Keane achieved mainstream, international success with the release of their debut album Hopes and Fears in 2004. Topping the UK charts, the album won the 2005 Brit Award for Best British Album and was the second best-selling British album of 2004. It is one of the best-selling albums in UK chart history. Their second album, Under the Iron Sea, released in 2006, topped the UK album charts and debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200. Their third album Perfect Symmetry was released in October 2008.
In May 2008, both Hopes and Fears (number 13) and Under the Iron Sea (number 8) were voted by readers of Q magazine as among the best British albums ever, with Keane, The Beatles, Oasis and Radiohead the only artists having two albums in the top 20. In 2009, Hopes and Fears was listed as the ninth best-selling album of the 2000s decade in the UK. Their EP Night Train was released in May 2010. Their fourth studio album Strangeland was released in May 2012 and peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart.
Keane are known for using keyboards as the lead instrument instead of guitar, differentiating them from most other rock bands. The inclusion of a distorted piano effect in 2006 and various synthesisers were a common feature in their music which developed on the second and third albums. Keane have sold over 13 million records worldwide.
After the release of their compilation album The Best of Keane in 2013, the band took a hiatus, lasting nearly 5 years.
The band returned after the hiatus with new music, announcing their fifth studio album titled Cause and Effect on 6 June 2019 and releasing the lead single from the album "The Way I Feel". A collection of the songs were written by Tim Rice-Oxley during his divorce, and after discussions with Tom who had visited Tim the previous year, decided to proceed with recording the songs for the album. Cause and Effect was released on 20 September 2019. After the release of the album, the band embarked on the Cause and Effect Tour, visiting Europe and Latin America, before the remainder of the tour was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keane_(band)
Studio albums
Hopes and Fears (2004)
Under the Iron Sea (2006)
Perfect Symmetry (2008)
Strangeland (2012)
Cause and Effect (2019)
The Night Sky
Keane Lyrics
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Safe from the noise that's falling around me
And we'll release this town from the people
Who are trying to knock it down
And then only city lights will brighten the night sky
And there will be no sound
Open the banks and open the churches
And we'll release this town from the people
Who are trying to knock it down
And then only city lights will brighten the night sky
And there will be no sound
We've been cowering so long
Oh, what I would give, I ask so little
Oh, what I would give to stand at the bus stop
Or browse in a bookshop to sleep and always be still
And we'll release this town from the people
Who are trying to knock it down
And then only city lights will brighten the night sky
And I will be set free from the people
Who are trying to bury me
And then only fireworks will light the sky at night
For all the world can see
The lyrics to Keane's "The Night Sky" are about a longing for the past and a better future. The song begins with the singer expressing a desire to return to their old street, away from the chaos and noise of the present. They want to release their town from the people who are trying to tear it down. They dream of a future where only the city lights will illuminate the night sky and there will be no sound. The singer wants to open the bars, markets, banks, and churches as a symbol of the town's resurgence.
The second verse continues this theme, with a reference to how the singer has been cowering for too long. They long for small, simple pleasures like standing at the bus stop or browsing in a bookshop. The singer is still holding onto hope and believes that if they can release the town from those who are trying to bury them, the future will be bright. Instead of chaos and destruction, fireworks will light up the sky for all the world to see.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on our collective desire for a better future and the importance of never giving up hope, even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
One day I will be back in our old street
I long to return to the comfort and familiarity of our old neighborhood.
Safe from the noise that's falling around me
Safeguarded from the distractions and chaos surrounding me.
And we'll release this town from the people
Together, we will liberate our town from those who seek to destroy it.
Who are trying to knock it down
Who are attempting to tear it apart, physically or metaphorically.
And then only city lights will brighten the night sky
In the aftermath of this effort, only the beauty of the urban night landscape will shine through.
And there will be no sound
All will be silent and calm, without any disturbances affecting the peace.
Open the bars and open the markets
Allow businesses such as pubs and stores to operate freely, without restrictions or limitations.
Open the banks and open the churches
Permit financial and religious institutions to be accessible and available to all.
We've been cowering so long
We have lived in fear and uncertainty for far too much time.
Oh, what I would give, I ask so little
I have modest desires, and would readily exchange a little to regain some normalcy.
Oh, what I would give to stand at the bus stop
Simply enjoying the simplicity of everyday activities like waiting for the bus.
Or browse in a bookshop to sleep and always be still
Find solace in more tranquil activities, such as perusing books and resting.
And I will be set free from the people
I hope to break free from those who seek to imprison me, figuratively or literally.
Who are trying to bury me
Who want to silence or erase who I am and my goals.
And then only fireworks will light the sky at night
In the ultimate celebration of our victory, the skies will be brightened by the beautiful colors of fireworks.
For all the world can see
Our triumph will be evident and clear for all to appreciate.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RICHARD DAVID HUGHES, TIMOTHY JAMES RICE-OXLEY, TOM CHAPLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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