Kings of Convenience are a music duo formed in Bergen, Norway, playing a st… Read Full Bio ↴Kings of Convenience are a music duo formed in Bergen, Norway, playing a style that features acoustic instrumental playing and their two voices. The band consists of Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe. They met as children at a geography competition. They are known for their delicate tunes, calming voices, and intricately subtle guitar melodies.

After first earning notice thanks to a series of acclaimed European festival appearances during the summer of 1999, the twosome signed to American label Kindercore to issue their lovely eponymous debut the following spring. Quiet Is the New Loud was issued in early 2001 on Astralwerks. The album used many of the same tracks from the Kindercore release but re-ordered them and replaced a few with newer songs. The remix album Versus followed later in the year and featured remixes by artists as diverse as Ladytron, avid Whitaker and Four Tet. After a three year layoff during which Øye recorded a solo album, 2003's Unrest, and gained some reknown as an electronica DJ while Bøe worked on finishing up his psychology degree, the pair teamed up again for the recording and release of 2004's Riot on an Empty Street.

After a 5 year layoff, the band released Declaration Of Dependence on October 20, 2009 on Astralwerks in the US and Virgin Records in the UK.

Erlend Øye has released some solo material and is also a member of The Whitest Boy Alive.
Eirik Glambek Bøe is also a member of a second band, Kommode. The Whitest Boy Alive and Kommode toured together this year for a short period.

Leaning Against The Wall
Kings of Convenience Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Your eyes are cold,
I know you'll tell me all.
Not to fall,
I lean against the wall.
I'm on the floor,
Not listening anymore.
I should have known,
The things to which you're prone.

(You cross your arms,
And tell no lies,
A thousand thoughts run
Through my mind,
A thousand words that I don't need,
I never thought you could do this.)

Your eyes are cold,
I know you'll tell me all.

Not to fall,
I lean against the wall.

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Kings of Convenience's song Leaning Against the Wall reflect the singer's realization that their partner is emotionally distant, conveyed through the metaphor of cold eyes. Despite this knowledge, the singer still holds out hope that their partner will open up to them and prevent them from falling. However, as the song progresses, the singer finds themselves on the floor, having given up on attempting to listen to their partner. The line "I should have known, the things to which you're prone" suggests that the partner has a history of emotional distance and the singer is familiar with this behavior.

The chorus repeats the opening lines, emphasizing the singer's desire for their partner to open up to them, but ultimately facing disappointment. The final verse describes the partner crossing their arms and refusing to communicate, leaving the singer to contemplate the thousands of thoughts running through their mind. The line "A thousand words that I don't need, I never thought you could do this" conveys the betrayal and hurt the singer feels as a result of their partner's emotional distance.

Overall, Leaning Against the Wall explores the theme of emotional distance in a relationship and the pain it can cause. The metaphor of leaning against the wall suggests a need for support and stability, but the cold eyes of the partner leave the singer feeling unsupported and alone.

Line by Line Meaning

Your eyes are cold,
I can tell that you're emotionally disconnected and distant.

I know you'll tell me all.
Despite your emotional detachment, I know that you'll still speak the truth.

Not to fall,
I'm trying to keep myself from getting too emotionally invested in this situation.

I lean against the wall.
I'm using physical support as a symbol of my emotional support system since I can't rely on you.

I'm on the floor,
I've hit rock bottom emotionally because of your actions.

Not listening anymore.
I've stopped paying attention to your words because they no longer hold any meaning to me.

I should have known,
I regret not recognizing the red flags about your behavior earlier.

The things to which you're prone.
Your tendencies to act in a certain way have led us to this point.

(You cross your arms,
Your body language is closed off and defensive.

And tell no lies,
You're honest about your intentions and actions.

A thousand thoughts run
My mind is racing with various ideas and emotions.