The band's debut full-length album Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation was released in October 2003. Various singles were lifted off this, including Bullet Theory, Juneau (Juno on previous EPs), She Drove Me To Daytime TV and Escape Artists Never Die. After a B-side to Escape Artists Never Die was released as a single, this was called You Want Romance? the video was sequal to Bullet Theory
A DVD named Spilling Blood In 8MM was released only a year after, documenting every music video, including the two from the EPs 10:45 Amsterdam Conversations and This Year's Most Open Heartbreak, live footage, and the first album's promotion tour, discography, chronology and an exclusive video for Juneau acoustic
In the United States, the EP Seven Ways To Scream Your Name was released instead. It featured three of the tracks from Four Ways To Scream Your Name, three from Between Order And Model and a further unreleased track. The debut was released later.
The second album Hours was released in 2005. Streetcar, Monsters, History and Roses for the Dead have been released as singles.
Funeral For A Friend released the first single, off their 3rd album, Into Oblivion (Reunion) on May 7th 2007 and the album Tales Don't Tell Themselves was released on May 14th 2007. The album caused much controversy with fans of their earlier albums, especially with fans of their EPs and 'Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation', due to a major change in their sound to a more melodic version of their earlier post-hardcore. The band then released the ninth track on Tales Don't Tell Themselves Walk Away. Then the release of The Great Wide Open came in a form of an EP highlighting the bands earlier part of their career containing not only the single The Great Wide Open but live versions of most of their older EP songs.
FFAF released a new album in 2008 via their newly formed label Join Us, after leaving Atlantic. On the 27th August 2008, it was announced that the band had licensed their new record to Victory Records for the U.S. and Canadian releases. The album was released via the label on October 28, 2008. It was also released via Roadrunner Records in the rest of the world, apart from the UK, where it was released through the band's own label, Join Us.
On September 4, 2008, it was announced via a MySpace blog post that Gareth Davies had left the band, to be replaced by Gavin Burrough (Hondo Maclean, Ghostlines, The Future). "As some of you may know, Gareth has been living in America for the past couple of years, and recently got married. Ultimately, the strain of travelling between continents has taken it's toll and Gareth made the decision that it would be in the best interests of himself, his family and Funeral to leave the band. We totally respect and understand his choice, wish him all the best in his future and we thank him for being part of our lives for the past 6 years."
On June 24, 2009 it was revealed in Kerrang! magazine that the band were to release a greatest hits album, entitled Your History Is Mine: 2002-2009, on September 28, 2009. The compilation is to also contain four brand new tracks, which will be the first new material released by the band since the arrival of Burrough.
On April 26, 2010, Funeral for a Friend wrote on their forum about their lineup change, paying homage to the departure of their friend Darran Smith, but also announcing the new member. Gavin Burrough changed instrument from bass to guitar, taking over Darran's place as guitarist, and Richard Boucher became the new bassist of Funeral for a Friend.
On May 3, 2010 the band announced that they will be releasing a special new EP to fans who "pledged" through website pledgemusic.com, the "pledge" options include the EP, a signed EP and even an acoustic performance by the band at a fan's residence.[12] On July 1, 2010 the band revealed that the EP will be titled "The Young and Defenseless" and also revealed the cover art. The EP was subsequently released for download on September 6, 2010 and physical release was a week later. Towards the end of October 2010 they finished a session of recording for a new album for which a name and date were yet to be announced. On 2 November, they played two new songs, confirmed to be on this album (which was announced as due for release in March 2011), called "Man Alive" and "Front Row Seats to the End of the World". Another song title was confirmed as "Spinning Over the Island."
On 10 January 2011, the band released the official video for the album's leading single "Front Row Seats to the End of the World" and announced their fifth studio album would be called Welcome Home Armageddon. On 24 January, it was announced that the album was to be released by Good Fight Music, a move that would reconnect the band with the original label team that released Seven Ways to Scream Your Name and Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation. Welcome Home Armageddon was released 14 March 2011 in Britain through Distiller Records and 15 March in the United States through Good Fight and later on distributed through Roadrunner to the rest of the world.
On 22 May 2012, Ryan Richards announced that he was leaving the band. He cited his family as the reason, saying: “I’ve always put music first in my life – but the time has come now for my family to take the top spot”. It was the band's initial intention that Richards would not be replaced instantly and that the band would only look for a touring member to play for the band. However, it was announced on that Pat Lundy would be joining the band as Richards' replacement. Lundy is the former drummer of London-based heavy metal band Rise to Remain, having left the band in January 2012. Funeral for a Friend spent all of 2012, bar their brief festival appearances writing and recording for their sixth studio album. Over the year they released several studio updates showing the band members tracking different instruments for the album.
On 4 October of that year the band confirmed the title and release date of their sixth album Conduit for a 28 January 2013 release in the United Kingdom and on 5 February 2013 through The End Records In the United States.
On 28 September 2014, Funeral for a Friend debuted the lead single from their forthcoming album Chapter and Verse, titled "You've Got a Bad Case of the Religions" on the Rock Show on BBC Radio 1. The band then announced the album's release date of January 19, 2015 as well as a UK/European Tour in support of the album.
On 14 September 2015, Funeral for a Friend announced their breakup and the 'Last Chance to Dance' final tour across Australia, Germany and the UK, which spanned from February to April 2016; they played two subsequent nights on each stop of the tour, performing Hours and Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation in their entirety (alongside other songs) on the first and second night respectively.
In August 2019, Funeral for a Friend announced two special reunion concerts, with the proceedings going to the family of a terminally ill friend of the band. The two shows were set to be on 28 and 29 October at The Globe in Cardiff and O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. As well as members Matt Davies-Kreye, Kris Coombs-Roberts, Gav Burrough, and Richard Boucher, the band will be joined by former guitarist Darran Smith and drummer/screamer Ryan Richards. After the initial two dates sold out quickly, the Cardiff show was upgraded from The Globe to the Cardiff Student Union, and a second Cardiff date was added for 27 October.
On 27 January 2020, Download festival announced their upcoming performance as part of the 2020 lineup. The festival would be cancelled in April, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. In September 2021, the band were a late addition to Slam Dunk festival. In July 2020, the band announced that they would be touring the UK in April 2021 playing songs from Casually-dressed & deep in Conversation, Hours, and Tales don't tell themselves, also due to COVID-19 the tour dates were postponed, taking place in early March 2022. After the initial dates sold out, the band added two additional dates in Cardiff and London and upgraded the venues for Manchester and Glasgow, which was then followed up with four additional dates in Leeds, Bristol, and Bournemouth alongside a third London date at Shepherd's Bush Empire. Due to illness, Richard Boucher was replaced on bass for the last 4 shows by the band's guitar-tech Steve Nash.
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Ghosts
Funeral for a Friend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Buried underneath the afterbirth of joy
Sticks and stones will always break
His bones can barely take the weight
Of your breath breathing down his neck again
Keep it to yourself
'Cause you don't need to ask
Memories will last
Your family; a little girl
One little wonder with your back against the wall
Kisses at bedtime never meant
A life that came to represent
Failings that she could not forget again
Keep it to yourself
'Cause you don't need to ask
Everything was golden
Memories will last
She could not forget
Breathing down his neck
She could not forget
Well the price you pay is never worth
The pain to suffer the abuse
Lay down and sleep with all the ghosts
Again, again, again, again
Lay down and sleep with all the ghosts
Again, again, again, again
Lay down and sleep with all the ghosts
Again, again, again, again
The song "Ghosts" by Funeral for a Friend is a poignant and emotionally charged song that touches on the themes of trauma, abuse, and the impact of family dynamics on a person's life. The opening line of the song, "Congratulations, it's a boy," sets the scene for a birth, but the following line, "Buried underneath the afterbirth of joy," immediately subverts any expectations of a happy occasion. The lyrics go on to describe the weight that the child feels under the breath of someone breathing down their neck, which could be interpreted as the pressure and expectations that they feel from their family.
The next verse shifts to a "little girl" who has "failings that she could not forget again." This could be referencing either the child's own mistakes or shortcomings, or the mistakes and failures of the adults in her life that she is now carrying with her. The repeated refrain of "keep it to yourself, 'cause you don't need to ask" speaks to the shame and secrecy that often surrounds trauma and abuse, and how difficult it is to speak out when it feels like nobody wants to hear it.
The final stanza takes a slightly more hopeful turn, acknowledging that the price of suffering abuse is never worth it, but also suggesting that laying down and sleeping with the ghosts of our past can provide some sense of peace or closure.
Overall, "Ghosts" is a powerful song that encapsulates the pain and complexity of navigating family trauma and abuse, and the long-lasting impact it can have on a person's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Congratulations, it's a boy
The birth of a child is celebrated, but it sets the tone for a life of pain and suffering.
Buried underneath the afterbirth of joy
The joy and excitement of the child's birth is overshadowed by the underlying pain and suffering that will follow.
Sticks and stones will always break
Physical pain is inevitable and cannot be avoided.
His bones can barely take the weight
The child is fragile and vulnerable, unable to bear the weight of the world on its shoulders.
Of your breath breathing down his neck again
The constant pressure and control of those around him suffocates the child and makes him feel constrained.
Keep it to yourself
It's better to keep your pain and struggles to yourself, rather than sharing them with others who may not understand or may make things worse.
'Cause you don't need to ask
You shouldn't have to seek validation or approval from others for your struggles; they are valid and real regardless.
Everything was golden
It may seem like everything was perfect and happy at one point, but that illusion has been shattered.
Memories will last
Even when everything else falls apart, memories remain and can offer comfort or torment.
Your family; a little girl
The focus shifts to another child, this time a girl, who presumably faces similar struggles.
One little wonder with your back against the wall
The girl might feel trapped and powerless, with no way to escape or stand up for herself.
Kisses at bedtime never meant
Physical affection and love from family members is not always enough to erase or ease the pain of trauma.
A life that came to represent
The child's life is marked by the struggles and traumas she's experienced, and they have become a part of who she is.
Failings that she could not forget again
The girl may blame herself or feel like a failure because of what's happened to her, and she can't escape those thoughts.
She could not forget
The girl can't escape her past or the pain she's experienced; it's always with her in some way.
Well the price you pay is never worth
The cost of surviving trauma and abuse is too high, and there's no way to make up for what's been lost.
The pain to suffer the abuse
The pain and suffering that comes with abuse is never worth enduring, no matter what.
Lay down and sleep with all the ghosts
The ghosts of trauma and pain can never truly be banished; they continue to haunt and torment those who have experienced them.
Again, again, again, again
The pain and trauma are unrelenting, and seem to have no end or relief in sight.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GARETH DAVIES, DARRAN SMITH, KRIS ROBERTS, MATTHEW DAVIES, RYAN RICHARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Grace Bagwell
This is my favorite song of all time!!! its so beautiful. I really wish someone would make an instrumental version or a piano cover of this song
Conor
I've got an instrumental version I've recorded if you want one :)
farizdanialz
This is possibly my favourite song on the album. The lyrics are very obvious in meaning but the simplicity just adds to the emotion in the song. The guitar riff and Matt's vocals just work in such harmony in this song, they weave in and out of each other so well. Matt's vocals in the song are stunning.
farizdanialz
i come back to this song after i left comment here 5 years ago. My favorite song 5 years ago, hearing this back give back my memory on how i struggling and stuck stagnant in my previous job, how i hate the flight i have to take, how hard for me to find a real love.
Now i am totally different. I'm glad it all over. I'm glad it make me stronger and wiser than before. (don't mind my bad english, english is not my native languange, btw im from malaysia)
Holy Ghost Dragonslayer
this band has good vocals it really shows in this song.
P
Ffaf is THE most underrated band!
juanemo7
!! this is fucking good song !!!
ScoffCam
They should’ve signed with geffen
JCarlosFFAF
I don't understand... i tryed to upload this song but the song belongs to WMG so i couldn't!... AMAZING SONG, and Amazing album... but i know this new album of 2010 will be the best!
Wiiarerock
I am a ghost to only help you ^^