The band was formed in 2005 by Philippakis and Bevan, both former members of math rock band The Edmund Fitzgerald, and Andrew Mears of Youthmovies. Mears left the band after their first single to focus on Youthmovies. In January 2018, it was announced that Walter Gervers was also leaving the band.
In early 2007, the band released the limited edition 7" singles Hummer and Mathletics, both produced by Gareth Parton. In the summer of 2007 Foals began working on their debut album in New York. It was produced by Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio, however, the band decided to mix the album themselves, stating that Sitek made the first master copy of the album sound like "it was recorded in the Grand Canyon". Yannis has stated multiple times during various interviews that Foals and Dave Sitek are on good terms, even though the copy by Sitek was rejected by the band.
Foals released their debut album, entitled Antidotes, on 24 March 2008 in the UK and 8 April 2008 in the US. The album was a commercial success in the United Kingdom, debuting at No. 3 in the UK Albums Charts. The album was a minor success in other countries, charting in Japan, France and the Netherlands. Non-UK versions of the album include the early Parton produced singles.
In August 2009, Foals started recording their second album at Svenska Grammofon Studion in Gothenburg, Sweden. The album, Total Life Forever, has been described by the band members as sounding like "tropical prog" and "like the dream of an eagle dying". The band have described the album as being "a lot less funk" than they had originally planned. The album was produced by Luke Smith, formerly of Clor, and its title is named after an element of Ray Kurzweil's theory of singularity. The band's frontman Yannis Philippakis has professed a long time interest in futurology, with it informing numerous songs on Total Life Forever.
On 1 March 2010, the promotional single "Spanish Sahara" was first played on Zane Lowe's show Radio 1. Foals' new website was updated that night with the release of a video for the track directed by longtime collaborator Dave Ma. On 6 March, the Total Life Forever site was officially launched. Puzzles revealed images, lyrics and sound clips of songs from the album. The last clip appeared on 12 March, and resulted with a password entry for the Foals' new website. The site was opened on 13 March and presented the whole new art concept and media including samples of songs, photos and videos. Lead single "This Orient" was released on 3 May 2010. The album was finally released on 10 May 2010. "Spanish Sahara" was later released as a full physical single in September 2010, featuring an edited remix starring the strings of London Contemporary Orchestra. The album was nominated for the 2010 Mercury Prize.
http://foals.co.uk
Balloons
Foals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There is this thing called
We can fly balloons on this fuel called
We can fly balloons on this fueled called love
Whats the fuel called
Fair weather storms are all in your head [x2]
We fly balloons on this fuel called love [x2]
We fly balloon called
Oh there is this thing called...
There is thing a thing called [x7]
We fly balloons on this fuel called love [x2]
We can fly balloons on this fuel called
We fly balloons on this fuel called love [x3]
We can fly balloons on this fuel called
We can fly balloons on this fuel called love
The lyrics to Foals' "Balloons" are somewhat enigmatic, open to interpretation and subjectivity. On the surface, the song's repeated phrases "There is a thing called" and "We can fly balloons on this fuel called love" could be interpreted as a quirky, whimsical expression of the magic and euphoria of love. Love is often described as a mysterious, intangible force that can lift our spirits and make us feel as if we are floating on a cloud. The image of flying balloons on love fuel evokes a sense of weightlessness, freedom, and possibility.
However, there may be a more complex and nuanced meaning to these lyrics. The line "Fair weather storms are all in your head" hints at a darker, more turbulent side to love. The phrase suggests that the storms and upheavals of a relationship are not the result of external circumstances, but rather of our own inner turmoil and conflicting emotions. Love is not always a smooth, idyllic experience, but can be challenging, confusing, and painful.
Another possible interpretation of the lyrics is that the "fuel called love" is actually a metaphor for drugs or other addictive substances. The repeated use of the phrase "There is a thing called" creates a sense of mystery and secrecy, as if the singer is referring to something illicit or taboo. The image of flying balloons on a mysterious fuel could be seen as a nod to the drug culture of the 60s and 70s, when hippies and countercultural movements experimented with psychedelics and other mind-altering substances.
Overall, the lyrics to "Balloons" are open to multiple interpretations, and the true meaning may remain elusive.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a thing called
There exists a concept or idea
There is this thing called
A particular thing or phenomenon is present
We can fly balloons on this fuel called
Balloons can be flown using a specific kind of energy source
We can fly balloons on this fueled called love
The energy source referred to is love
Whats the fuel called
The artist is asking for the name of the energy source
Fair weather storms are all in your head [x2]
Storms of good or bad fortune are merely a construct of one's own mind
We fly balloons on this fuel called love [x2]
Repetition of the earlier line, highlighting the significance of love as an energy source
We fly balloon called
A balloon is being flown
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
Reiteration of the importance of love as the energy source used to fly balloons
Oh there is this thing called...
The artist is about to introduce another concept or idea
We fly balloons on this fuel called love [x2]
Final repetition of the central idea that love is an energy source that can lift us up
We can fly balloons on this fuel called
Reestablishment of the focus on the energy source
We fly balloons on this fuel called love [x3]
Continued emphasis on the power and importance of love
We can fly balloons on this fuel called
A reminder that the energy source is critical for balloon flight
We can fly balloons on this fuel called love
Final statement of the song's core message that love can lift us up and allow us to soar
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edwin Thomas Congreave, Jack William Bevan, James Andrew Smith, Walter James Morrison Gervers, Yannis Barnabas Emanuel Philippakis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@layansarayra5655
There's a thing called
There's this thing called
We fly balloons on this fuel called
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
What's a chkacha?
What's a fuel called?
Fairweather storms are in your head
Fairweather storms are in your head
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
There's a thing called
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
We fly balloons on this fuel called
We fly balloons on this fuel called love
@MrFeyerwire
I am pretty sure the drummer for Foals has to be injected with speed before each performance. He is one of the fastest, most precise drummers in indie rock.
@devinhudson4905
You said what i was thinking😂😂
@paulgotik
It's posible but in metal and hard rock music, you have a lot of faster drummers.
@MaxBrilhart
+paulgotik And jazz
But yeah, this part isn't that complicated (I'm a drummer), but it's very tasteful
@okay.1336
So, we're just going to disregard Matt Tong, I see!
@MaxBrilhart
Hubba BubbaBB Matt's great, as is The Walkmen's drummer. Both are very energetic and always seem to play what sounds right. I don't know if they're the best, but they should both definitely be in the convo.
@maxcohen13
Such an underrated album.
@juanVERDE55
The best album.
@HarrowNigga
Not underrated by people who know it.
@jotadeltoro7155
exactly