The band released their debut EP, I Saw Such Things in my Sleep EP, in September 2005; all 1000 copies sold out on the day of release. In January 2006, Guillemots were awarded fifth place in the BBC's Sound of 2006 list of favourite up-and-coming acts.
Their full-length debut LP, Through The Windowpane was released in July 2006, including Made-up Lovesong #43 from the Such Things EP and other previous singles Trains To Brazil and We're Here. The album's release date was timed so it would be eligible for the 2006 Mercury Music Prize, and the album did make the shortlist.
During the recording sessions for the album, the band recorded an EP entitled Of The Night made up of one song written by each band member. It was released via the internet on Valentine's Day 2006 and performed live in its entirety at the BBC Electric Proms 2006, with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Their performance of Bad Boyfriend was particularly memorable for the band donning animal masks, and Fyfe crying "Take me to orchestral paradise!" before the song's orchestral culmination. The EP was eventually released on CD and LP in November, to independent music shops only.
They were Scissor Sisters' support on their stadium tour in late 2006 and released a reworked version of Annie, Let's Not Wait, on 15 January 2007.
The latest album 'Red', which features an even more eclectic mix of influences and ideas, was released on March 24th 2008.
The band had a short break following 'Red', in which time Dangerfield released his first solo album, 2010's 'Fly Yellow Moon'.
Guillemots returned with critically praised 'Walk The River' in 2011.
In May 2012 the band announced that they would be writing and recording four seasonally themed albums over the remainder of the year and in to early 2013, starting with 'Hello Land!'
Don't Look Down
Guillemots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a silver horse
Quit the throne
Gone running
For a bit of sugar
And a bit of salt
He waged a war
But it's alright
Yeah, it's alright
The king is dying
Come out with me tonight
Take on the world
Take up your act
Take out your violence on the sun
You're a speck of dust
I'm a speck of dust
One day we'll fall on everyone
Can we try laughing
Instead of fighting on the phone?
Dancing on our own
And the King's in the corner saying
Don't look down
Don't look down
Don't look down
Don't look down
I can't walk
I can't talk
I'll probably find our home
Like a dog chasing a bone
The sky is laughing
The sky is laughing
At me, at me
So when the devil asks you
What went wrong
Just tell the beast
His kids are in the garden
You can find a million
Faults in me
But darling, you can't say
I gave you nothing
It's alright
Yeah, it's alright
Oh, you look so good
Come out with me tonight
Come out with me tonight
The lyrics of Guillemots' song "Don't Look Down" express a certain sense of urgency and dissatisfaction with the state of things. The king has abandoned his throne and gone running for things that ultimately don't matter, waging a war about nothing. The singer recognizes the futility of such actions, and urges for a change of direction. They encourage the listener to take up their own act and to take on the world, to find ways to let out their violence and discontent on the sun. In the end, the singer suggests that it's better to try and find joy in laughter and dancing, rather than fighting and arguing. The song ends with the line "Don't look down" repeated, urging the listener to keep their head up and to keep fighting for their own happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
So the king went riding
The ruler rode his silver horse
On a silver horse
He rode on a horse made of silver
Quit the throne
He gave up his power
Gone running
He ran away
For a bit of sugar
He sought sweetness
And a bit of salt
He also sought saltiness
He waged a war
He fought a battle
About nothing
But the reason was trivial
But it's alright
But everything's fine
Yeah, it's alright
Yes, everything's fine
The king is dying
The ruler is close to his end
Come out with me tonight
Join me tonight
Take on the world
Confront the world
Take up your act
Begin to behave
Take out your violence on the sun
Release your aggression towards an impossible target
You're a speck of dust
You're insignificant
I'm a speck of dust
I'm equally insignificant
One day we'll fall on everyone
One day, we'll all die
Can we try laughing
Can we attempt to laugh
Instead of fighting on the phone?
Rather than arguing through phones?
Dancing on our own
Dance alone
And the King's in the corner saying
And the ruler in the corner utters
Don't look down
Don't let yourself feel down
I can't walk
I am unable to walk
I can't talk
I am unable to talk
I'll probably find our home
I'll likely find our way back
Like a dog chasing a bone
Like a dog pursuing a bone
The sky is laughing
The sky is mocking
The sky is laughing
The sky is laughing
At me, at me
At me, specifically
So when the devil asks you
So, if the devil questions you
What went wrong
What did you do wrong
Just tell the beast
Just inform the monster
His kids are in the garden
His children are playing in the garden
You can find a million
You may observe many
Faults in me
Shortcomings in me
But darling, you can't say
But my dear, you can't claim
I gave you nothing
I didn't give you anything
It's alright
It's alright
Yeah, it's alright
Yes, everything is okay
Oh, you look so good
Oh, you appear excellent
Come out with me tonight
Join me tonight
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ARISTAZABAL EMI CHEN HAWKES, FYFE DANGERFIELD HUTCHINS, GREG STEWART, RICARDO BOMBINE PIMENTEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Uriel O. Villafaña
Great song! amazing album