Dublin 3-piece, Hal, formed in 2003 and were signed by Jeff Travis to Rough Trade Records in 2004. Their eponymous debut album was produced by Tears for Fears’ Ian Stanley, and released to critical acclaim in 2005, producing two UK and Irish top 40 chart hits.
2. HAL is obscure electro minimal synth post-punk band from Fabriqe Electriqe compilation by P.A.P. and IQ-Vertrieb in 1985.
3. HAL is also an eclectic electronic collective formed in the early 90s by Raheen (Paul Gallagher, RIP 2004), Pádi Stáid, Px (Pascal Derycke) and Savage (Duncan Lomax), who were also active as Black State Choir, North Pacific Drift and Halspirit.
They released their debut album Gorilla Conspiration 1995 on PDCD. Most popular track is Extremis which they recorded together with actress Gillian Anderson in 1997 and which has been remixed by various known artists, such as In The Nursery, The Humble Brothers and Download. In 2004 they released the remix compilation "Extremix".
Now active as HAL And The Big 5 (new album "Umoya" released in 2008).
4. HAL is also the name of an American 'industrial' band from the early-to-mid-90's. Hailing from Detroit and having only released a couple albums, they were not very well known. Their most notable release from 1996 entitled "Audiophile". It was both an album and a remix album.
5. HAL was also a project by Keris Howard, basically a continuation of Howard's previous band Brighter (on Sarah Records) with a name change. There was one release -- a four-song ep Election Day on Vinyl Japan Records in 1994. Howard shortly dropped the "HAL" name for "Harper Lee." This HAL's tracks are "Election Day", "Clear About This", "I Wish I'd Never Said That" and "Somedays".
6. HAL is also short name for croatian fingerpick guitar player Damir Halilić. HAL released albums "Gemini" (2002), "Ocean" (2003), "Infinity" (2004) and "Trilogy" (2006).
7. HAL is also the name for the company behind such games as the Kirby series and the Mother Series.
8. HAL is also a common spelling for the Japanese group HΛL. (The middle letter is a lambda, but its resemblance to a capital "A" makes that substitution common.) Another common approximation is H/\L (using a forward- and backslash to draw the lambda).
9. hàl is also Haruko Uesaka (上坂晴子), a Japanese Dream pop artist and sister to Shibuya-kei / J-pop artist Chocolat (ショコラ) (whose name is also used by multiple people).
10. HAL & halstage are two alter egos of one Indonesian musician. Both are singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriters. HAL focused on pop-folk genre in Indonesian language, whose lyrics are made in poetic and fulfilling style.
I Sat Down
Hal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I heard you calling out
Nothing in your heart, when all there is is doubt.
Yeah if its in your heart
It's gotta be that way
Why'd you looked surprised
There only tears that come from the eyes
I don't need your lies I've heard them once, twice and so many times
I sat down
I thought the fools that suffered to that day
Were only yesterday
Such a million miles away
Oh honey now I sat down
I thought the fools that suffered to that day
Waiting in the dark
I heard you calling out
Nothing in your heart when all there is is doubt
If it's in your heart
It's gotta be that way
Why'd you looked surprised
There only tears that come from the eyes
I don't need your lies I've heard them once, twice and so many times
I sat down
I thought the fools that suffered to that day
Were only yesterday
Such a million miles away
Oh honey now I sat down
I thought the fools that suffered to that day
Were only yesterday
Such a million miles away
I lie down
Rivers of fortunate
Lead us to bright light
Honey now
I sat down
I thought the fools that suffered to that day
Were only yesterday
Such a million miles away
Oh honey now I sat down
I thought the fools that suffered to that day
I sat down
Were only yesterday
Such a million miles away
I lie down
In "I Sat Down," Hal explores themes of doubt and deception, looking for answers as he waits in the dark. He hears someone calling out, but there seems to be nothing but doubt in their heart. Hal tells them that whatever is in your heart must be that way, as he has heard too many lies before. He then reflects on the past, thinking about the fools who suffered years ago, but realizing that it's only yesterday in the grand scheme of things. He mentions the metaphorical "rivers of fortunate" leading to bright light, and lies down, possibly exhausted from trying to make sense of it all.
The lyrics of "I Sat Down" are fairly open to interpretation, but it seems to be a reflection on the human condition and the struggles we all face. The chorus, with its repetition of "I thought the fools that suffered to that day were only yesterday, such a million miles away," seems to suggest that the past is never really gone and that our struggles are timeless. The line "If it's in your heart, it's gotta be that way" is also interesting, suggesting a sense of inevitability to our emotions and desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Waiting in the dark
Hal is beginning the song by describing a sense of anticipation in a gloomy atmosphere
I heard you calling out
Hal hears a cry for help, either literal or metaphorical
Nothing in your heart, when all there is is doubt.
The person calling out seems to be empty inside, and filled with doubt
Yeah if its in your heart
Hal corrects himself, and clarifies that there must be something in the other person's heart, despite their doubt
It's gotta be that way
Whatever is in the other person's heart, it is an indelible truth for them, and cannot be changed or ignored
Why'd you looked surprised
The other person seems startled by Hal's words, as if they weren't expecting him to understand them
There only tears that come from the eyes
Hal sees through the false tears of the other person, and knows they aren't being honest
I don't need your lies I've heard them once, twice and so many times
Hal is exasperated by the other person's deceit, and will no longer tolerate it
I sat down
Hal takes a moment to rest and gather his thoughts
I thought the fools that suffered to that day
Hal reflects on the hardships he has faced, and recognizes that others have faced similar struggles
Were only yesterday
Despite the difficulties of the past, they are still recent and fresh in Hal's mind
Such a million miles away
Despite the hardships seeming recent, they also seem far away, as if they are part of a different life
Oh honey now I sat down
Hal addresses someone close to him as they sit and take a moment to rest together
Rivers of fortunate
Hal imagines a bright future, full of good luck and good fortune
Lead us to bright light
Hal believes that this positive future is not just a fantasy, but a real possibility
I thought the fools that suffered to that day
Hal repeats this same line again, as if it is a mantra reminding him of the struggles of the past
Were only yesterday
Hal emphasizes again that these hardships are recent, and close to the present
I lie down
Hal takes a moment to fully rest and recharge
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVE ALLEN, STEPHEN O'BRIEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind