Hailing from Montreal, Canada, Islands is a 6 piece band founded in 2005 by The Unicorns co-founder/songwriter Nick Thorburn (often performing as "Nick Diamonds") and drummer J'Aime Tambeur. Following the untimely disbandment of The Unicorns as they teetered on the brink of breaking through, Islands' debut release entitled Return to the Sea, with its quirky sounds and refreshing, catchy melodies includes collaborations with members of Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade. This debut picks up where The Unicorns left off and takes the music to new heights without departing from The Unicorns' unique if sometimes peculiar appeal.
Islands plays beautiful pop melodies, intertwined with elements of afro-pop, hip hop, and indie rock, among others. One of the main gimmicks of the band is the recorder brought over from The Unicorns, which is prominently featured in the song "Jogging Gorgeous Summer." Nick Diamonds rules over the band with an iron fist. Other members include: Patrice Agbokou, Aaron Harris, Alex Chow, Sebastian Chow, and Patrick Gregoire. Return To the Sea, their rookie effort, was released on April 4th, 2006 on the brand new label, Equator Records, and Rough Trade in the UK. Digital Distribution handled by Alpha Pup.
On May 20, 2008, Islands released its second album, Arm's Way, on Anti- Records.
On September 22, 2009 Islands released their third full length album, Vapours.
On February 14, 2012 Islands released their fourth full length album, A Sleep & A Forgetting.
On September 17, 2013 Islands released their fifth full length album, Ski Mask
On May 13, 2016 Islands released their sixth and seventh full length albums, Should I Remain Here, At Sea? and Taste.
Hallways
Islands Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hallways
Always waiting
Feels like I've been waiting for days
In these hallways
Wait, wait, wait
Wait, wait, wait
Walls cave
Turns refuse to waste
Hallways
Knock, knock knock
Broken lock
I'll just wait in hallway
Decent smoke wait, oh (?)
This can be a pleasurable phase
Walls cave
Turns refuse to waste
Hallways
Walls cave
Turns refuse to waste
Hallways
In the hallways
Can she turns to you to say
Always
When interpreting these lyrics, it's important to keep in mind the theme of waiting. The singer seems to be stuck waiting in hallways, unsure of what they are waiting for, but feeling like they've been waiting for days. The repetition of "wait" reinforces this feeling of being stuck and unable to move forward.
The line "walls cave, turns refuse to waste" suggests a feeling of entrapment and stagnation. The walls, or boundaries, around the singer are closing in and the turns, or opportunities to move forward, are being wasted. The hallway, then, becomes a metaphor for the singer's life, with them feeling trapped in a space that is neither here nor there.
The final line adds some ambiguity to the song: "Can she turn to you to say always." Who is "she" and what does she represent? It's possible that she represents hope or a sense of direction for the singer, with "always" implying a sense of permanence or consistency. Alternatively, she could represent a distraction or obstacle for the singer, keeping them from moving forward.
Overall, "Hallways" is a song that captures the feeling of being stuck, waiting, and unsure of what direction to take. The lyrics are open to interpretation, leaving room for the listener to project their own experiences and feelings onto the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Wait to get to your room
I am patiently waiting to get to my destination.
Hallways
I am stuck in the hallways and cannot progress to my destination.
Always waiting
I am constantly waiting for something to happen or change.
Feels like I've been waiting for days
The amount of time I have waited makes it feel like days have passed.
In these hallways
I am specifically referring to the hallways that I am currently stuck in.
Walls cave
The structure of the building seems to be closing in on me.
Turns refuse to waste
The turns I have taken in the hallway have led me to dead ends or wasted time.
Hallways
I am once again referencing the long, lonely hallways.
Knock, knock knock
I am trying to gain entry to a locked room by knocking on the door.
Broken lock
The lock on the door is broken and preventing me from entering the room.
I'll just wait in hallway
Since I cannot enter the room, I will remain in the hallway and wait.
Decent smoke wait, oh (?)
This line is unclear and may refer to waiting for someone smoking in the hallway.
This can be a pleasurable phase
Despite being stuck in the hallway, I can find pleasure or enjoyment in the moment.
Walls cave
Again, the walls of the hallway are closing in on me.
Turns refuse to waste
I am still taking turns in the hallway that are leading to dead ends or wasted time.
Hallways
I am repeating the title of the song as a reminder of my current situation.
In the hallways
I am still stuck in these long, lonely hallways.
Can she turns to you to say
This line is unclear and may refer to a conversation that someone is having with another person.
Always
I am still waiting and seemingly stuck in this endless cycle of waiting and walking through hallways.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: NICHOLAS SHANAHAN THORBURN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@evertondemelloheberle5597
Original Tradução
Wait to get to your room
Hallways
Always waiting
Feels like i've been waiting for days
In these hallways
Wait (x9)
Walls cave
Turns refuse to waste
Hallways
Knock, knock, knock
Broken lock
I'll just wait in hallway
Decent smoke wait, ooh
This can be a pleasurable phrase
Walls cave
Turns refuse to waste
Hallways
Walls cave
Turns refuse to waste
Hallways
In the hallways
Can she turns to you to say
Always?
Corredores
Espere para chegar ao seu quarto
Corredores
Sempre à espera
Parece que eu estive esperando por dias
Nestes corredores
Espere (x9)
As paredes da caverna
Se recusam a perder
Corredores
Toc, toc, toc
Cadeado quebrado
Eu vou esperar no corredor
Um fumo decente na espera, ooh
Esta pode ser uma frase agradável
As paredes da caverna
Se recusam a perder
Corredores
As paredes da caverna
Se recusam a perder
Corredores
Nos corredores
Será que ela se vira para você para dizer
"Sempre"?
@loomierome8411
I literally found this while during the preshow while waiting in the theatre and almost wasn’t able to get the lyrics down in time. I almost lost this song forever and I would’ve been very sad.
@iAple
The clapping skeleton is fucking adorable
@tobenseymour
Yes it was puppets. Its a form of table top puppetry. There were about four puppeteers for each puppet. We are putting together a little behind the scenes video so you can see how it was done. Thanks for watching!
@heddalee
Where is that vid?
@AA-dn7qe
Nick Thornburn is my favorite musical genius of the last 10 years. Mmmm sure is ♥️♥️♥️♥️
@FirstCityRecords
Coolest music video I've watched in years.
@JCkido0o
This Song is absolutely amazing and is only brought to an even higher level of incredible by how amazing the video goes with it.
@sama3212
Highly underrated band.
@MyNameIsKhodorkovsky
I just spent 45 minutes trying to find this video again. And it was worth it.
@fishbroccoli69
My sister showed me this music video when I was little, and it's so nostalgic to see it again! I remember I used to think the video was so cool and creative. It still is.