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.
On the Water
Future Islands Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dissolves my selfish leanings and all the others
Guide me
You beside me
With conviction
My lost invention
My child is starving
You keep me, I've been locked and you're the key
You keep me
You keep me
You keep me 'til I'm ready to be free
Too many wasted days and nights
Obsessed with the flickering bits of my life
Forgetting what giving and living can be, what it can mean
First forgiving myself and stepping outside of my own apathy
To see, I just want to be
Patient like the forest
Stood through thousands fallen
Watched the changing evening a million times
Or more
Lead me to the water
Take me to the other side
And know how much it means
To me
'Cause you keep me
You keep me, I've been locked and you're the key
Too many wasted days and nights
Obsessed with the flickering bits of my life
I've forgotten what giving and living can be, what it can mean
First step to being better is doing the smallest things
'Cause you keep me
You keep me
You keep me, I've been locked and you're the key
You keep me
You keep me
You keep me 'til I'm strong enough to see
To be free
The song "On the Water" by Future Islands is a heartfelt plea for guidance and support in finding a way out of a cycle of selfishness and apathy. The opening line "Ancient like the water" evokes a sense of timeless wisdom and knowledge, suggesting that the singer is seeking guidance from something larger and more enduring than themselves. The image of water as a force of dissolution also suggests an element of surrender, as the singer's "selfish leanings and all the others" are dissolved away.
The second verse explores the singer's sense of being trapped in a cycle of wasted time and self-obsession, forgetting the importance of "giving and living" and the first step to being better is small acts of kindness. Here, the singer acknowledges the importance of forgiving themselves and stepping outside of their own limited perspective in order to find meaning and purpose. They express the desire to be led to the other side, a metaphor for a better, more fulfilling existence.
Throughout the song, the singer's sense of gratitude and reliance on another person is emphasized with the repeated refrain "You keep me". This suggests a deep sense of connection and loyalty, as well as a recognition that their growth and progress is intimately tied to their relationship with this other person.
Overall, "On the Water" is a poignant meditation on the difficult journey of self-discovery and growth, and the importance of seeking and receiving support along the way. Its elegiac melody and yearning lyrics create a mood of melancholy hope, suggesting that even in the darkest moments, there is always the possibility of finding a way forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Ancient like the water
As timeless and significant as water itself
Dissolves my selfish leanings and all the others
Washes away self-centered tendencies and those of others
Guide me
Provide me with direction and purpose
You beside me
Having you by my side gives me strength and support
With conviction
With steadfast belief and determination
My lost invention
The creativity or vision I've misplaced or forgotten
My child is starving
My ideas or artistic expression are neglected and in need of revitalization
But you keep me
You sustain me and give me hope
You keep me, I've been locked and you're the key
You hold the answer for my release from feeling trapped
Too many wasted days and nights
I've spent an excessive amount of time without purpose or meaning
Obsessed with the flickering bits of my life
Preoccupied with superficial or fleeting moments of existence
Forgetting what giving and living can be, what it can mean
Overlooking the potential for charity and fulfillment in life
First forgiving myself and stepping outside of my own apathy
Releasing myself from self-blame and making a conscious effort to engage with the world
To see, I just want to be
I desire to experience and be present in the world
Patient like the forest
Through unwavering stillness and endurance, like that of nature itself
Stood through thousands fallen
Withstood countless challenges and difficulties
Watched the changing evening a million times or more
Observed the beauty and cycle of the sunset countless times
Lead me to the water
Show me the source of vitality and inspiration, like water for life
Take me to the other side
Guide me to a place of understanding or fulfillment
And know how much it means to me
Understand the significance of your support in my life
You keep me 'til I'm strong enough to see
You provide me with security until I can stand on my own
To be free
To break from the chains of apathy and find liberation
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: William Cashion, Samuel Herring, John Welmers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind