Kathryn was born in a small town in the far west of Ireland. While country life was idyllic, she soon found herself yearning for different skies and traded open fields for the winding streets of Dublin. While playing in and out of various clubs she encountered Belfast-born Daniel, who was leading his own band at the time. She quickly kidnapped him from what he describes as “a really bad marriage” and they soon found writing together led them to better places. Kathryn tempered Daniel’s starker melodies with subtle undertones and stronger harmonies, while Daniel added a pulsing bass to lift her mellower songs. On a short exploratory visit to London, they encountered Benji, a Cornish drummer. Benji had toured with bands such as All About Eve, but was between projects. They bonded over early Weezer and Jimmy Eat World and started playing together shortly after. They quickly found he brought a harder edge to their sound, giving more weight to Kathryn’s emotive songs.
In 2010, I Am Not Lefthanded released their sophomore EP, Time To Leave, earning them effusive praise online and in print, as well as radio play across Ireland and the UK. The band toured extensively, their focused energy and stirring harmonies leading to invitations to tour with bands such as Duke Special, The Rumble Strips and The Answering Machine. In September, they made their first visit to North America, heading to the US for a 15-date tour across 10 states.
2011’s highlights included headlining a stage at Liverpool’s Sound City Festival and hosting a charity show at London’s Bush Hall. The band’s music was placed in a number of TV shows and indie films - including a global ad campaign for P&G. They also played their first shows in Canada at Toronto’s Indie Week in October and were invited back to NXNE in June 2012.
Fully embracing the joys and perils of the internet, the band recently completed a partnership with fan-funding website SliceThePie.com to raise $11,000 to make their first full-length album. They spent a year holed up in a country cottage, writing, re-writing and recording. The new album, The Fire & The Sigh, was released into the wild on June 3rd, 2012. The album is deeper in scope than previous releases - more time was spent crafting the songs in a studio space rather than simply recreating the live sound of the band, with Kathryn’s lyrics exploring themes of loneliness, distance and hope for an imminent return.
Return
I Am Not Lefthanded Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I pull my car to the right lane
The stars have dipped their lights and flown
What if I stayed? (I strayed, I stayed)
But there is no word
No glance returned
No soft concern or thought
No coat I've worn
One catch, I'm torn
This house that I'm built for
On my own I'm just water, wire and clay
Queues of people form their ranks to go
They're making thunder in the rain
My bags are weighted, stuffed and thrown
Sometimes I feel that way, this way
But there is no word
No glance returned
No soft concern or thought
That warms me like this place
No coat I've worn
One catch, I'm torn
This house that I'm built for
On my own I'm just water, wire and clay
I'm water, wire and clay
In the air there's a whisper of rain
But it's low in the sky and I'm safe
In the days when my memories run grey
I'll have dreams of return to sustain
But there is no word
No glance returned
No soft concern or thought
That warms me like this place
No coat I've worn
One catch, I'm torn
This house that I'm built for
On my own I'm just water, wire and clay
I'm water, wire and clay
In "Return" by I Am Not Lefthanded, the lyrics express a longing for home and a sense of displacement. The singer finds themselves far away from home, possibly on a journey or a trip, feeling disconnected from their surroundings. The opening line, "Oceans deep and two more sleeps from home," suggests a physical distance and a desire to return.
The lyrics convey a contemplation of what could have happened if the singer had stayed, possibly referring to a decision or a missed opportunity. The line "What if I stayed? (I strayed, I stayed)" reflects a sense of curiosity about the alternative path that was not taken.
However, despite the yearning for home and contemplation of different possibilities, there is a sense of isolation and lack of connection. The repeated lines "But there is no word, No glance returned, No soft concern or thought" convey a feeling of emotional emptiness or being overlooked. The singer longs for the warmth and comfort of familiarity, symbolized by the idea of a place that warms them, a coat they've worn, and a house they've built for themselves.
The lyrics also embrace imagery of water, wire, and clay, symbolizing fragility and malleability. The lines "On my own I'm just water, wire and clay, In the days when my memories run grey" suggest a search for stability and identity amidst the unpredictable nature of existence.
Overall, "Return" explores themes of longing, displacement, and the search for connection and stability. It speaks to the universal human experience of longing for home and a sense of belonging.
Line by Line Meaning
Oceans deep and two more sleeps from home
Far away from home, with a long journey ahead.
I pull my car to the right lane
Making a deliberate choice to move forward in a specific direction.
The stars have dipped their lights and flown
Feeling a sense of loss and loneliness as the comforting presence of the stars has disappeared.
What if I stayed? (I strayed, I stayed)
Reflecting on the decision to leave and wondering about the alternate path that could have been taken.
But there is no word
No communication or message received.
No glance returned
No reciprocation of attention or acknowledgement.
No soft concern or thought
Lack of care or consideration from others.
That warms me like this place
The feeling of comfort and warmth that this place gives.
No coat I've worn
No external protection or shield.
One catch, I'm torn
There's one drawback or complication that leaves me feeling conflicted.
This house that I'm built for
This place where I belong and feel a sense of purpose.
On my own I'm just water, wire and clay
Without the support and connection of others, I feel fragile and incomplete.
Queues of people form their ranks to go
Observing others moving forward with their lives and leaving.
They're making thunder in the rain
Their actions and energy create an impact and noise in the midst of difficult times.
My bags are weighted, stuffed and thrown
Feeling burdened and overwhelmed with belongings and baggage.
Sometimes I feel that way, this way
Occasionally experiencing the same sense of heaviness and uncertainty.
In the air there's a whisper of rain
Sensing the presence of upcoming challenges or difficult times.
But it's low in the sky and I'm safe
Recognizing that the difficulties are not immediate or threatening at the moment, providing a sense of security.
In the days when my memories run grey
In the future, when my memories become vague and faded.
I'll have dreams of return to sustain
Holding onto the hope of coming back to this place for emotional nourishment.
I'm water, wire and clay
Ultimately, I am vulnerable and malleable, shaped by my experiences and connections.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kathryn Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sharonsfella
Well In my opinion this is exactly the way the song is played, You helped me get the bit I was stuck on for agaes. Thanks a million mate and keep up the good work
@metalmaniacemg
No problem mate i allways wanted to do a lesson and u proved it must be a benificial lesson thanks mate keep rockin \m/ !
@nfleig
I appreciated man!!! I learned the into in about 20 min thx to you. Look forward to watching more of these videos. peace
@Enzo268
awesome video. it's exactly the kind of thing i was looking for. thanks a lot!
@mrhoffame
Finally!!! Someone who puts "lesson" or "how to play" in the title and really shows you how to play! Thanks man, this video helped out Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much lol!
@metalmaniacemg
Thank you, nice to know that people appreciate this and im glad it helped ya.
@johnsongetdown
Hey dude! I love the sound of you're guitar. Extremely nice and clean. What type is it?
@rubbieus
it sounds like it does in real life, but the tabs are different from the kirk hammet ones, he does it the hard way. just to give an example(instead of an open string at 0:08 he plays it at the 4th tab of the G string, this is a somewhat "shorcut" ,but not the original. I found about 3 or so shortcuts in this vid.) So to make it sound the same, use this way :) its easy and good :) But if you want the original way, search something else. But nevertheless you did well
@metalmaniacemg
Hey, yes i learnt the solo by ear. I can't really explain how i can do it, like all of the people who learn by ear its just something that is there and almost happens "naturally." I have heard of people training themselves to learn from ear aswel tho. Thanks. Sam.
@boozerverif
great breakdown. a little inconvenient that it's reversed, but still good. thanks loads! post more of the song, possibly?