths as three writers."
A new journey has just begun for this talented trio, whose sounds and lyrics have taught us how to dream.... Welcome to Real Life.
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Real Life
Evermore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Welcome to the real life
I've come to realise it's no game
No one is the same
There's so much more to life
Than meets the eye
At night I just can't sleep
My head is swimming in
The mess around this room
Voices in the street
I hear them telling me
Welcome to the real life
Open up your eyes
Listen to the words they're saying
The chords are changing
So take off your disguise and step out of the night
Sometimes just can't think
I can't think what to do
The noise is deafening
And I can't get through to you
Voices in the street
I hear them asking me
What are we coming to?
Why are the reasons so few?
What are we coming to?
What does it mean to you?
After all we've been through
It all comes down to you
It all comes down to you
Welcome to the real life
The lyrics of Evermore's song Real Life allude to the reality of life that the singer has finally come to embrace, despite initially thinking it was all just a game. The lyrics suggest that individuals are not the same, and there is a lot more to life than what meets the eye. The opening lines of the song, "Welcome to the real life, I've come to realize it's no game," conveys a sense of awakening to the harsh realities of life. Life is not just some temporary arena with rules and winners; it is a lifelong journey that every individual must go through.
The singer further talks about the anxiety he faces at night as he struggles to sleep, with his head filled with thoughts about everything that is going on around him. The mess in the room, the noise outside, and the voices he hears are all part of the real-life that he has finally accepted as his own. In the chorus, he urges individuals to embrace the real life, take off their disguise, and step out of the night.
The verses of the song show that the singer is not alone in his struggle to cope with the realities of life. There are voices in the streets, asking questions like "What are we coming to?," "Why are the reasons so few?," and "What does it mean to you?," alluding to the fact that many people are searching for the answers to these same questions.
Overall, the song's lyrics are a thought-provoking reflection on the often harsh realities of life that individuals must confront sooner or later. The singer urges listeners always to open their eyes, listen to their surroundings, and take off their disguise to embrace the real-life around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome to the real life
We are being introduced to the harsh realities of life.
Welcome to the real life
We are reminded again that life is tough.
I've come to realize it's no game
The singer has come to the understanding that life is serious and not just a game.
No one is the same
Everyone is different in their own unique way.
There's so much more to life
Life has more meaning than what we see on the surface.
Than meets the eye
There is more beyond what we can see.
At night I just can't sleep
The singer is having trouble sleeping at night.
The mornings come too soon
The artist feels as though the morning arrives too quickly, interrupting their sleep.
My head is swimming in the mess around this room
The artist's mind is overwhelmed by the chaos in their environment or their thoughts.
Voices in the street
The artist hears voices outside on the street.
I hear them telling me
The voices are communicating with the singer, though we do not know what they are saying yet.
Welcome to the real life
The same phrase is repeated, as if the voices are welcoming the artist to the struggles of real life.
Open up your eyes
The singer is told to take stock of their surroundings and pay attention to what is happening.
Listen to the words they're saying
The voices are instructing the singer to listen to the people around them.
The chords are changing
The singer perceives that life is changing, and perhaps things are becoming more difficult.
So take off your disguise and step out of the night
The artist is being urged to be honest, genuine, and to face reality.
Sometimes just can't think
There are times when the artist is unable to think, for whatever reason.
I can't think what to do
The singer is unable to come up with a solution to their problem or predicament.
The noise is deafening
The noise around them is overwhelming and all-consuming.
And I can't get through to you
The artist is unable to communicate with someone in their life, for whatever reason.
What are we coming to?
The artist questions the state of humanity and where the world is headed.
Why are the reasons so few?
The artist is questioning why there seems to be so little explanation as to why people act the way they do or why things happen the way they do.
What does it mean to you?
The singer is curious to know what others think and believe about certain things in life.
After all we've been through
The artist acknowledges that they and others have been through a lot in life.
It all comes down to you
Ultimately, the singer believes that people have control over their own lives and decisions.
It all comes down to you
The same phrase is repeated, emphasizing the singer's belief that individuals have agency in their own lives.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DANN COBBE, JON COBBE, PETER COBBE, DANN HUME, Jon Cobbe Hume
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind