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.
The Arm
Islands Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want you to
That's why the arm came for you
Help you up, help you out
To help you through
That's why the arm came for you
You faded into a different shade
Of a kind of blue
In a lifeless carcass
In a bad ass car crash
Hopefully you'll wake up soon
Hopefully you do
I want you to
That's why the arm came for you
That's why the arm came for you
That's why the arm came for you
Now you see how it feels
To live like a bee
Always searching, for what's honey
And the veins made some stains
When they burst from your legs
Your anxiety is a tapestry
Well you swim until it's deep
Until it feels like you're asleep
Against the sound of warning cries
Which you don't hear
Like you're not here
In a lifeless carcass in a bad ass car crash
Hopefully you wake up soon
Hopefully you do
I want you to
That's why the arm came for you
That's why the arm came for you
That's why the arm came for you
Don't go to sleep
Who wants you to?
That's why the arm came for you
Meaning do even if it's pointless to
Let your arms carry you
You're mine, you're mine
You'll always be mine
Lord knows I tried to keep you from leaving
Baby I tried
You're mine, you're mine
Is that why I lied
When I told you you were breathing?
Baby I tried
Goodbye
The lyrics of the song "The Arm" by Islands are intriguing and symbolic. The singer of the song seems to be urging someone to take a deep breath while describing a situation where the arm has come for them to help them through a difficult time. The arm may be symbolic of support, love or guidance, and the singer seems to care deeply for the person they are addressing.
However, the situation that the person is going through is described in heartbreaking terms. They have faded into a different shade, a lifeless carcass, and have been in a bad ass car crash. The singer hopes that they will wake up soon and that the arm will be able to help them through this difficult situation.
The song then transitions into a reflective and introspective tone, with the singer describing how they want the person to feel alive again. They describe how it feels to live like a bee, always searching for what's honey, but also how anxiety is a tapestry that can affect one's life in significant ways. The person is urged not to go to sleep, but to let their arms carry them through this difficult time.
Overall, the song is a poignant and poetic reflection on the desire to support and help someone through difficult times. It speaks to the emotional bonds between people and the importance of being there for someone when they are struggling.
Line by Line Meaning
Breathe in deep
Take a deep breath
I want you to
I want you to do it
That's why the arm came for you
That's why I'm here to help you
Help you up, help you out
Assist you and get you out of trouble
To help you through
To help you get through it
You faded into a different shade
You changed in a certain way
A completely different hue
A completely different color
Of a kind of blue
A shade or feeling of sadness
In a lifeless carcass
In a dead body
In a bad ass car crash
In a serious or intense car accident
Hopefully you'll wake up soon
Hopefully you'll regain consciousness soon
Hopefully you do
Hopefully you will wake up
Now you see how it feels
Now you understand what it's like
To live like a bee
To live with the constant need to search for something
Always searching, for what's honey
Always searching for what makes you happy or fulfilled
And the veins made some stains
Blood from your veins left marks
When they burst from your legs
When the blood vessels in your legs burst
Your anxiety is a tapestry
Your anxiety is woven into every part of you
Well you swim until it's deep
You keep going until you're in too deep
Until it feels like you're asleep
Until you feel like you're not really awake and aware
Against the sound of warning cries
Ignoring the warnings of others
Which you don't hear
Which you're not paying attention to
Like you're not here
Like you're not really present
Don't go to sleep
Don't fall asleep or die
Who wants you to?
Who is it that wants you to die?
That's why the arm came for you
That's why I'm here to help you
You're mine, you're mine
I possess you
You'll always be mine
You'll always belong to me
Lord knows I tried to keep you from leaving
I did everything I could to prevent you from leaving
Baby I tried
But I couldn't succeed
Is that why I lied
Did I lie because you belong to me?
When I told you you were breathing?
When I told you you were still alive?
Goodbye
Farewell
Contributed by Eli V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.