Born a fledgling pseudo-solo project of young songwriter Kat Burns, Forest City Lovers took flight in 2006 with the independent release The Sun and the Wind. The band grew up into a fully-realized collaborative outfit and in 2008 launched their critically acclaimed sophmore album Haunting Moon Sinking (Out of This Spark), a collection that bolsters FCL’s signature tunefulness with talented musicianship, strong guitar lines, and swelling string arrangements.
Phodilus and Tyto, a 7” vinyl released at the end of 2009 paved the way for the full-length follow-up, Carriage, being released July 2010 on Out of This Spark. Carriage picks up where Haunting Moon Sinking left off, carrying forward with arrangements and melodies that go from accutely vulnerable to downright sinister. A collection that drifts sonically across decades, Carriage laces 1970s whimsy and elaborate string arragements (Mika Posen) into contemporary pop gems to keep your feet tapping as you go singing down the sunny street.
While Burns and the other Lovers make their home in Toronto, they tour frequently across Canada, the US, and Europe, drawing inspiration for their songs from these migratory ventures into foreign urban and rural environments. With their new album on the horizon, keep an eye out for this unique band of songsters in your hometown.
On the Basis
Forest City Lovers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crawling to my bed, dear, coming through the back door.
You said you craved a change of pace.
I'll rearrange my sheets for you if you love me too.
Morning sunshine, you′ve caught us yet again.
Thought we covered all the basis with our salty sweaty sins.
You asked me to explain, why our loving felt so strange.
Oh baby, let it be, slide your doubt off for me.
And all the time we spent picking up our lives, and the night grows long.
And the fear sets in for the next reprise.
And the girl you love can't dry your eyes.
And the night grows long, and the fear grows strong.
I don't want to be wrong.
I don′t want to be wrong.
The lyrics to Forest City Lovers's song "On the Basis" tell a story of a relationship that is characterized by the fear of uncertainty and doubts about its genuineness. The singer is speaking to her partner, who she addresses as "mister," and tells him that she has seen his eyes before, indicating that she has known him for some time. However, his sudden entrance into her bed through the back door suggests that he might be trying to escape from something or someone. He tells her that he craves a change of pace, and she agrees to rearrange her sheets for him if he loves her too. The fact that she has to make such an offer may hint at the lack of mutual trust and a certain desperation for affection from the partner's side.
As the day dawns, the singer realizes that they have not covered all the basis with their "salty sweaty sins," suggesting that there might be more to their relationship than just physical attraction. The partner asks her to explain why their love feels so strange, and she tells him to let it be and slide his doubt off for her. However, the fear of uncertainty sets in, and the night grows long as they struggle to pick up their lives. The girl he loves can't dry his eyes, and the fear grows strong. The singer doesn't want to be wrong, indicating that she is unsure of the relationship's future and whether it is worth the risk.
Overall, the song captures the complexity of a relationship that is founded on lust but suffers from a lack of trust and mutual understanding. It shows how the fear of uncertainty can lead one to question their investment in a relationship and doubt its authenticity.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello mister, i′ve seen those eyes before.
The singer recognizes the person they are addressing and expresses this fact in a polite greeting.
Crawling to my bed, dear, coming through the back door.
The person addressed entered the singer's bedroom through an unconventional entrance.
You said you craved a change of pace.
The person addressed expressed a desire for something different from their current situation.
I'll rearrange my sheets for you if you love me too.
The artist is willing to make changes to accommodate the person addressed if they reciprocate the artist's feelings.
Morning sunshine, you′ve caught us yet again.
The person addressed arrived early in the morning and disrupted the artist's plans.
Thought we covered all the basis with our salty sweaty sins.
The singer and the person addressed engaged in physical intimacy, thinking that it would be enough to sustain their relationship.
You asked me to explain, why our loving felt so strange.
The person addressed is confused by the unusual nature of their relationship and asks the singer for clarification.
Oh baby, let it be, slide your doubt off for me.
The artist urges the person addressed to stop questioning their relationship and trust in the artist's love.
Heavy eyes light up and the days have died.
The artist's tiredness dissipates as they become energized, while the day comes to an end.
And all the time we spent picking up our lives, and the night grows long.
The artist and the person addressed spent a significant amount of time working towards improving their lives, but the night seems never-ending.
And the fear sets in for the next reprise.
The singer begins to feel anxious about the possibility of a recurring pattern in their relationship.
And the girl you love can't dry your eyes.
The person addressed is upset and the artist, who is not the object of their affection, cannot comfort them fully.
And the night grows long, and the fear grows strong.
The night is becoming increasingly daunting and the singer's anxiety is intensifying.
I don't want to be wrong.
The singer expresses a desire to avoid making a mistake in their relationship or behavior towards the person addressed.
I don′t want to be wrong.
The singer reiterates their desire to avoid error or misstep in their relationship or behavior towards the person addressed.
Writer(s): BURNS KAT ELIZABETH
Contributed by Isabella L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Forest City Lovers
Added this to our Fan Video playlist :) xo