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.
Our Velocity
Maxïmo Park Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chisel me down until I am clean
I buy books I never read
And then I'll tell you some more about me
Beneath the concrete there's a sound
A muffled cry below the ground
There is a poison in the air
manners are just hunches
I'm not sure what they mean
You're asking for commitment
When I'm somewhere inbetween
Never never try to gauge temperature
When you tend to travel at such speed
It's our velocity
Is it cold where you are this time of the year?
You didn't leave a scar
A stream of numbers hit a screen
And you're expected to know what they mean
Throughout the conflict, I was serene
I can't outrun the sadness I've seen
Are you willing to resist
The people you've never met?
The devil's wheel revolves
But it needs to be reset
Never never try to gauge temperature
When you tend to travel at such speed
It's our velocity
Please tell me is it cold where you are this time of the year?
You didn't leave a scar
I've got no-one to call in the middle of the night anymore
I'm just alone with these thoughts
I've got no-one to call in the middle of the night anymore
I'm just alone with my thoughts
I watched a film to change my feelings
Strong enough to bear a burden
If everyone became this sensitive
I wouldn't have to be so sensitive
If everyone became so sensitive
Perhaps I wouldn't be so sensitive
Love is a lie, which means I've been lied to
Love is a lie, which means I've been lying too
Love is a lie, which means I've been lied to
Love is a lie
I've got no-one to call in the middle of the night anymore
I'm just alone with these thoughts
I've got no-one to call in the middle of the night anymore
I'm just alone with my thoughts
Never never try to guage temperature
When you tend to travel at such speed
It's our velocity
In Maxïmo Park's song "Our Velocity," the singer reflects on his inner self while grappling with external pressures and expectations. The opening lines reveal a complicated dynamic: the singer considers himself to be a machine-like figure, devoid of human emotions and personal attachments. He is willing to sacrifice pieces of himself to be more efficient, suggesting a devotion to progress that is almost inhuman. However, the singer's admission that he buys books he never reads and is willing to talk to others about his own life contradicts this cold exterior.
The second verse shows the singer's acknowledgement of the world's problems, as he hears a "muffled cry below the ground." Nonetheless, the singer seems unable to connect with others, expressing confusion about the meaning of manners and his own hesitancy to commit to something. He recognizes the potential harm of trying to live at an accelerated pace, referencing "our velocity," but it is unclear if he is able or willing to slow down.
The latter half of the song delves into the singer's sense of isolation and emotional exhaustion. He has no one to call when he is feeling alone at night and proclaims that love is a lie. However, the final lines of the song suggest both sadness and optimism; the singer acknowledges his own sensitivity but wonders what the world would look like if everyone were more sensitive.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not a man, I'm a machine
I am emotionally closed off and unaffected by the world around me.
Chisel me down until I am clean
I desire to be stripped down to my most basic emotions and thoughts.
I buy books I never read
I give the impression of being intellectual, but I am not truly interested in learning.
And then I'll tell you some more about me
I use superficial facts about myself to distract from my emotional emptiness.
Beneath the concrete there's a sound
There is more to life than what is visible on the surface.
A muffled cry below the ground
This deeper meaning is often suppressed or ignored.
There is a poison in the air
The world is full of negative influences that affect our emotional well-being.
A mix of chemicals and fear
These negative influences are a combination of actual physical and psychological factors.
Manners are just hunches
Social conventions are arbitrary and meaningless to me.
I'm not sure what they mean
I am unsure of my own emotions and how to relate to others.
You're asking for commitment
You want emotional attachment and involvement from me.
When I'm somewhere inbetween
I am unable to fully give myself to someone else because of my own emotional emptiness and uncertainty.
Never never try to gauge temperature
Don't try to judge my emotions or state of mind because they change often and rapidly.
When you tend to travel at such speed
I am always moving quickly and don't take time to slow down and process my emotions.
It's our velocity
My emotional distance is a result of how quickly I move through life.
Is it cold where you are this time of the year?
I am attempting to engage in surface-level small talk to avoid deeper emotional topics.
You didn't leave a scar
I am emotionally detached and unaffected by past relationships.
A stream of numbers hit a screen
I feel overwhelmed and unable to comprehend the complexity of the world around me.
And you're expected to know what they mean
There is pressure to understand and keep up with the rapid pace of technology and information.
Throughout the conflict, I was serene
I am emotionally detached from conflicts or stress and remain calm in tense situations.
I can't outrun the sadness I've seen
Despite my emotional detachment, I am still affected by the negative aspects of the world around me.
Are you willing to resist
Are you prepared to go against the norm or resist negative influences?
The people you've never met?
Are you willing to stand up for those you don't know personally?
The devil's wheel revolves
Negative influences continue to spin and operate no matter what we do.
But it needs to be reset
We must make a conscious effort to change or resist these negative influences.
I've got no-one to call in the middle of the night anymore
I am emotionally isolated and have no one to turn to for support.
I'm just alone with these thoughts
I am trapped in my own negative thoughts and emotions.
I watched a film to change my feelings
I distract myself from negative emotions by immersing myself in entertainment.
Strong enough to bear a burden
I have the emotional strength to withstand difficult situations.
If everyone became this sensitive
If everyone were more emotionally aware and compassionate.
I wouldn't have to be so sensitive
Maybe I wouldn't feel so isolated and disconnected from others if more people were like me.
Love is a lie, which means I've been lied to
I have been hurt by romantic relationships and have lost faith in the idea of love.
Love is a lie, which means I've been lying too
I may also have lied or been deceitful in past relationships.
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
Systematik
Can't believe this song's nearly 10 years old! Sounds as good today as it did back then, absolutely love the energy in it!! :-D
Rainhands22
14 years :)
internet account
Love it! !! Great Song! !
dam4908
I love ALL of their songs !!!!!!
John Wilson
Always have and I always will love maximo park, paul Smith and co are fucking geniuses, I request this song at family doos and theres literally me and my wife going mental on the dance floor, and i don't care utter utter tune
Markus Maximus
Great track !!!! Especially racing cars in Project Gotham Racing !!! AWESOME !!!!!
Demy Doom
This Song is Sooo Funn To Play On Audition ^^
Ben Pegley
Great song
Hiphopopotamus
1:50, the song starts to be good in my opinion.
ncoafr
loves it