After releasing 300 copies of two of their songs, the band was discovered by, and eventually signed with, independent label Warp Records in 2004, releasing their critically-acclaimed debut album A Certain Trigger" in May 2005. Widely described as one of the best British albums of the year, the album helped the band develop a strong and diverse fanbase both in the UK and abroad, and also earned them a nomination for the coveted Mercury Music Prize. Three songs from the record, Apply Some Pressure (re-released), Graffiti and Going Missing, reached the Top 20 in the UK music charts in 2005. Maxïmo Park also contributed a song titled Wasteland to the War Child album Help: A Day in the Life, midway through that year. The final single from A Certain Trigger, I Want You To Stay, was released in the United Kingdom on February 20, 2006.
Maxïmo Park's second album, Our Earthly Pleasures was released on April 2, 2007. Singles included Our Velocity, Girls Who Play Guitars, Books From Boxes and Karaoke Plays. In August 2008 Paul Smith announced that the band had finished recording their third album and were looking for someone to produce it. It is expected for release in early 2009.
As a result of their rapidly increasing popularity both in the United Kingdom and overseas, 2005 also proved to be a highly exciting year for the band from a touring perspective, with a number of successful tours of Europe, as well as supporting The Bravery in the United States and performing a number of sellout shows in Japan and Australia. While performing across Europe at the Glastonbury and Lowlands music festivals and the Carling Weekend, their enormous success in the United Kingdom was confirmed through their place as support for Kaiser Chiefs on the NME Rock and Roll Riot Tour, and their appearance at the XFM Winter Wonderland shows in London in December of 2005. In a similar vein, the band headlined the NME Awards Tour in the UK, featuring Arctic Monkeys, Mystery Jets and We Are Scientists, and expanded their presence in Asia by performing in Thailand as part of the Rock 100 Festival in Bangkok.
The The National Health Songfacts reports that Maximo's Park fourth album relates to the state of society at large: "The nation is out of control," said Paul Smith, "and the record is about taking back control, and being a force for change in your own life. It can't speak for everybody but it has its eyes and ears all around us. Our songs are built on empathy. I would hope it's as vital a music as people would want to hear." The National Health will be released June 11, 2012.
The band also enjoys playing in their hometown, Newcastle. In early 2007, despite global success, they decided to play in three small venues and price tickets at only £5. These venues were The Head Of Steam, The Cumberland Arms and The Cluny. The band also headlined Freevolution 2007, a free outdoor music festival in Newcastle/Gateshead sponsored by Orange phones.
Acrobat
Maxïmo Park Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And its no surprise I'm standing still,
Another minute more is all I need,
I'll never have enough,
This room gets so cold in the winter,
What will it take to heat this house?
I just want to feel comfortable,
When there's only the two of us in my bed,
I can't draw it away,
I can't push it forward,
It lies stranded,
It belongs to someone else,
We knew each other once,
This can't be what you want,
But you didn't have to demolish me,
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
I am not an acrobat,
I cannot perform these tricks for you,
Losing all my balance,
Falling from a wire made for you
The sky is often used as a metaphor,
I suppose its because its so big and expansive,
When a long stranded cloud sits just above the horizon,
Leaving a strip of clear blue beneath it,
It becomes the panorama,
And you turn your head 360 degrees,
And the same line follows you round,
If the land is sufficiently flat,
Really nothing can be compared to it
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
Your needs
I am not an acrobat,
I cannot perform these tricks for you,
Losing all my balance,
Falling from a wire made for you
I am not an acrobat,
I can't perform these tricks for you,
Losing all my balance,
Falling from a wire made for you
The lyrics to Maxïmo Park's "Acrobat" paint a picture of a relationship that has lost its balance. The song opens with the singer acknowledging that their partner is leaving on an early plane, while the singer remains rooted in place. It's clear that they are not ready to let go of the relationship, but they are not sure how to fix it either. They admit that they need just one more minute, but that they will never have enough to make things right. The inherent tension of the situation is compounded by the fact that the room is cold, and the singer is uncomfortable. They want to be close to their partner, but something is holding them back.
As the song progresses, we learn that there is a sense of distance between the two lovers. The singer's foot brushes against their partner's leg in bed, but they can't quite bring themselves to move closer. They acknowledge that they "knew each other once," but that they aren't sure if this is what their partner truly wants. As the chorus repeats, they lament that they are not an acrobat, unable to perform the tricks and acrobatics necessary to keep the relationship afloat. They feel like they are falling off a wire made for their partner, struggling to keep their balance, but ultimately failing.
The final verse turns to a metaphorical description of the sky. The sky is often used as a metaphor for freedom or limitless potential, but in this instance, it becomes a representation of the relationship itself. The long stranded cloud that sits above the horizon represents the tension that the singer feels, while the strip of clear blue beneath it symbolizes the space that they want to occupy with their partner. The same line follows them around as they turn their head 360 degrees, emphasizing the inescapability of the situation. In the end, the chorus repeats one final time, underscoring the singer's sense of helplessness in a relationship that is slipping away from them.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got to catch an early plane,
Starting off on a busy note, the singer recognizes the importance of time – possibly someone leaving.
And its no surprise I'm standing still,
The singer remains in place while the other person moves forward.
Another minute more is all I need,
The singer wants just a bit more time, but understands that it's unlikely to happen.
I'll never have enough,
That wanting feeling may never go away, no matter how much time is given.
This room gets so cold in the winter,
The physical environment mimics the artist's feelings - this is a lonely place.
What will it take to heat this house?
Both literally and metaphorically, the singer poses the question of what it will take to thaw out the cold.
I just want to feel comfortable,
The singer yearns for some sort of stability, an environment in which they can feel at peace.
When there's only the two of us in my bed,
Those intimate moments between two people are what the artist treasures.
My foot nearly brushes your leg,
There's physical proximity, but something - perhaps emotional distance - is interfering with true closeness.
I can't draw it away,
The artist's foot remains close, maybe even wishing to close the gap more, yet they have such little control over their own actions.
I can't push it forward,
Trying to make things happen, but failing. There's a sense of helplessness that makes a difficult situation even worse.
It lies stranded,
The artist's foot remains rooted to where it is due to indecisiveness of the mind.
It belongs to someone else,
There is conflict when it comes to loyalty- in this case loyalty to whom the foot of the singer belongs
We knew each other once,
There was a time in the past where they were in sync and the intimacy was there.
This can't be what you want,
The singer reflects on the other person's wants/needs and is trying to read them but may not know for certain what that other person wants or is thinking.
But you didn't have to demolish me,
Whatever the other person's intentions or thoughts are, the artist feels completely crushed in the aftermath of it all.
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
The artist remembers being considerate of the other person's needs, so they're confused as to why everything fell apart.
I am not an acrobat,
The singer is unable to perform the impossible to provide something to the other person.
I cannot perform these tricks for you,
There's a sense of inadequacy, a failure to meet expectations that the singer was expected to fulfill within the relationship
Losing all my balance,
Trying to fulfill these expectations causes the artist to lose balance emotionally
Falling from a wire made for you,
The pressure of trying to make someone so happy that you've lost sight of who you are and what you want out of relationship.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARCHIS TIKU, DUNCAN ROBERT LLOYD, THOMAS ALEXANDER ENGLISH, LUKAS JAMES WOOLLER, PAUL ANTHONY SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
I now know what you like
Miss èM so bad. Still love her so much.
You've got to catch an early plane,
And its no surprise I'm standing still,
Another minute more is all I need,
I'll never have enough,
This room gets so cold in the winter,
What will it take to heat this house?
I just want to feel comfortable,
When there's only the two of us in my bed,
My foot nearly brushes your leg,
I can't draw it away,
I can't push it forward,
It lies stranded,
It belongs to someone else,
We knew each other once,
This can't be what you want,
But you didn't have to demolish me,
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
I am not an acrobat,
I cannot perform these tricks for you,
Losing all my balance,
Falling from a wire made for you
The sky is often used as a metaphor,
I suppose its because its so big and expansive,
When a long stranded cloud sits just above the horizon,
Leaving a strip of clear blue beneath it,
It becomes the panorama,
And you turn your head 360 degrees,
And the same line follows you round,
If the land is sufficiently flat,
Really nothing can be compared to it
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
Your needs
I am not an acrobat,
I cannot perform these tricks for you,
Losing all my balance,
Falling from a wire made for you
I am not an acrobat,
I can't perform these tricks for you,
Losing all my balance,
Falling from a wire made for you
Emma Blum
One of their best songs in my opinion
Ian Buick
One of anybody’s best songs. Beyond brilliant.
e s h a
No doubt!
Spirit Of The Hunter
I heard this song when I was a kid. I never really understood it, at least not consciously but I remember liking it a lot and thinking it definitely meant something.
As an adult, I completely understand it now.
João Manuel Veloso Bárbara
A primeira vez que desfrutei desta obra prima ao Rock, foi em 2005 no final de uma férias de loucuras, a condizer! Quatro Amigos juntos para momentos únicos na praia do Barril. Como jamais esquecerei essas férias de Outubro, este Tema jamais sairá da minha vida. A Música é Vida!
Magic Joe Black
work of adjectival genius. One of the all time great albums. Thank you so much for sharing.
Alexandra HL
His voice 🖤
Marina Der
Something reminds me the Adrian Borland Solo style. 🖤 Awesome! 🖤
Kath Clarke
love it loads gorgeous song :-
I now know what you like
Miss èM so bad. Still love her so much.
You've got to catch an early plane,
And its no surprise I'm standing still,
Another minute more is all I need,
I'll never have enough,
This room gets so cold in the winter,
What will it take to heat this house?
I just want to feel comfortable,
When there's only the two of us in my bed,
My foot nearly brushes your leg,
I can't draw it away,
I can't push it forward,
It lies stranded,
It belongs to someone else,
We knew each other once,
This can't be what you want,
But you didn't have to demolish me,
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
I am not an acrobat,
I cannot perform these tricks for you,
Losing all my balance,
Falling from a wire made for you
The sky is often used as a metaphor,
I suppose its because its so big and expansive,
When a long stranded cloud sits just above the horizon,
Leaving a strip of clear blue beneath it,
It becomes the panorama,
And you turn your head 360 degrees,
And the same line follows you round,
If the land is sufficiently flat,
Really nothing can be compared to it
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
I don't remember losing sight of your needs
Your needs
I am not an acrobat,
I cannot perform these tricks for you,
Losing all my balance,
Falling from a wire made for you
I am not an acrobat,
I can't perform these tricks for you,
Losing all my balance,
Falling from a wire made for you