Described by Exclaim! as a band “that seem destined to go places quickly,” … Read Full Bio ↴Described by Exclaim! as a band “that seem destined to go places quickly,” Toronto’s HIGHS have been rapidly building momentum with their unique approach to pop music.

Fast-becoming the darlings of Toronto’s vibrant music scene, alt-pop creators HIGHS’ much- acclaimed musical blend has taken them from bedroom demos to festival stages in a matter of a few short years.

The band’s self-titled EP – a 6 tracker that reflects growing up, the concept of home and spirituality – was produced and engineered at Verge Music Lab by Steve Major (Death From Above 1979, Island, Whitehorse, Great Lake Swimmers) and lead to the band inking a recording deal with highly-respected Indica Records (Half Moon Run, Phantogram, The Gaslight Anthem) in 2014.

“Nomads” of the bands’ debut EP saw a major sync placement in John Cusack’s movie, Adult World, while internatonal recogniton has lead to placement in the Top 30 Hype Machine charts, CMJ Top 200 charting positons, and single “Summer Dress” reaching the #1 spot on CBC Radio 3.

Having shared stages with Cold War Kids, Twin Forks, Hey Ocean, Kopecky Family Band and Rich Aucoin across their native Canada, HIGHS recently played slots at the UK's Focus Wales and The Great Escape. Following the EU trip the band is moving full steam ahead into release plans for their full-length debut album, carefully coaxed and crafted during a spring studio session with producer Luke Smith (Foals, Lily Allen) and due for international release later in 2015. Until then fans can see the band gracing festivals this summer including Ontario’s coveted WayHome Music & Arts Festival.

Portugal
Highs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Speaking in tongues and I can only make out breathing
I was hoping to get leaving pretty soon by now
I was trying to remember what you said back then
What you said when we were pieces of the dark
I need to rest a little while to get my head straight
I need to leave right now before I say things that I regret when I get up to leave
And I see what you see in me
Summer dress still hanging in the corner of your closet breaking free

A ray of light came down and touched me on the shoulder
I will lay here for a moment till the moment's gone
I can let it go right now
Won't you stay a little longer? Won't it stay a little longer, why won't it stay a little longer?
‘Cause in my pocket there's this picture of this place that I will never go
A person I will never be, the people I will never meet, Oh
I know right now, I admit that I don't know right now
Summer dress still hanging in the corner of your closet breaking free

Late this morning, pulled in my own
Trace these corners
I'll let them go
Late this morning
Cold coffee cups

Trace these corners
I'll take too much

Overall Meaning

The opening line of the song, "Speaking in tongues and I can only make out breathing", sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics - that feeling of disorientation and not being able to properly communicate. The singer is trying to leave a situation that is causing them stress and anxiety but is struggling to gather themselves and make a clean break. They are reminiscing about their past interactions with the person they're leaving behind and trying to come to terms with the fact that they may never achieve the version of themselves or the life they once imagined. The mention of the summer dress still hanging in the closet is a symbol of the past as well as the freedom and possibility that comes with leaving that past behind.

The chorus of the song is a plea to stop time for just a little while longer, to delay the inevitable departure and stay in the moment. The second verse continues the theme of letting go and accepting what is, with the acknowledgement that there are experiences and people that the singer will never know. The final lines of the song, "Trace these corners, I'll take too much" suggest that the singer is overwhelmed and perhaps unsure of their next steps.

Overall, "Portugal" is a song about the struggle to let go of the past, to move on from relationships or situations that no longer serve us, and the fear and uncertainty that comes with that process.

Line by Line Meaning

Speaking in tongues and I can only make out breathing
I'm struggling to understand what's going on and all I can hear is the sound of breathing

I was hoping to get leaving pretty soon by now
I was hoping to leave soon

I was trying to remember what you said back then
I'm trying to recall what you said in the past

What you said when we were pieces of the dark
What you said when we were both feeling lost and uncertain

I need to rest a little while to get my head straight
I need a break to clear my thoughts

I need to leave right now before I say things that I regret when I get up to leave
I need to leave before I say something that I'll regret later

And I see what you see in me
I can see the potential in myself that you see in me

Summer dress still hanging in the corner of your closet breaking free
Your summer dress is still hanging in the corner of your closet, looking like it wants to be worn

A ray of light came down and touched me on the shoulder
I had a moment of clarity when everything seemed to make sense

I will lay here for a moment till the moment's gone
I'll stay here for a little while longer until the feeling fades

I can let it go right now
I can let go of my worries and enjoy the moment

Won't you stay a little longer? Won't it stay a little longer, why won't it stay a little longer?
I wish this moment would last a little longer, and I'm wondering why it has to end so soon

‘Cause in my pocket there's this picture of this place that I will never go
I have a picture of a place I'll never be able to visit

A person I will never be, the people I will never meet, Oh
I'll never be able to become the person I dream of being or meet the people I wish to meet

I know right now, I admit that I don't know right now
I realize that I don't have all the answers

Summer dress still hanging in the corner of your closet breaking free
Your summer dress is still hanging there, almost begging to be worn

Late this morning, pulled in my own
This morning I'm on my own

Trace these corners
I'm exploring what's around me

I'll let them go
I'll leave those thoughts behind

Late this morning
It's late in the morning

Cold coffee cups
There are cups of cold coffee around

Trace these corners
I'm looking around and exploring

I'll take too much
I tend to take on more than I can handle

Contributed by Bentley B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.