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
Cassius
Foals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams decay!
Cassius an accident!
Cassius an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Cassius it's over!
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams decay!
Lighthouse (Life) is an accident!
The lighthouse (Love) is an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
Cassius, is over! You're second best!
Cassius, it's over! You're second best!
It's over! You're second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Cassius is over!
Cassius away!
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams decay!
Lighthouse (Life) is an accident!
The lighthouse (Love) is an accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Accident!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! at best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
Cassius, is over! You're second best!
Cassius, it's over! You're second best!
It's over! You're second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Second best!
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
The song "Cassius" by Foals seems to be about letting go of something that has been holding the singer back. The repeated phrase "Cassius is over" emphasizes this idea, as if the singer is trying to convince themselves that they no longer need this thing in their life. The song also refers to "daydreams" and "accidents," which could represent unrealistic or unexpected hopes and dreams that have held the singer back.
The lyrics also mention a "lighthouse," which could represent guidance or direction, but is described as an "accident." This could suggest that the singer has been relying on something that ultimately proved to not be helpful or successful. The final lines of the song, "Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've got has always gone away," could be interpreted as a message to move on from whatever has been holding the singer back.
Overall, "Cassius" seems to be a song about coming to terms with the end of something and accepting that it's time to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Cassius is over!
The situation that Cassius represents has come to an end
Cassius away!
Cassius is no longer present and has left
Cassius these daydreams, these daydreams decay!
The illusions related to Cassius are disappearing and losing their appeal
Cassius an accident!
Cassius is an unfortunate circumstance
Cassius it's over!
The situation that Cassius represents has come to an end
Accident!
An unfortunate occurrence
Wish you've gone-a, wish you've gone away, what you've gone-a
What you've got has always gone away
Regretful thoughts about things that are now gone and will never return
Cassius! Cassius! At best, it's all that we could do,
All that we could do
Cassius was the best option but not necessarily a great one
The wind is in, the wind is in my heart, the wind is in-
Now what you've got has always gone away
Feelings of sadness and loss regarding things that have been lost
Cassius, is over! You're second best!
The situation represented by Cassius has ended and what is left is less desirable
Second best!
Not the best option and inferior to what has been lost
Lighthouse (Life) is an accident!
Life is an unpredictable and often unfavorable occurrence
The lighthouse (Love) is an accident!
Love is an unpredictable and often unfavorable occurrence
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, 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
Peter Ellinger
Love the layers and how they interact. You do great things with sound. True artists. Thanks.
roboshadowscale
First, ha! Thank you for uploading this. Though, I prefer the original.