It didn't take long before Josh's unique voice and song writing style, influenced by the likes of Elliott Smith, Evan Dando, and Sparklehorse, began to find favour amongst music tastemakers, critics and Triple J listeners. The first taste, the assured 'Kids Don't Sell Their Hopes So Fast', found high rotation on Triple J and soon 'Silver' and the gently sweeping 'Doldrums' followed to similar praise and airplay. These tracks are now available on the CD 'Recordings 2003-2005' through The Million records.
Josh signed to Ivy League Records in 2005 and shortly afterwards travelled to New York for some further writing, performing and demoing and upon return set about recording what was his debut release under his own name, a mini album entitled "Feeding The Wolves".
"Feeding the Wolves" signified a great deal more than a change in name: It revealed a huge step in the development of Josh as an artist and songwriter. The subject matter was as broad as titles like "Beg Your Pardon", "Private Education", "Middle Of The Hill" and "Goldmines" suggest, however it's Josh's lyrics that draw this collection of songs together into a complete package. He cleverly dissects human emotion and feelings and shows them for what they are: complex, abstract, fascinating.
There is hope in the opening track 'Beg Your Pardon' and in 'Fill You In' there is emptiness and longing. The first single, 'Middle Of The Hill', is a near-stream of consciousness of a suburban childhood - family affection coloured by those sometimes darker, sometimes trivial details that for some reason stay with you. 'Goldmines' a vision of a land, or maybe a talent, stripped of its riches - but here and there a flash of colour survives. A relationship that seems to be an ongoing test is at 'Private Education's' centre. The title track finishes it, with Josh quick to point out the Wolves are not those wanting a piece of you for whatever reason - but those uncontrollable, irrational, emotions inside yourself that you have to keep in check.
With production by the much-lauded Wayne Connolly (You Am I, Underground Lovers, Youth Group, just about any Australian act of note...), "Feeding The Wolves" had the artist now rightly known as Josh Pyke letting his talent flow without constraint. The words seem to tumble out of him: honest, evocative, and emotional all at once. The playing - again mostly all Josh - is one moment sweetly melodic, then turning urgent and insistent as needs be. This range of feelings, packaged so they bounce around inside your head like good songs do, and given so generously, go together to make "Feeding The Wolves" the sound of an artist beginning to realise an enormous potential.
In 2007 Josh released his first full-length album 'Memories and Dust'. Although the record features three of the stand-out tracks from 'Feeding the Wolves' there are a further 8 tracks of similar quality, including the title track, which was the first single taken from the new batch. The release is again through Ivy League Records.
Josh's second album Chimney's Afire was released 4 October 2008 and was recorded at Sydney's Linear Recording studios. The first single off the album was "The Lighthouse Song", and the second was called "Make You Happy".
The Lighthouse Song
Josh Pyke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To walk and walk for days and throughout lights
Through people's houses, picking food from plates
Through people's gardens, picking locks on gates
So we are moving to a lighthouse, you and I
While seas drown sailors, we'll be locked up safe and dry
And though our doors may knock and rattle in the wind
And I've been leaving gifts out in the woods
That someone might stumble upon and wonder at their origins
I've been feeling like a fox with sad old eyes
Whose skulk has all moved on to leave the dark and empty den behind
So we are moving to a lighthouse, you and I
While seas drown sailors, we'll be locked up safe and dry
And though our doors may knock and rattle in the wind
I'll just hold you tight and we'll not let those fuckers in
I'll anull these little walls of attrition and these invocations
That's seen me holding my camera out at arms length
To self-document these new locations
When I should be leaning against you
Deciding on things to get done
And you should be leaning on fountains
And filling my space up and breathing the air from my lungs
Na na na na
So we are moving to a lighthouse, you and I
While seas drown sailors, we'll be locked up safe and dry
And we are moving to a lighthouse, you and I
Our beams will burn the clouds to beacons in the sky
And though our doors may knock and rattle in the wind
The wind...
I'll just hold you tight and we'll not let those fuckers in
The Lighthouse Song by Josh Pyke is a beautiful, dreamy song that creates a sense of hope and refuge for the two lovers. The lyrics talk about the singer's desire to escape into nature and solitude. He has this urge to wander and walk alone for days, to pick food from people's plates and to pick locks on gates. This suggests a longing for freedom from the pressures and restrictions of modern society. The singer feels like a fox with sad old eyes, whose skulk has all moved on to leave the dark and empty den behind, indicating a sense of isolation and loneliness.
The solution to this problem is moving to a lighthouse, where they'll be locked up safely and dry, away from all the storms and dangers of the sea. The lighthouse, a symbol of protection, acts as a beacon of hope and light, shining across the dark and stormy waters, guiding sailors to safe shores. The singer and his lover's light beams will be visible from miles away, a sign of their love that has endured even the strongest of winds. Despite the knocking and rattling of the wind, the two will hold each other tight, not letting anyone in. The song ends with a beautiful instrumental section, reinforcing the sense of security and hope provided by the lighthouse.
Line by Line Meaning
And I've been getting urges late at night
I have been feeling the urge to wander around aimlessly late at night.
To walk and walk for days and throughout lights
To walk endlessly through days and nights, admiring lights and enjoying the experiences.
Through people's houses, picking food from plates
Wandering into people's houses and taking some of their food without permission.
Through people's gardens, picking locks on gates
Breaking into people's gardens and opening locked gates forcibly.
So we are moving to a lighthouse, you and I
We are moving to a lighthouse to live together.
While seas drown sailors, we'll be locked up safe and dry
While the sea is dangerous, we will be living safely inside the lighthouse.
And though our doors may knock and rattle in the wind
Although our doors may shake in the wind.
I'll just hold you tight and we'll not let those fuckers in
I'll hold onto you tightly, and we will not let anyone disturb us.
And I've been leaving gifts out in the woods
I have been leaving little presents for people to find in the forest.
That someone might stumble upon and wonder at their origins
So that someone might come across these gifts and be curious about where they came from.
I've been feeling like a fox with sad old eyes
I've been feeling like an old fox who has seen too many things and knows too much.
Whose skulk has all moved on to leave the dark and empty den behind
Whose family has left him behind, and now he is alone in his dark and empty den.
I'll anull these little walls of attrition and these invocations
I'll break down these small barriers and self-doubts.
That's seen me holding my camera out at arms length
That have made me hold my camera far away from myself.
To self-document these new locations
In order to record my travels and new experiences alone.
When I should be leaning against you
When I should be leaning on you for support and comfort.
Deciding on things to get done
Making decisions together and working towards our goals.
And you should be leaning on fountains
And you should be taking advantage of the natural beauty around us.
And filling my space up and breathing the air from my lungs
And being present in my life while sharing my space and my breath.
So we are moving to a lighthouse, you and I
We are moving to a lighthouse to be together and start a new life.
Our beams will burn the clouds to beacons in the sky
Our love will be so bright and strong that it will guide others like a lighthouse beacon in the sky.
And though our doors may knock and rattle in the wind
Even if our shelter is shaken, we will not be moved.
The wind...
The force of nature that tests us.
I'll just hold you tight and we'll not let those fuckers in
I'll protect you, and we will not allow anyone to interfere with our love and happiness.
Contributed by Adeline Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@AC-INTENIONS
I love how he can integrate the word fuckers into an amazingly beautiful acoustic love song, that takes SKILL! :D
@caley522
To think it's been 11 years. I've been listening to Josh Pyke since I was 3. That's just insane. We still love Josh so much and we listen to him literally every day
@sidrashabbir2570
Caley Keast-Jones xox to
@txmpoix
True god who ever disliked this man is a unit because they dont know beautiful Aussie music this man is a Aussie Legend ❤❤❤❤❤
@jfcjake
Josh...i thankyou. For such a long time i have not enjoyed an artist as yourself. Always with me.Memories & Dust.
@emilylovematt
Josh Pyke is so amazing.. Saw him at the Performing Arts centre in Brisbane last year dont think there was a dry eye in the whole crowd by the time it was finsihed. WONDERFUL
@24lexifer
One of the most beautiful songs of all time, beautifully written, and wonderfully & soulfully performed. Josh is an amazing story teller with a heavenly voice.
@Toyboy789
Songs and performances like this gladden an old guy's heart! I'm 55, and was soooooooo heavily influenced by music that sounded like this in my teen years. But, that said, this is a beautiful love song and poem with a message! It has a freshness of its age! Thanks for a GREAT posting!
@denisagrigore6679
This song reminds me of Tired tired sea 💚💙🥺
@user-pv9ef9qd8c
Same