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.
Once a Glimpse
Maxïmo Park Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't remember why I started speaking,
A fast track operation,
Slow exertion over-ridden,
Unseen tough to catch,
I can't remember why I started drinking,
One track mind each and everytime,
Speed exertion country living,
I can't remember why I started hurting,
Another street light going down,
The night reveals itself to you,
Slipping under sliding down,
All I need is a certain trigger,
The path you take will never make you happy,
All I need is a certain spur
Once a glimpse was all I needed,
I don't remember why I had to give you back,
I just remember I kept all of your souvenirs,
Discarded traces of a love I never had,
Enforced and then enabled,
I don't remember why I started breathing,
Tied up turn him loose,
Slow desertion kept me hidden,
That's that no escaping,
I can't remember why I started thinking,
Wrapped up cutting back,
Their inertia left you driven
Once a glimpse was all I needed,
I don't remember why I had to give you back,
I just remember I kept all of your souvenirs,
Discarded traces of a love I never had
Once a glimpse was all I needed,
I don't remember why I had to give you back,
I just remember I kept all of your souvenirs,
Discarded traces of a love I never had
I wish that I could say that I don't need you anymore,
I heard every word you said and that is all
I wish that I could say that I don't need you anymore,
I heard every word you said and that is all
Once a glimpse was all I needed,
I don't remember why I had to give you back,
I just remember I kept all of your souvenirs,
Discarded traces of a love I never had
I don't think your gonna get that early night,
I don't think your gonna get that early night,
I don't think your gonna get that early night,
I don't think your gonna get it
Just a glimpse was all I needed,
I don't remember why I had to give you back,
I just remember I kept all of your souvenirs,
Discarded traces of a love I never had
In "Once a Glimpse," Maximo Park takes an introspective look at memories, the pain of letting go, and the desperation to preserve pieces of a love that never existed. The first verse speaks of feeling lost and scraping for any bit of control. The singer doesn't remember why they started talking, drinking or hurting. They feel like they've just been going through the motions, feeling somewhat disconnected. Despite having these feelings, they seem to be wearing on themselves out of necessity to fit in or escape their reality. The chorus talks about the idea of a glimpse - a brief sensational moment or memory. It seems like the singer caught a fleeting moment with someone they cherished but had to let go of, holding onto souvenirs but ultimately letting go. The second verse shifts to their internal state, feeling trapped by obligations and norms, cutting themselves off, and being resigned to that existence. The chorus comes back up, with the singer still thinking about what could have been or what was but can never be again. The outro repeats the motif, "just a glimpse was all I needed." Overall, the song tackles themes of memory, pain, and desperation all while holding onto pieces of life's encounters.
Line by Line Meaning
Put away hard to find,
I have hidden something that is difficult to find
I don't remember why I started speaking,
I cannot recall why I began talking
A fast track operation,
A situation that requires quick and efficient action
Slow exertion over-ridden,
My slow physical effort has been overpowered
Unseen tough to catch,
Something that is not visible and difficult to obtain
I can't remember why I started drinking,
I have forgotten the reason behind my drinking habit
One track mind each and everytime,
I have a singular focus and thought process every time
Speed exertion country living,
Living in the countryside requires fast-paced effort
Engage the men in trust,
Create a trustworthy relationship with the men around me
I can't remember why I started hurting,
I cannot recall why I began causing pain
Another street light going down,
One more street light has turned off
The night reveals itself to you,
The darkness of night exposes itself to you
Slipping under sliding down,
Gradually falling down and losing grip
All I need is a certain trigger,
A small event or action that could instigate me
The path you take will never make you happy,
The road you choose will never bring satisfaction
All I need is a certain spur
All I require is a little push
Once a glimpse was all I needed,
A brief sight was enough for me
I don't remember why I had to give you back,
I can't recall why I had to return something to you
I just remember I kept all of your souvenirs,
I only remember holding onto your mementos
Discarded traces of a love I never had,
I threw away remnants of a love that never existed
Enforced and then enabled,
Something was made to happen and subsequently allowed
I don't remember why I started breathing,
I cannot recall why I began to breathe
Tied up turn him loose,
Imprison and then release them
Slow desertion kept me hidden,
Gradual abandonment kept me isolated
That's that no escaping,
There is no getting away from it
I can't remember why I started thinking,
I have forgotten the reason behind my thinking
Wrapped up cutting back,
Restricting oneself after indulging in something
Their inertia left you driven
Their lack of action allowed you to take charge
I don't think your gonna get that early night,
I don't believe you will have an early night
Just a glimpse was all I needed,
A slight look was more than enough for me
I heard every word you said and that is all
I comprehended and retained everything you spoke of
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sentric Music
Written by: ARCHIS TIKU, DUNCAN ROBERT LLOYD, LUKAS JAMES WOOLLER, PAUL ANTHONY SMITH, THOMAS ALEXANDER ENGLISH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind