Soon after their formation, they packed-up and moved to the UK, where they recorded their critical acclaimed debut album, "Howling Bells" (May 2006, Bella Union), with Coldplay / Gomez producer Ken Nelson . Press included a rare 9/10 in NME and 7.8/10 in Pitchfork. They spent much of the next 2 years touring mostly Europe, Australia and parts of the US. Howling Bells played at the 2007 NME Awards show. They also performed at numerous festivals over the 2006 English summer including Reading/Leeds. They have supported US band The Killers and Placebo around Europe, as well as Snow Patrol on their Australian tour.
Howling Bells signed to the well respected U.K record label Independiente (Travis,The La's) and released their 2nd album, "Radio Wars", which they recorded with Dan Grech-Marguerat, who has produced/engineered records alongside producer Nigel Godrich, including Radiohead and Air.The first single was Into The Chaos.
Their third studio album "The Loudest Engine" was released through Cooking Vinyl on 9 September 2011 to mostly positive reviews. It was produced by Mark Stoermer and recorded at Battle Born Studios, in Las Vegas from September to October 2010.
Their fourth studio album "Heartstrings" was released through Birthday Records on 2 June 2014 to generally favourable reviews. It was co-produced by Catherine J. Marks and Alan Moulder, and recorded at Assault & Battery 2, London, in November 2013.
Sites: YouTube
The Wild
Howling Bells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeh, ya howl like the night
The sound of the city
Like the flicker of the lights
You're the wrong kind of person
But the right kind of thing
For this town
You're a ghost from the past
They'll always try to catch you
But they'll always finish last
You're the wrong kind of person
But the right kind of thing
Running in circles again
Playing with fire till the end
The day is getting closer
And the nights moving in
The land knows your secrets
Now the lands' full of sin
You're the only person who can see every fool
Running in circles again
Playing with fire till the end
The wild makes you happy
Yeh, ya howl like the night
The sound of the city
Like the flicker of the lights
You're the wrong kind of person
But the right kind of thing
For this town
Running in circles again
Playing with fire till the end
The song "The Wild" by Howling Bells explores the idea of being an outsider in a city where you don't quite fit in, but finding solace in the wilderness outside of it. The lyrics suggest that this outsider, or "the wrong kind of person," finds happiness in the wild, where they can howl freely like the night. Meanwhile, the sound of the city is juxtaposed with "the flicker of the lights," suggesting that the city is transient and artificial, whereas the wild is eternal and natural.
The lyrics also touch upon the idea of being an "outlaw" or a "ghost from the past," suggesting that this outsider has a troubled history or is on the fringes of society. However, despite the efforts of others to catch them or bring them down, the outsider always seems to come out on top, with the others finishing last.
The chorus of the song repeats the idea of being the "wrong kind of person" but the "right kind of thing" for the town, suggesting that even though this outsider doesn't quite fit in, they are still essential to the town's ecosystem. The song ends with the outsider still "running in circles" and "playing with fire till the end," suggesting that this person is willing to take risks and continues to be an outsider, but ultimately finds happiness in the wild.
Line by Line Meaning
The wild makes you happy
Being in the wild brings you joy and happiness.
Yeh, ya howl like the night
You express your pleasure in the wild by howling like a wild animal.
The sound of the city
The noise and chaos of the city.
Like the flicker of the lights
The constant changing of the city lights, which reflect the fast-paced and dynamic nature of city life.
You're the wrong kind of person
You don't fit in with society's norms and expectations, but it makes you special.
But the right kind of thing
Your uniqueness is what makes you valuable and interesting to others despite your differences.
For this town
Your personality and character are particularly suited to this specific place and environment.
A song of the outlaw
This is a story about someone who is unconventional and doesn't follow the law or societal standards.
You're a ghost from the past
You are an enigma, an elusive figure that people can't quite grasp or understand.
They'll always try to catch you
Society will always try to impose their expectations on you and try to change you, but they'll never succeed.
But they'll always finish last
Their attempts to control and conform will ultimately be futile.
Running in circles again
You feel like you're stuck in a never-ending cycle of the same old things.
Playing with fire till the end
You continue to take risks and live on the edge, even if it means risking everything.
The day is getting closer
Something ominous is looming in the near future.
And the nights moving in
The darkness and uncertainty of the future is closing in.
The land knows your secrets
The wild and the environment are aware of your true identity and secrets.
Now the lands' full of sin
The environment is now tainted with negative energy and darkness, a reflection of the inner turmoil of the individual.
You're the only person who can see every fool
You can see through the charade and facade of others, and recognize the flaws and foolishness of everyone around you.
Running in circles again
Continuing to feel stuck and caught in a cycle.
Playing with fire till the end
Despite the cautionary signs, you continue to take risks and live dangerously.
Contributed by Eva W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.