In 2006, Arthur's song "In the Sun" was covered by Michael Stipe (of R.E.M.) and Coldplay singer Chris Martin. Released for a Hurricane Katrina Relief program, the EP includes six versions of the cover, one of which has Arthur himself singing with Stipe.
Arthur established his own record label, Lonely Astronaut Records, in 2006, and released two studio albums, Let's Just Be (2007) and Temporary People (2008) with backing band The Lonely Astronauts. Arthur subsequently returned to performing and recording as a solo artist, releasing The Graduation Ceremony in 2011 and the double album, Redemption City in 2012.
Arthur is also an acclaimed painter and designer. His artwork has graced the sleeves of his entire discography; the sleeve design for his 1999 album entitled Vacancy was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.
Walk Away
Joseph Arthur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You went alone
Holding on
To what you'll never know
Who were you
Pretending you should be
Never enough
You walk away
You want to walk away
You want to walk away
From who you are
You look away
From some eyes always see
Far beyond
Your reality
Look within
Into the universe
Ask yourself
If you belong to this
You walk away
You want to walk away
You want to walk away
From who you are
Joseph Arthur's Walk Away is a song with a rather simple structure - two verses and a chorus, with each verse focusing on two contrasting images. The song appears to be about a person who is unhappy with themselves, or rather, with the person they have become. It seems that this person is lost, and is struggling to determine who they are and what they stand for. They are holding on to something, but they don't know what it is. They are pretending to be someone they are not, trying to be as perfect as they think they should be. They think they are not good enough, and that they will never become the person they want to be.
The chorus - "You walk away, you want to walk away, you want to walk away, from who you are" - repeats the message of the song, emphasizing the idea that the person is trying to escape from themselves. It seems that they are looking for answers outside themselves, but no matter how far they walk, they cannot escape who they are.
The lyrics are delivered with a sense of resignation, as if the person has given up on themselves. At the same time, there is a sense of hope - as if the person still believes that they can find themselves, if only they keep looking. The song is a meditation on identity, and the idea that sometimes we have to walk away from the things we thought we wanted in order to find what we really need.
Line by Line Meaning
So long
Farewell
You went alone
You left by yourself
Holding on
Grasping tightly
To what you'll never know
To something that will forever remain a mystery
Who were you
Who did you ever really reveal yourself to be
Pretending you should be
Acting as someone you thought you should be
Never enough
Continually feeling inadequate
Of who you thought you'd be
Of the person you imagined you would become
You walk away
You choose to leave
You want to walk away
You have an urge to depart
You want to walk away
You want to go away
From who you are
From your true self
You look away
You avert your gaze
From some eyes always see
From the scrutiny of those who can perceive what you hide
Far beyond
Well above
Your reality
The world you've created for yourself
Look within
Search inside yourself
Into the universe
Into the vastness of existence
Ask yourself
Query your own conscience
If you belong to this
If you are meant to be here
You walk away
You go away
You want to walk away
You have a desire to leave
You want to walk away
You wish to depart
From who you are
From your authentic self
Contributed by Hudson G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.