Bring My Family Back
Faithless Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm on lonely street age nearly three
Recently Mama's crying all the time
Is it because of me or my younger sister,
Even Dad was weeping when he kissed her.
Face all puffy like a blister,
Crying like he missed her.
Since we moved away from the house,
Where we used to play.
They say I'll understand on day but I doubt it,
Mama never say nothing about it.
How'd it get to be so crowded.
I found it a strain, everywhere I look I see pain.
And I can't escape the feeling,
Maybe I'm to blame.
So I strain to listen,
Praying for a decision, wishing they where kissing.
This feels like extradition or exile,
Mama finds it hard to smile
So I make pretend cups of coffee in her favorite style.
She says child I'm working so there's nothing you lack.
But she know I want my Dad I want my family back.

I'm on Lonely Street, age forty three.
Couldn't gauge when to quit so my wife quit me.
Took offense, took the kids,
I wish that was the end.
But before she took her leave
She took care of my best friend.
Working all the hours.
God send was not the tactic
You see, because after ten years I'm
? Wanted to make the cash
Quick so I had to work real late.
Bad sex, my woman's vex, even if I stay awake.
And if I'm honest, I had a little cake at the office.
I was eating. We'd do our cheating over coffees,
Making tea for the bosses.
Making free with me,
And I agree I got sleazy too easily.
But I'm forty three,
This doesn't usually happen to me.
Now I'm lonely,
I wonder what my son's doing today.
Suddenly I'm blinking like the screen
On my computer display.
And I'm drinking.
Concerned about what's down the track
If I don't get my family back.

I want my family back

I'm on Lonely Street, number fifty three.
Boarded up property,
I'll probably get pulled down.
Litter all around inside there's
No sound and no light.
But yo it gets busy at night, People creeping.
Derelicts sneaking to fix. Speaking.
On the way my timbers creaking,
Roof leaking. And bricks coming loose,
Knee high in refuse.
But even though I'm a slum,
I'm still of some use.
There was a time when my walls where decorated.
And under my roof children where educated.
But now paint's faded, windows are all smashed,
A crash in the economy robbed me of my family.
And no strategy, combats negative equity,
So that's it. Like violence it's drastic.
I'm freaking, and seeking to be




More than just a house for crack.
Somebody bring my family back, reverence

Overall Meaning

The song "Bring My Family Back" by Faithless is a powerful representation of the themes of loneliness and the yearning for familial connection. The song tells the story of three different individuals at three different stages in their lives, who are all grappling with the absence of their families. The first verse follows a child who has recently moved away from the family home and struggles to understand why his parents cry and seem unhappy. The second verse follows a middle-aged man who has lost his wife and children due to his infidelity and workaholism. The final verse follows the abandoned house where a family used to reside, now left derelict and empty. Through each of these vignettes, the song touches on the universal human need for love, support, and companionship.


The first verse tells the story of a young child who has recently moved away from his childhood home and is struggling to make sense of the sadness he sees in his parents. The child wonders if he or his younger sister is the cause of their sadness, and longs for the days when they used to play together in the old house. The second verse tells the story of a middle-aged man who has lost his family due to his infidelity and workaholism. He reflects on his mistakes and the pain he has caused, and longs for the opportunity to make amends and reconnect with his children. Finally, the third verse takes on a more metaphorical tone, as the abandoned house itself becomes a character in the story. The house longs to be restored and inhabited once again, and serves as a powerful symbol of the pain of loss and abandonment.


Overall, "Bring My Family Back" is a haunting and deeply moving song that speaks to the universal human experience of loneliness and the desire for connection. The song's deeply felt lyrics and driving beat combine to make a powerful and unforgettable statement about the importance of family and the pain of separation.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm on lonely street age nearly three
The singer is remembering their childhood when they were just under three years old.


Recently Mama's crying all the time
The singer's mother has been crying a lot lately.


Is it because of me or my younger sister,
The singer wonders if their mother's crying is because of them or their younger sister.


Even Dad was weeping when he kissed her.
The artist's father was also crying when he kissed the younger sister.


Face all puffy like a blister,
The father's face was swollen and red from crying.


Crying like he missed her.
The father was crying as if he missed the younger sister very much.


Since we moved away from the house,
The family moved away from the house where they used to play.


Where we used to play.
The family used to play in the house they moved away from.


They say I'll understand one day but I doubt it,
The artist doubts that they will ever understand the reason why their family is so sad.


Mama never say nothing about it.
The artist's mother never talks about why she's crying.


How'd it get to be so crowded.
The singer is feeling overwhelmed by all the sadness and pain in their family.


I found it a strain, everywhere I look I see pain.
The artist is having a hard time coping with all the pain they see in their family.


And I can't escape the feeling,
The singer is unable to get rid of the feeling of sadness and hurt.


Maybe I'm to blame.
The singer feels responsible for their family's sadness.


So I strain to listen,
The singer tries hard to listen to their family's problems.


Praying for a decision, wishing they where kissing.
The artist is praying for a solution to their family's problems and wishes they were a happier family again.


This feels like extradition or exile,
The artist feels like they have been forced into a painful situation and are living in exile.


Mama finds it hard to smile
The singer's mother is finding it difficult to be happy.


So I make pretend cups of coffee in her favorite style.
The singer tries to cheer up their mother by pretending to make coffee in her favorite style.


She says child I'm working so there's nothing you lack.
The artist's mother tells them that she is working hard to provide for them.


But she know I want my Dad I want my family back.
The artist longs for their father to be present and for their family to be happy again.


I'm on Lonely Street, age forty three.
The artist is now 43 years old and feeling lonely.


Couldn't gauge when to quit so my wife quit me.
The singer's wife left him because he couldn't figure out when to stop working and focus on their family.


Took offense, took the kids,
The artist's wife was offended and took their children when she left.


I wish that was the end.
The singer wishes that their wife taking the kids was the only bad thing that happened.


But before she took her leave
Before the singer's wife left, there was another problem.


She took care of my best friend.
The singer's wife committed adultery with the singer's best friend.


Working all the hours.
The artist was working all the time.


God send was not the tactic
The artist realizes that working too much and neglecting his family was not a good thing.


You see, because after ten years I'm?
The singer's life has not turned out the way he expected it to after 10 years.


Wanted to make the cash
The singer was trying to make money.


Quick so I had to work real late.
The artist was working late into the night to make money quickly.


Bad sex, my woman's vex, even if I stay awake.
The artist's sexual relationship with his wife was deteriorating and even if he stayed awake, they argued a lot.


And if I'm honest, I had a little cake at the office.
The artist admits to having an affair at work.


I was eating.
The singer was having an affair with someone at the office.


We'd do our cheating over coffees,
The artist and their partner would have an affair while having coffee together.


Making tea for the bosses.
The singer and their partner would also make tea for their bosses while having an affair at work.


Making free with me,
The singer and their partner were careless with their affair.


And I agree I got sleazy too easily.
The singer admits to being too easily tempted and becoming sleazy.


But I'm forty three,
The artist is now 43 years old.


This doesn't usually happen to me.
The artist is surprised that their life has turned out like this.


Now I'm lonely,
The singer is feeling alone now that his family has left.


I wonder what my son's doing today.
The singer thinks about what his son might be doing today.


Suddenly I'm blinking like the screen
The artist suddenly starts blinking rapidly like a computer screen.


On my computer display.
The artist is looking at his computer screen.


And I'm drinking.
The artist is drinking alcohol.


Concerned about what's down the track
The singer is worried about what the future holds for him now that his family has left.


If I don't get my family back.
The artist realizes that he needs to get his family back in order to have a better future.


I'm on Lonely Street, number fifty three.
The singer is now living in a rundown house on Lonely Street at number 53.


Boarded up property,
The singer's current house is boarded up and abandoned.


I'll probably get pulled down.
The singer's house will likely be destroyed because of how rundown and abandoned it is.


Litter all around inside there's
The inside of the artist's house is also very dirty and littered.


No sound and no light.
There is no sound or light inside the artist's house.


But yo it gets busy at night, People creeping.
Despite the house being abandoned, there are people who creep in at night.


Derelicts sneaking to fix. Speaking.
Homeless people sneak in to fix things and talk to each other.


On the way my timbers creaking,
The artist's house makes noises as if it is about to fall apart.


Roof leaking. And bricks coming loose,
The house's roof is leaking and bricks are falling apart.


Knee high in refuse.
There is so much trash inside the house that it reaches up to the artist's knees.


But even though I'm a slum,
Even though the singer's house is rundown and abandoned, it still has some value or potential.


I'm still of some use.
The artist's house can still be used for something.


There was a time when my walls where decorated.
The singer's house used to be decorated and well-maintained.


And under my roof children where educated.
Children used to learn and study under the singer's house's roof.


But now paint's faded, windows are all smashed,
Nowadays, the paint on the house's walls is faded, and all the windows are broken.


A crash in the economy robbed me of my family.
The crashing economy caused the artist's family to leave and abandon their house.


And no strategy, combats negative equity,
No strategy can fix or prevent the negative impact of the artist's house's value dropping.


So that's it. Like violence it's drastic.
The situation with the singer's house and family is very severe and drastic, just like violence.


I'm freaking, and seeking to be
The singer is panicking and looking for a solution.


More than just a house for crack.
The artist wants their house to be more than just a place for drug users to come.


Somebody bring my family back, reverence.
The artist is desperately hoping that someone will bring his family back and show respect and reverence for his family.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MAXWELL FRASER, ROLLO ARMSTRONG, SISTER BLISS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

fsociety

I'm on Lonely Street age nearly three
Recently Mama's cryin' all the time is it because of me?
Or my younger sister? Even Dad was weeping when he kissed her
Face all Puffy like a blister, cryin' like he missed her
Since we moved away from the house where we use to play
They say I'll understand one day,
But I doubt it, Mama never say nothin' about it
How'd it get to be so crowded I found it a strain,
Everywhere I look I see pain
And I can't escape the feelin' maybe I'm to blame
So I strain to listen, prayin' for a decision, wishing
They were kissin' This feels like extradition
Or exile, Mama finds it hard to smile
So I make pretend cups of coffee in her favourite style
She says child I'm working so there's nothing you lack
But she know I want my Dad, I want my family back

I'm on Lonely Street, age forty-three
Couldn't gauge when to quit so my wife quit me
Took offence, took the kids, I wish that was the end
But before she took her leave she took care of my best friend
Workin' all the hours God send was not the tactic
Y'see cuz after ten years I'm left with jack tihs
Wanted to make the cash quick so I used ta work real late
Bad sex, My woman's vex even if I stay awake
And if I'm honest, I had a little cake at the office
I was eatin' We'd do our cheatin over coffees,
Makin' tea for the bosses makin free with me
And I agree I got sleazy too easily
But I'm forty-three, this doesn't usually happen to me
Now I'm lonely, I wonder what my son's doing today
Suddenly I'm blinkin' like the screen on my computer display
And I'm drinkin' concerned about what's down the track
If I don't get my family back

I'm on Lonely Street, number fifty-three
Boarded up properly, I'll probably get pulled down
Litter all around inside there's no sound and no light
But yo it gets busy at night, people creppin'
Derelicts sneakin' to fix, speakin'
On the way my timbers creaking', roof leakin'
And bricks comin' loose, knee high in refuse
But even though I'm a slum I'm still of some use
There was a time when my walls were decorated
And under my roof children were educated
But now paint's faded, windows are all smashed
A crash in the economy robbed me of my family
And no strategy combats negative equity so that's it.
Like violence it's drastic
I'm freaking', and seekin' to be more than just a house for crack
Somebody bring my family back



All comments from YouTube:

evilpeti

Rest in Peace, Maxi Jazz. Thank you for everything.

Jay_Kay

As a Buddhist he'll be back here soon, and if you're young enough there is a possibility you might see him again in his/her new avatar.

Patricio Cameron

Descansa en paz y gracias por tu música en esos duros momentos de soledad , vicio, y pobreza. Buen viaje a las estrellas…

RikMcCloud

I first heard this song when I bought Forever Faithless in 2005. When I listened to the song and paid attention to the lyrics, they have haunted me ever since. Maxi, Bliss and Rollo, your absence from the world of music will be a big gap to fill. Thanks for the 16 years in which you shared your talents with the world, along with Jamie Catto who helped you on the start of your musical journey.

MARSBELLA1

They never quit we bought tickets thinking they would NEVER tour again IN 2007 and we trusted that with the Dance we were a part of the last tour however - a year later they were back...I will never hold a grudge against them - but when they say they are quitting - take a tea spoon of sugar with it X

craig mcfarlane

Brother... Same story... No shit

Freddie Boi

@MARSBELLA1 I wish I saw them at Dreamland. had the chance to aswell

Ron

An absolutely outstanding piece of music. Massive shame that Faithless will always be underrated, and mostly known for their club hits only.

Clyde Frog

In fairness the sad thing is people don't appreciate how good those club hits are, either. The layering and textures and sound design is just amazing on those tracks

Ron

@Clyde Frog I love Faithless. I like their club hits too, but I feel they do get adequate acclaim for them. Especially in comparison to their lesser known album gems.

More Comments

More Versions