The band released an initial collection of singles in 2017, as well as a split EP with Loathe in 2018, before finally releasing their debut record, Holding Absence, in 2019. They are signed with SharpTone Records. In April 2021, they released their second album, 'The Greatest Mistake of My Life'. They also announced a split EP with Alpha Wolf, titled 'Aching Longing' in June 2022. In August 2023, they released their third LP, 'The Noble Art of Self Destruction'.
You Are Everything
Holding Absence Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some kind of hope we struggle to find
Dreams die young, so don't forget to chase them
The devil on my shoulder hums an old drone
My fingertips are just blood, nerve, and bone
I'm seeking solace in the promise
That there is more to life than this
All of the blood, sweat, and tears
I shed to drown out the fears
It's been 1000 weeks of grinding my teeth
The salt of the earth has started tasting bittersweet
A silver spoon will only choke you in your sleep
I earned my heart, I'm proud of every beat
And if you hear through the grapevine
That I fell from a great height
The fire in my heart has lived a lifetime
So I don't mind, no, I don't mind
I'm still here to make my loved ones proud
To make everyone who ever walked away turn around
From dust, we must return to the ground
You owe it to yourself, you are eternally bound
To face the facts and face the truth
That the hand that you're dealt is determined by you
And if the breath in your lungs isn't reason to sing
Realise you're enough, you are everything
The devil on my shoulder hums an old drone
My fingertips are just blood, nerve, and bone
I'm seeking solace in the promise
That there is more to life than this
And if you hear through the grapevine
That I fell from a great height
The fire in my heart has lived a lifetime
So I don't mind, no, I don't mind
All of the blood, sweat, and tears
I shed to drown out the fears
Over and over again
Blessed are the beasts that we make of ourselves
Over and over again
Over and over again and again and again
The lyrics in Holding Absence's song "You Are Everything" explore the themes of doubt, hope, chasing dreams, and facing the truth. The first verse mentions the struggle to find hope, with doubt poisoning the mind. Dreams are also mentioned as something to chase, but the line "dreams die young" suggests a sense of urgency in pursuing them. The devil on the singer's shoulder represents negative thoughts and a sense of being trapped in their current state, seeking solace in the idea that there is more to life than what they currently experience. The second verse addresses the idea of hard work and facing adversity, with the singer having shed blood, sweat, and tears to combat their fears. They also express a sense of pride in having earned their heart and vow to make their loved ones proud. The final lines encourage self-reflection, stating that one is "eternally bound" to face the truth and determine their own fate, with the breath in their lungs reason enough to be grateful and appreciate their worth.
Interestingly, "You Are Everything" was released as a single in October 2020 but did not appear on Holding Absence's second album "The Greatest Mistake of My Life" which came out in April 2021. It was also the final song to be written for the album.
Lead vocalist Lucas Woodland has said that the song is about the feeling of being trapped, but also about the unwavering desire to keep going and to be the best person you can be for those around you.
The line "blessed are the beasts that we make of ourselves" is a reference to a quote by Irish playwright and poet Oscar Wilde: "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
The song's music video features shots of band members performing interspersed with footage from nature, including waterfalls and thunderstorms.
The song was co-written by Lucas Woodland and Daniel Weyandt, the lead vocalist of metal band Zao.
"You Are Everything" is one of Holding Absence's more stripped-down songs, featuring only acoustic guitar, strings, and vocals.
The song garnered praise from fans and critics alike when it was released, with many praising the emotive vocals and lyrics.
Holding Absence filmed a live version of the song at St. Mary's Church in Cardiff, Wales, as part of an online concert series in 2020.
The finale of the song, with its repeated "over and over again" line, has been noted as particularly impactful and cathartic.
Chords: Unfortunately, I could not find the chords for this song.
Line by Line Meaning
Some kind of doubt poisons my mind
I am struggling with uncertainty and insecurity
Some kind of hope we struggle to find
We are searching for something to believe in
Dreams die young, so don't forget to chase them
We must pursue our aspirations while we still can
The devil on my shoulder hums an old drone
I am haunted by inner demons and negative thoughts
My fingertips are just blood, nerve, and bone
I am human and vulnerable
I'm seeking solace in the promise
That there is more to life than this
I am searching for meaning and purpose in life
All of the blood, sweat, and tears
I shed to drown out the fears
I have worked hard to overcome my anxieties
It's been 1000 weeks of grinding my teeth
The salt of the earth has started tasting bittersweet
A silver spoon will only choke you in your sleep
I earned my heart, I'm proud of every beat
I have faced many hardships and learned to appreciate the value of hard work and perseverance
And if you hear through the grapevine
That I fell from a great height
The fire in my heart has lived a lifetime
So I don't mind, no, I don't mind
Even if I fail, I have lived a passionate and meaningful life
I'm still here to make my loved ones proud
To make everyone who ever walked away turn around
From dust, we must return to the ground
You owe it to yourself, you are eternally bound
We must strive to live up to our potential, regardless of those who may abandon us
To face the facts and face the truth
That the hand that you're dealt is determined by you
And if the breath in your lungs isn't reason to sing
Realise you're enough, you are everything
We must take responsibility for our lives, and appreciate the value of our own existence
Over and over again
Blessed are the beasts that we make of ourselves
Over and over again
Over and over again and again and again
We must continually strive to become the best versions of ourselves, and embrace the challenges that life presents
Writer(s): Ashley Green
Contributed by Joshua P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Yael Castillo
Man, That lyrics hit me in a way that nothing has ever did.
i really needed to hear this, i felt like drowning but this... in a weird way makes me wanna chase everything that i love.
everything around this song is fucking perfect.
Lucas is easily one of the best singers around and his writting is on another level.
next tatto its going to be about this song.
thank you holding absence to remind me that i´m enough, i am eveything.
love you guys.
You Are Eveything.
Ashley Green
One of the most important songs on our record -
Thank you all for the love & support for this song.
There will be more of this xo
aop
It’s not that I’m sobbing but I’m sobbing
Peptocoptr
Oh god, I can't wait
Julie Hipkin
You can definitely outright tell that this video means a lot to you guys I mean even at the start of the song we’re all you can definitely see you guys support each other and it means a lot to you and I would just like to say thank you to you guys for doing the most incredible music 😁
Mr Matamatic
My fav on the album !
Ludivine | PtiLu
Ashley Green You can be proud ! Such a beautiful fam. Can’t wait the album !
Sarah Weaver
discovered this song from the back of a pub toilet door. the lyrics carved were 'if the breath in your lungs isnt reason to sing, realise you're enough you are everything'. pretty nice thing to read whilst using the toilet lmao
Marianna
it's been a few days since this came out but the lyric "realise you're enough you are everything" still gets me every single time. this song and video make me cry tears of happiness because this band really means the world to me and brings so much joy into my life and this is defiently the song I'm gonna turn to when things aren't going too well. I have an endless amount of love for these guys, thank you for everything you do x
DarkClanLeader18
This is more than music, this is more than a band, this is love. This is everything.
Peptocoptr
@Dramatic Chromatics As you can see, that's still what music is. You just have to look harder for it now. We should count ourselves lucky. So many people will never discover this band in thier lifetime, and it's really sad