A group of childhood friends from Inglewood who began playing together in their teens, the band consists of Pablo Sotelo (vocals/guitar), Jean Pierre Narvaez (bass/vocals), Chris Runners (keys/vocals), Elijah Trujillo (guitar/keys), and Luis Portillo (drums). An early diet of bands like the Arctic Monkeys, the Strokes, and Gorillaz fueled their imagination as they learned their instruments and began writing songs together during high school in the late 2000s. By the time they began releasing music in 2012, Inner Wave had transformed themselves into a pysch-driven indie pop band with a lo-fi bent and a strong D.I.Y. presence. A series of self-released singles and EPs paved the way for their first full-length, 2013's III. The album's bubbly lo-fi single, "American Spirits," went on to notch millions of streams on major streaming platforms. The exploratory Sun Transmissions followed a year later as Inner Wave continued to build buzz as a live band. A steady stream of signals throughout early 2017 preceded the August release of their ambitious third album, Underwater Pipe Dreams. An hour long and boasting 18 tracks, the experimental set was followed in 2018 by similarly toned companion EP, Underwater +, further bolstering their reputation as a creative and engaging act. Inner Wave returned in the middle of 2019 with the warped but sunny EP wya.
Mystery
Inner Wave Lyrics
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Alone and tried and true
Her eyes were red and black and blue
Surprised she don't fear that
Oh, little girl, I know your face don't ever do that
Alone in the middle
Always in the middle, yeah
She thought of driving off one day
To see how it would feel
The road was dark and black and blue
Surprised she'd rather stay
Oh, little girl, I know your face don't ever do that
Alone in the middle
Always in the middle, yeah
Oh, little girl, I know your face don't ever do that
Alone in the middle
Always in the middle, yeah
What did you think was gonna happen?
No one likes to be on the floor
What did you think was gonna happen?
No one likes to feel like a chore
What did you think was gonna happen?
No one likes to be on the floor
What did you think was gonna happen?
No one likes to feel like a chore
The first verse talks about a girl who is always in the line of fire, facing trials alone but remaining steadfast, despite the bruises and injuries she has endured over time. She is described as having eyes that are red, black and blue, possibly indicating she has been beaten or hurt. Surprisingly, she doesn't seem to be fearful of what may come her way. The chorus underscores this by telling her she does not have to be alone, but instead always finds herself in the middle. She seems to be resigned to her situation but does not show any sign of letting it bring her down.
In the second verse, she contemplates leaving her situation by driving off, but something holds her back. The road she sees is dark and foreboding, reflecting her state of mind. It appears that deep down she knows that things could be worse elsewhere and decides to stay. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes that she always finds herself in the middle, not embracing the highs and lows of life, but remaining in a kind of stasis. The bridge poses the question: "What did you think was gonna happen?" which indicates a sense of predictability in the girl's life, as if she should have expected to always be on the floor or feel like a burden.
Overall, the song talks about a girl who is in a rut, perhaps even in an abusive relationship, with bruises and injuries to show for it. She is depicted as being trapped in this cycle, but the song does not offer any clear resolution. Instead, it seems to acknowledge that sometimes, people find themselves being stuck in the same situation, unable to escape.
Line by Line Meaning
Always in the line again
She finds herself in the same situation once more
Alone and tried and true
She is always alone but used to it
Her eyes were red and black and blue
She has been crying and is bruised
Surprised she don't fear that
She is surprised she is not afraid of the pain anymore
Oh, little girl, I know your face don't ever do that
The singer acknowledges her pain and urges her not to harm herself
Alone in the middle
She feels isolated and stuck in between
She thought of driving off one day
She considered escaping her current situation
To see how it would feel
She wants to experience something different from her current life
The road was dark and black and blue
The path to escape seems ominous and dangerous
Surprised she'd rather stay
She is surprised that she ultimately chooses to stay
What did you think was gonna happen?
The singer questions her expectations of her situation
No one likes to be on the floor
No one likes to feel defeated or powerless
No one likes to feel like a chore
No one wants to feel like a burden or a task for others
Lyrics Ā© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Elijah Trujillo, Jean-Pierre Narvaez, Jose Cruz, Luis Portillo, Pablo Sotelo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind