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.
No You Don't
Islands Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know you won't
Don't get stuck in his pickup truck in arm's reach front seat man you're out of luck
Flush it down stream
Before it's found drowned swimming in your blood stream
If you must, crush it up into dust
If you must, cut it up, then lie down
But I won't let you tell me what I can't do
You're trying to scare me
But you're never going to catch me, catch me, catch me
So don't you tell me how to run that race
You said don't back down in your wedding gown
Don't make a sound, you never made a sound
Don't chime in with your opinion
You don't need to object, man you're such a wreck
Rush to find a pulse before you're deep in the dirt
Crushed by a cross
Like jumping out of a moving train
Coming down is such a pain
But I won't let you tell me what I can't do
You try to scare me
But you're never going to catch me, catch me, catch me
So don't you tell me how to run that race
The song "No You Don't" by Islands is a commentary on the idea of control and sovereignty over one's own actions. The lyrics describe a person who is being given advice and warnings by someone else, seemingly out of concern for their well-being. The first verse talks about someone warning the singer against buying drugs from an unknown source and getting into a potentially dangerous situation. The lyrics suggest that the smart thing to do would be to get rid of the drugs altogether, but the singer refuses to be told what to do, insisting on their own autonomy, even if it means taking risks.
The second verse shifts the focus to a wedding scenario, where someone is warning the singer against speaking up or objecting to something, even if they feel it's wrong. The lyrics once again suggest that the person giving the warning is doing so out of concern for the singer's well-being, but the singer refuses to be silenced or controlled. The lyrics describe the idea of "coming down" from a high or a moment of passion as being painful, but the singer is still determined to forge ahead on their own path.
Overall, the song seems to be a statement about personal freedom and the importance of following one's own path, even if it means taking risks or making mistakes. The repeated refrain of "So don't you tell me how to run that race" reinforces this idea of individual sovereignty and self-determination.
Line by Line Meaning
You said don't buy dope from the man you don't know
You warned me against buying drugs from unfamiliar persons
I don't know you won't
I won't buy drugs from anyone I don't know
Don't get stuck in his pickup truck in arm's reach front seat man you're out of luck
Avoid getting trapped in a pickup truck with drugs within reach or you'll be unlucky
Flush it down stream
Get rid of drugs by throwing them into a stream
Before it's found drowned swimming in your blood stream
Dispose of drugs before you end up using them and getting addicted
If you must, crush it up into dust
If you have to dispose of drugs, crush them into tiny pieces before throwing them away
If you must, cut it up, then lie down
If you absolutely have to use drugs, cut them into small portions and lay down to avoid getting hurt
But I won't let you tell me what I can't do
I won't allow you to dictate my actions
You're trying to scare me
You're attempting to intimidate me
But you're never going to catch me, catch me, catch me
You'll never be able to control me or catch me doing something I shouldn't be doing
So don't you tell me how to run that race
Don't try to influence my decisions or behavior
You said don't back down in your wedding gown
You warned me not to give up in my moment of weakness
Don't make a sound, you never made a sound
Don't allow others to silence you or your voice
Don't chime in with your opinion
Don't express your thoughts or ideas
You don't need to object, man you're such a wreck
Your opinion isn't needed, you're a mess
Rush to find a pulse before you're deep in the dirt
Start living life to the fullest before it's too late and you die
Crushed by a cross
Crushed by the weight of burdens or responsibilities
Like jumping out of a moving train
Taking risks without being fully prepared or aware of the consequences
Coming down is such a pain
Dealing with the aftermath of taking risks is difficult
But I won't let you tell me what I can't do
I won't allow you to dictate my actions
You try to scare me
You attempt to intimidate me
But you're never going to catch me, catch me, catch me
You'll never be able to control me or catch me doing something I shouldn't be doing
So don't you tell me how to run that race
Don't try to influence my decisions or behavior
Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Diane Kirfman
i don’t know why but this is still my fav music video
ThePaintface
Actually Michael Cera is a pretty talented bassist and toured with Nick Diamond's side band Mister Heavenly which also includes Honus Honus from the band Man Man and Joe Plummer from the Shins and Modest Mouse.
ems3297
HOORAY FOR MICHAEL CERA!!!
Kenzi Laceste
i'm liking this because michael cera is in it <3
Eddark
I can relate to everything in this video or at least its how I perceive it to be but bn an opiate addict tripping on LSD while speeding on amphetamines I see this video and song to be about not getting yourself into addictive substances but there's some drugs such as LSD that can help break your addiction and that addicts should see the light shown by LSD to open their mind to conquer their addiction
Kayla Eid
Eddark I agree 100%! Acid can change your life around for sure!! Definitely opens up that third eye and you see everything in a completely different light than before 😄💕✌much love!
Därk Cløud
Perfect to rebel to while smoking dope.
Alasstarz
Amazing. I think my head just exploded.
tyler t
i want to go to Winnipeg just to run around in that same field on some drugs
Andreas Rother
what are their albums called, i want to hear more.