The band first teased the track along their 2020 Déjà Vu Tour, as seen on the setlist for the Toronto show on the tour. Dave then teased the song’s release and chorus lyrics on the band’s subreddit on June 26, 2020. It was later premiered as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record in the World on BBC Radio 1 on June 29, 2020.
After the song released, Dave published a note to fans on Twitter:
"HEAT WAVES IS OUT NOW. it’s about realising you can’t make everyone happy. and realising it’s ok to be defeated by something. we are often expected to ‘be strong’ and to swallow our sadness. failing to do that is seen as weakness. so we try to cover up our feelings and hide inside of TV shows or video games or drink or drugs. but being vulnerable should be a positive thing. there was a review in a big publication we got early on that said i was ‘too effeminate’ because of the way I sang and that that was weak and gross. its 2020. there’s no space for that sh*t anymore. the music video is out too. it’s meant to reference the sentiments in the song…about being defeated and unable to save something…but tweaked the context a little. I’ll do another post about it tomorrow explaining more. i hope you like the song, its a special one to me."
He expanded on the meaning in the Apple Music Editor’s Notes:
"It began with a personal experience that everyone has had: A friend starts dating someone and slowly, they change the way they dress. And then the way they talk. And then everything. Eventually it gets to the point where you’re like, ‘Who is that? Where did my friend go?’ Well, this song is about realizing that it’s happened to you, that it’s you that’s changed. You’ve become someone that you aren’t. I was trying to figure out whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but ultimately I think it’s about hitting a wall—a point where you can’t change anymore or you’ll lose the foundation of who you are. You’ll become an attachment for this other person. It’s happened to me and I’ve seen it happen to so many friends. And there’s a moment when you see your reflection and you’re like, ‘Oh, fuck.’ All of the lyrics play into that—mirages, hallucinations, things like that."
He revealed more about the video’s meaning on YouTube:
"this video is a love letter to live music and the culture and togetherness surrounding it. It was filmed at the peak of the lockdown in my neighbourhood in East London by the lovely people who live around me, just using their phones. These are people who are usually out at shows, in galleries, going to cinemas etc. These venues are left empty now, and many of them will not survive. The song is about loss and longing, and ultimately realizing you are unable to save something…and this video is about that but for art, being together, and human contact. Huge love and thank you’s to everyone who got involved and helped out. When everyone was leaning out of their windows filming, I felt that same sense of togetherness and spine-tingling energy that happened at live shows. It made the coldness of performing to an empty room with the band stuck on screens feel even more heart-breaking"
It was certified platinum on April 28, 2021 making it their second song to do so. During the week ending March 12 , 2022, the song peaked at #1 on the Hot 100. It is the band’s first song to appear on the chart and their first to place in the top 5.
Heat Waves
Glass Animals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Don't stop, baby, you can walk through)
(Don't want, baby, think about you)
(You know that I'm never gonna lose)
Road shimmer wigglin' the vision
Heat, heat waves, I'm swimmin' in a mirror
Road shimmer wigglin' the vision
Heat, heat waves, I'm swimmin' in a
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
Usually I put somethin' on TV
So we never think about you and me
But today I see our reflections
Clearly in Hollywood, layin' on the screen
You just need a better life than this
You need somethin' I can never give
Fake water all across the road
It's gone now, the night has come, but
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
You can't fight it, you can't breathe
You say something so lovin', but
Now I gotta let you go
You'll be better off in someone new
I don't wanna be alone
You know it hurts me too
You look so broken when you cry
One more and then I say goodbye
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
I just wonder what you're dreamin' of
When you sleep and smile so comfortable
I just wish that I could give you that
That look that's perfectly un-sad
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
Road shimmer wigglin' the vision
Heat, heat waves, I'm swimmin' in a mirror
Road shimmer wigglin' the vision
Heat, heat waves, I'm swimmin' in a mirror
The song "Heat Waves" by Glass Animals is a representation of how memories and emotions can come rushing back all at once when you least expect it. The lyrics convey the pain and yearning for a lost love. The chorus "Sometimes, all I think about is you, Late nights in the middle of June, Heat waves been fakin' me out, Can't make you happier now" shows a sense of disappointment and failure to make the person in question happy despite the singer's best intentions.
The lines "Usually I put somethin' on TV, So we never think about you and me" implies that the singer tries to distract themselves from these feelings but ultimately always finds themselves thinking of the one they lost. The lines "You need somethin' I can never give, Fake water all across the road, It's gone now, the night has come, but" convey a sense of resignation and hopelessness, as the singer acknowledges that they cannot provide what their former love needs and they are left feeling empty.
Overall, "Heat Waves" is a poignant and melancholic reflection on the complexity and permanence of emotions and memories. The song's vivid imagery and introspective lyrics make it a deeply relatable piece for anyone who's ever experienced heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night, all I think about is you
The singer obsesses over their former lover, unable to stop thinking about them.
Don't stop, baby, you can walk through
The singer encourages their former lover to keep moving forward without them.
Don't want, baby, think about you
The singer tries to suppress thoughts of their former lover, knowing that dwelling on them is painful.
You know that I'm never gonna lose
The singer is confident that they will not be defeated by the pain of their breakup.
Road shimmer wigglin' the vision
The heat causes the road ahead to appear distorted and difficult to navigate.
Heat, heat waves, I'm swimmin' in a mirror
The heat creates a mirage-like effect, causing the singer to feel as though they are floating in an undulating, reflective surface.
Sometimes, all I think about is you
The singer's obsession with their former lover is all-consuming and difficult to escape.
Late nights in the middle of June
The specific time of year emphasizes the heat and intensity of emotions the singer is experiencing.
Heat waves been fakin' me out
The heat creates illusions and deceives the singer's senses.
Can't make you happier now
Despite their attempts to move on, the singer realizes they cannot make their former lover happy.
Usually I put somethin' on TV
The singer tries to distract themselves from thoughts of their former lover by watching television.
So we never think about you and me
Watching television helps the singer forget about their former lover for a brief time.
But today I see our reflections
The singer unexpectedly sees themselves and their former lover in a movie, causing them to confront their emotions.
Clearly in Hollywood, layin' on the screen
This image is symbolic of the larger-than-life, idealized vision of love presented in movies.
You just need a better life than this
The singer acknowledges that their former lover deserves a better life than the one they can provide.
You need somethin' I can never give
The singer recognizes that they are not capable of giving their former lover what they truly need.
Fake water all across the road
The heat causes an optical illusion that makes it appear as though there is water on the road ahead.
It's gone now, the night has come, but
The illusion has dissipated with the coming of nightfall, but the singer's emotions remain.
You can't fight it, you can't breathe
The singer feels overwhelmed by their emotions and struggles to control them.
You say something so lovin', but
Despite their love for their former lover, the singer knows they cannot make them happy.
Now I gotta let you go
The singer realizes they must move on from their former lover.
You'll be better off in someone new
The singer believes their former lover will find happiness with someone else.
I don't wanna be alone
The singer fears being alone after their breakup.
You know it hurts me too
The singer acknowledges that their former lover's pain is also their own.
You look so broken when you cry
The singer is heartbroken when they see their former lover upset.
One more and then I say goodbye
The singer knows they must say a final goodbye to their former lover.
I just wonder what you're dreamin' of
The singer wonders what their former lover dreams about, questioning whether they still think about them.
When you sleep and smile so comfortable
The singer imagines their former lover smiling in their sleep, appearing content and happy without them.
I just wish that I could give you that
The singer wants to make their former lover happy, but knows they cannot.
That look that's perfectly un-sad
The singer wants to give their former lover the gift of happiness, represented by a look that is not tinged with sadness.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: David Algernon Bayley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@arvinddhomne
Lyrics of the song:
Road shimmer wigglin' the vision
Heat, heat waves, I'm swimmin' in a mirror
Road shimmer wigglin' the vision
Heat, heat waves, I'm swimmin' in a
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
Usually I put somethin' on TV
So we never think about you and me
But today I see our reflections
Clearly in Hollywood, layin' on the screen
You just need a better life than this
You need somethin' I can never give
Fake water all across the road
It's gone now, the night has come, but
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
You can't fight it, you can't breathe
You say something so lovin', but
Now I gotta let you go
You'll be better off in someone new
I don't wanna be alone
You know it hurts me too
You look so broken when you cry
One more and then I say goodbye
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
I just wonder what you're dreamin' of
When you sleep and smile so comfortable
I just wish that I could give you that
That look that's perfectly un-sad
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
Sometimes, all I think about is you
Late nights in the middle of June
Heat waves been fakin' me out
Can't make you happier now
Road shimmer wigglin' the vision
Heat, heat waves, I'm swimmin' in a mirror
Road shimmer wigglin' the vision
Heat, heat waves, I'm swimmin' in a mirror
@YUHNMINO
50% of the comments: “i burn you?” “you melt me”
the other 50%: “best fifa 21 song out here”
@moodyhades
PERIOD
@hateeveryone124
💀
@filippostsepelis5044
Fifa 4ever
@caseysalome7959
100% blockman from Florida and a British one
@Joelaaaaa
It is tho all the other fifa21 songs are garbo
@arcadesic2808
POV: Loan Ben Yedder scores a hattrick against you but this banger is on the menu
@arounangame3820
*loan mbappe
@arcadesic2808
@@liamworsley2575 don’t self promote
@liamworsley2575
My sorry