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.
My Life in Reverse
Maxïmo Park Lyrics
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Some things are worth the hurt,
I like the way your face looks towards me,
Try just a little harder,
Try and make this time for me,
I like the way your glances deceive me,
I give myself away,
But what did I say?
You can call me in the morning,
I'm living my life in reverse
Make me a compilation,
Make me do what you will,
'Cause I like the way you use your fingers,
Grab me a conversation,
Grab me a shard of your life,
'Cause I like the way your fringe shapes your features
I give myself away,
And yes, I meant to give you warning,
But what did I say?
You can call me in the morning,
I'm living my life in reverse
I'm my life in reverse order,
And yes, I tried to warn ya,
I'm living my life in reverse order,
And since you ask, will I try to warn her?
Watching the light stretch through the curtains,
Watching the evening fade,
I like the way that you fold your body
The lyrics of Maxïmo Park's song My Life in Reverse are about a person who is willing to go through the pain, to make a relationship work. The singer acknowledges that certain things, like love and relationships, are worth enduring the bumps and bruises that come with it. The singer likes the way their partner looks at them and how their glances can mislead them. The singer is willing to give themselves away entirely, and they warn their partner about it, but ultimately give in to the relationship's demands. They enjoy the way their partner can manipulate them and make them do anything that they want.
The chorus, "I'm living my life in reverse," is a metaphor for the singer's life, turned upside down by the relationship they are in. They are aware of how backwards this seems, but they can't help it. They ask themselves and their partner if they will try to warn the next person they enter a relationship with. The song's verses also describe how the singer admires small things about their partner, like the shape of their features and their movements, and longs for a deeper connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Some things are worth the bruises,
When it comes to certain experiences or people, the aches and pains are worth it in the end.
Some things are worth the hurt,
Just like physical bruises, emotional pain is sometimes necessary to achieve something that's worth it.
I like the way your face looks towards me,
There's something captivating about the way this person looks at the singer, and it's what draws them in.
Try just a little harder,
The singer wants this person to put in more effort, to make things work between them.
Try and make this time for me,
The singer wants this person to prioritize spending time with them, to make them feel special.
I like the way your glances deceive me,
Even though this person may not mean to deceive the singer with their glances, the singer is okay with being fooled because it's what they want to see.
I give myself away,
The singer is willing to give everything they have to this person, even if it means leaving themselves vulnerable.
And yes, I meant to give you warning,
The singer recognizes that they may have warned this person of their intentions, but they're still going through with them anyway.
But what did I say?
Even though the singer may have given a warning, their actions speak louder than words.
You can call me in the morning,
No matter what happens between them, the singer is willing to be there for this person when they need them.
I'm living my life in reverse
Instead of living a traditional life where someone grows and learns over time, this singer is going backwards and repeating the same mistakes.
Make me a compilation,
The singer wants this person to create a playlist or something special just for them, as a way of showing that they care.
Make me do what you will,
The singer is willing to do whatever this person wants, even if it means sacrificing their own needs and wants.
'Cause I like the way you use your fingers,
The singer finds everything about this person alluring, even the way they use their hands or fingers.
Grab me a conversation,
The singer wants this person to engage in conversation with them, to really connect on a deeper level.
Grab me a shard of your life,
The singer wants this person to share a piece of their life with them, to let them in and open up.
'Cause I like the way your fringe shapes your features
From the way this person looks to the smaller details such as their hairstyle, the singer is drawn to everything about them.
And yes, I tried to warn ya,
The singer may have tried to warn this person of their intentions, but it didn't make a difference in the end.
I'm my life in reverse order,
Again, the singer emphasizes that they are living their life in reverse, repeating patterns and experiences.
And since you ask, will I try to warn her?
Even though the singer may have gone through these same experiences before, they're willing to do it all over again for this new person.
Watching the light stretch through the curtains,
The singer is caught up in the small moments of life, the beauty in everyday experiences such as watching light stretch through window curtains.
Watching the evening fade,
Again, the singer is focused on the beauty of moments passing, watching the evening turn to night.
I like the way that you fold your body
Even the way this person moves and sits is captivating to the singer, further emphasizing their infatuation.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ARCHIS TIKU, DUNCAN ROBERT LLOYD, LUKAS JAMES WOOLLER, PAUL ANTHONY SMITH, THOMAS ALEXANDER ENGLISH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind