The band met and formed in Greenville, North Carolina, USA while studying art at East Carolina University. Their first band was Art Lord & The Self-Portraits, which was also composed of Adam Beeby and Kymia Nawabi and lasted from 2003 to 2005. In 2006, Cashion, Herring, and Welmers formed Future Islands, along with Erick Murillo, the bassist for The Kickass. Other former members include Samuel N. Ortiz-Payero (drums, 2008) and Denny Bowen (drums, 2009–2013 in studio; 2013–2014 touring)
Future Islands released Little Advances in April 2006, and a self-released split CD with Welmers' solo project Moss of Aura in January 2007. In July 2007, they recorded their debut album, Wave Like Home, with Chester Endersby Gwazda at Backdoor Skateshop in Greenville, North Carolina. After a Halloween party in 2007, Murillo quit the band. In late 2007 and early 2008, the band relocated to Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The "Feathers and Hallways" 7" was recorded in Oakland, California during their first US tour and was their first release as a focused three-piece. Upset! the Rhythm released Wave Like Home on 25 August 2008. The cover art was designed by Kymia Nawabi, a former member of Art Lord & The Self-Portraits. In 2009 the band signed to independent Chicago record company Thrill Jockey.
Their second album, In Evening Air, was recorded in the band's living room in the historic Marble Hill neighborhood in Baltimore and released on 4 May 2010.Their third full-length album, On the Water, was recorded in Elizabeth City, NC's historic, waterfront Andrew S. Sanders House. It was released on 11 October 2011.
These early albums from Future Islands are often associated with other bands affiliated with Wham City, such as Videohippos, Santa Dads, Blood Baby, OCDJ, Adventure, Dan Deacon, Weekends and Double Dagger.
In 2014, they released Singles with hit-track Seasons (Waiting on You). The band and song gained critical acclamation from Pitchfork and NME and performed the song on the Late Show with David Letterman, a performance that went viral. In 2017, they released The Far Field and most recently in 2020 they released As Long As You Are.
Grease
Future Islands Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a gravel lot, by the back door
We move the same
We say the same things
And the same song plays on the radio
Time for the show
And the road was long and slow
I was a boy not long ago
What happens to youth?
What happened to truth?
What happened to me?
This song won't change a thing
No, but the people want it all
The dancing bear, the bouncing ball
Oh, I hope they want it all
Or the same song plays on the radio
Time for the show
And the road was long and slow
And I'm growing old
And the highways take a toll
Time for the show
And the road was long and slow
And I'm growing old
I was a boy not long ago
In Future Islands' song "Grease," the band reflects on the cyclical nature of life and how it can feel like we are stuck in a loop, experiencing the same things over and over again. They reminisce about past experiences, specifically in a gravel lot by a back door where they have been before, and how they are going through the motions and saying and doing the same things as before. The same song they have heard many times before plays on the radio, emphasizing the repetition and stagnation of their current situation.
The chorus questions the fleeting nature of youth, the concept of truth, and the singer's own identity. The lyrics suggest that this song and its message won't change anything, but the crowds still demand a spectacle, represented through the symbol of a dancing bear and bouncing ball. The hope is that the song will be enough to satisfy the audience, and they won't have to hear the same song on the radio again.
Line by Line Meaning
We've been here before
We've experienced this situation in the past
In a gravel lot, by the back door
Specifically, we've been in this type of location before
We move the same
Our actions and behavior are consistent and unchanging
We say the same things
Our words haven't changed either
And the same song plays on the radio
We're hearing the same music we heard before
Time for the show
It's time to perform
And the road was long and slow
The journey to this point has been difficult and time-consuming
And I'm growing old
I'm feeling the effects of aging
I was a boy not long ago
I can remember a time when I was young and carefree
What happens to youth?
Why does the vigor and energy of youth fade away?
What happened to truth?
How did honesty and sincerity become so elusive?
What happened to me?
Why have I changed so much over time?
This song won't change a thing
Even if we perform our music, it won't bring about any significant changes
No, but the people want it all
However, our audience has high expectations and wants to be fully satisfied
The dancing bear, the bouncing ball
They want to be entertained by any means possible
Oh, I hope they want it all
We want to meet those expectations and provide a memorable experience
Or the same song plays on the radio
Otherwise, we run the risk of falling back into the monotony of our previous routine
And the highways take a toll
The long hours spent travelling are wearing us down
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: John Gerrit Welmers, Samuel Thompson Herring, William Hugh Cashion
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kevinhawkey11
Music; it’s so incredible how one song can touch a person so deeply that it seems to alter the path of your life. What I think about sometimes is how many incredible songs exist that I never have access to simply because I just never cross paths with them…
I never would have found Future Island if not for reading an article where Bono of U2 says they are his new favorite band (several years ago) so of course, I checked them out.
Mesmerizing. Hypnotic. Raw. Honest. Like rain; how it can make you feel - introspective and melancholy but hopeful too. Like a rainbow. Not to get crazy.
Grease is the best song from FI I have heard. The bass line is so haunting. And the pace of the song. I wait the whole song for the climactic key change that we all know is coming. And then it does and you kinda feel rewarded.
Everyone’s comments are all so true and inspiring to see that I’m not alone in recognizing simple greatness. Maybe not a complete body of work but definitely lots of rays of it, and this Track for me is the pinnacle so far that I’ve heard.
What are we without passion?
@therealfirelord3359
Lyrics:
We've been here before
In a gravel lot, by the back door.
We move the same,
We say the same things,
And the same song plays on the radio.
Time for the show,
And the road was long and slow,
And I'm growing old.
I was a boy not long ago.
What happens to youth?
What happened to truth?
What happened to me?
This song won't change a thing.
No, but the people want it all;
The dancing bear, the bouncing ball..
Oh, I hope they want it all,
Or the same song plays on the radio.
Time for the show,
And the road was long and slow,
And I'm growing old,
And the highways take a toll.
Time for the show,
And the road was long and slow,
And I'm growing old.
I was a boy not long ago.
@Lil-Bit
4:02 has this gut wrenching trigger of my most deepest emotions to come spilling out in these uncontrollable tears... But I LOVE it, it's pain, it hurts, it's beautiful. The entire song is such an in your face reality check of time, life, and all the tiny moments of beauty we let pass by so insignificantly.
@Jasenspeed401
Well said! Summed it up perfectly.
@Bobcaygeon-1
For me it comes at the end of "Walking Through That Door"
@fmj45
yea that snowy van scene is a real gut wrencher. this is meaning of life in 5min. my take away is to pay more attention to the now and less about the past or future.
@cpstacey1
One of the best filmed music videos I have seen....kudos to those who filmed it. So prescient, so young...
@nicksendelbach2137
First heard of them from the "Inch of Dust" song that was played on an episode of Shameless. Loved the On the Water album so much I had to catch one of their shows. Saw them in August 2014 at Mr. Smalls Theater in Pennsylvania. Was right up front and they blew me away. Started going to see a lot more live music after that show. To this day I get tears in my eyes from this song.
@matthewsnyder674
First the song, then the video. The sense of an ending, and the feelings engendered within: Future Islands absolutely nailed it.
@All4YouSophia
This song is incredible. I get chills every time I listen to it.
@allisonfrances7130
Keep returning to view this, so touching & heartfelt, love this song.
@leightonlee4108
just beautiful