Embracing a moody, introspective pop sound that's smart, tuneful, forceful,… Read Full Bio ↴Embracing a moody, introspective pop sound that's smart, tuneful, forceful, and sweetly melancholy all at once, Faunts were formed in 2000 by Tim Batke and his brother Steven Batke, who hail from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. With Tim handling guitar, keyboards, and vocals while Steven contributed vocals and guitar, Faunts became a trio with the addition of percussionist Paul Arnusch. After Joel Hitchcock signed on as the group's keyboard player and Scott Gallant became their bassist, Faunts set out to make a name for themselves on Northern Canada's music scene, and steady club work led to concert dates opening for Broken Social Scene, Do Make Say Think, and Stars. After two well-received tours of Canada, Faunts struck a deal with the independent Friendly Fire label, and the group released their debut album, High Expectations/Low Results, in the fall of 2005. A five-song EP, M4, appeared in late 2007, released only via digital download services; the EP featured music created to accompany a series of short films presented as part of a multimedia project. One of the songs, "M4, Pt. 2," was featured in the popular video game Mass Effect for the PC and Xbox 360. By this time, Hitchcock had left the group and another member of the Batke family, Rob Batke, had joined the lineup on keyboards and laptop manipulations.

The band is also currently on hiatus.

Out On A Limb
Faunts Lyrics

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Now and again, we'll leave
We'll fly, we'll go out on a limb
But do we really care
Or are we still struggling to swim
I don't know why
We can't just leave with the weight of your heart

Moments like these, trust me

They'll come back to haunt you, I know
Better to be the first to leave
Than the last one to go and I can't be
The one to tell you to end or to start

Our past
Slides through the hourglass
Pushing the first to last
Where at last I begin

Our past
Slides through the hourglass
Pushing the first to last
Where at last I begin

Our past
Slides through the hourglass
Pushing the first to last
Where at last I begin
Where at last I begin
Where at last I begin

Where at last I begin

Now and again, we'll leave
We'll fly, we'll go out on a limb

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Faunts’s "Out On A Limb" suggest a willingness to take risks and push boundaries as part of our human nature. We are curious beings, and sometimes we feel compelled to take a leap of faith and try something new, something seemingly outside of our comfort zone. But the lyrics quickly take a darker turn, as the singer wonders whether this adventurous spirit is genuine or just a way to distract ourselves from the difficulties of our lives. Are we truly interested in exploring the unknown, or are we simply trying to avoid our problems by keeping ourselves occupied? The line “are we still struggling to swim” emphasizes this idea, suggesting that our attempts to leave the safety of the shore may only be making things worse.

The second verse continues to explore these themes, with the singer warning that our actions may come back to haunt us if we are not careful. Although it may be tempting to hold on to the past and avoid confronting difficult decisions, it is ultimately more empowering to take control and make a change. While the lyrics suggest that this can be a painful process, it is ultimately necessary to move forward and begin a new chapter. The repetition of the line “Where at last I begin” at the end of the song seems to suggest that the singer has come to terms with this idea, and is ready to start anew.

Line by Line Meaning

Now and again, we'll leave
Sometimes we'll depart from where we are

We'll fly, we'll go out on a limb
We'll take a risk and venture into the unknown

But do we really care
Are we truly invested in what we're doing?

Or are we still struggling to swim
Or are we still trying to stay afloat?

I don't know why
I don't have the answer to this question

We can't just leave with the weight of your heart
We can't simply ignore the emotions and feelings we carry

Moments like these, trust me
Believe me when I say that times like this will come

They'll come back to haunt you, I know
And they will remind you of what you did or did not do

Better to be the first to leave
It's better to be the one who initiates departure

Than the last one to go and I can't be
Than to be the one left behind, which I cannot be

The one to tell you to end or to start
The one who advises you on whether to continue or stop