Their music is a mix of hard rock styles. The band cites influences such as Rage Against The Machine, Foo Fighters, Incubus, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Nirvana.
Early on, vocalist Lacey Mosley began playing music with drummer James Culpepper. Later on guitarists Jared Hartmann and Sameer Bhattacharya were recruited. "Sameer and Jared are really experimental with melodies and pedals, and we all had different influences that were all blending together with the same passionate and hopeful heart, and that brought out this beautiful feeling. It was magical," said Mosley. When they were still playing as Listen, they played with bassists Josh C. and Jonathan B.. The bassist was replaced by Kirkpatrick Seals in 2002 after he left his previous band The Grove.
All five members of the band are of the Christian faith. This faith in Jesus influences their music, but lead singer Lacey Mosley doesn't necessarily believe that makes Flyleaf a strictly Christian band. "We all share the same faith. And so when we deal with the whole 'Christian band thing,' we kind of think about something P.O.D. says, like, 'If you're a Christian, it affects everything in your life. So if you're a plumber, does that make you a Christian plumber?'" Mosley said. "I don't know the answer. We're a band, it's part of who we are, so it comes out in our music, and it's the fuel for what we do. And finding Christ saved my life. So I'm not ashamed of it at all. And most of our album reflects that".
Flyleaf released a song "Cassie" that was about the shooting of Cassie Bernall and Rachel Scott. They were shot in the head after admiting they were Christian. This is just one example of how Flyleaf are touched by events and touch others through their music.
Flyleaf released their first full-length studio album, "Flyleaf", in October 2005. The album was re-released in United States in October 2007 along with their latest digital EP, "Much Like Falling", that was released onto the iTunes store. The re-released version of "Flyleaf" contains additional acoustic tracks.
On the 10th of November 2009, Flyleaf released their second album, called "Memento Mori". The album is a little less heavy than their debut album. Two songs that were released before the official release are "Beautiful Bride" and "Again".
Songfacts reports that their third album will be called "New Horizons". The title track premiered on 89X Radio on August 1, 2012, and will be released on iTunes on August 21, 2012.
On October the 22nd 2012, Lacey Sturm/Mosley declared that she was leaving Flyleaf and that the band was splitting up. This was only a week before their new album was due to be released (New Horizons - 30th October 2012).
On November 7, 2022, it was announced by Flyleaf that Sturm had returned to the band, with the band now calling themselves "Flyleaf with Lacey Sturm".
Official site: www.flyleafmusic.com
Tina
Flyleaf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How can we not notice her
Now they only stare at her burns
Her small voice so full of honesty
Take care of my loves
I can't hold on
Keep me alive while I die
They can't not notice her sickness
Like their own dung sprayed with perfume
They try not to hear her speaking
But they can't hear anything else
Take care of my loves
I can't hold on
Keep me alive while I die
I missed my chance
Send one more
I'm not wasting this
I missed my chance
Send one more chance
I'm not wasting this one more chance
Flyleaf's "Tina" is a hauntingly beautiful song that is an ode to a woman named Tina. The song is about how people fail to see the beauty in Tina because they are fixated on her burns. The first line in the song says, "Tina's eyes are clear chrysolite, how can we not notice her." Despite her outward appearance, Tina is an honest and caring person, and the singer of the song asks for people to notice this about her. Tina is dying, and she asks those around her to take care of her loved ones after she is gone.
The second verse speaks to how people ignore Tina's illness, likened to being sprayed with perfume. They do not want to hear what she has to say, but the singer reveals they cannot hear anything else once they take the time to listen to her. The chorus repeats Tina's plea for people to keep her legacy alive by taking care of her loved ones. The final verse is a plea from Tina, feeling like she missed her chance in life, but asking for one more chance to not waste her life and make a difference.
Overall, "Tina" is a somber reminder for people to not judge a person based on their appearance or circumstances. Tina is more than her burns, and her voice needs to be heard.
Line by Line Meaning
Tina's eyes are clear chrysolite
Tina's eyes are bright and clear like a gemstone
How can we not notice her
It's hard not to notice Tina's presence
Now they only stare at her burns
People only focus on her scars and not her whole self
Her small voice so full of honesty
Even though Tina speaks softly, she always tells the truth
Take care of my loves
Please take care of those who I love and who love me
I can't hold on
I can't keep fighting anymore
Keep me alive while I die
Help me stay alive until the end comes
They can't not notice her sickness
People can't ignore her illness
Like their own dung sprayed with perfume
Trying to cover up something unpleasant with something nice
They try not to hear her speaking
Ignoring her words and trying to be deaf to her cries
But they can't hear anything else
Despite trying to ignore her, her words still find a way to reach them
I missed my chance
I lost the opportunity to do something important
Send one more
Give me one last chance
I'm not wasting this
I won't let this chance go to waste
I missed my chance
I lost the opportunity to do something important
Send one more chance
Give me another opportunity to make things right
I'm not wasting this one more chance
I won't let this chance go to waste
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SAMEER BHATTACHARYA, JAMES CULPEPPER, JARED HARTMANN, LACEY NICOLE STURM, KIRKPATRICK SEALS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind