The band formed in 1990 when Jian Ghomeshi and Murray Foster, former classmates at the local Thornlea Secondary School, and participants in the school choir, joined with Mike Ford and David Matheson to busk in Toronto. They drew unusually large crowds, and, eventually, the attention of Toronto-based CBC Radio One, which commissioned songs about political and local issues for the radio show Later the Same Day. Some songs written for the show later appeared on their albums; these songs include "The Gulf War Song" and "My Baby Loves a Bunch of Authors", which was written for a Toronto authors' festival.
They cut a six-song demo tape in 1992, and their first major-label album was released the next year. Its single, "King of Spain", was only the second Canadian independent #1 hit in that country's history. (Torontonians Barenaked Ladies were first by a few months, with 1991's "Be My Yoko Ono".) Shortly after, they embarked on a touring schedule that continued, practically without stopping except to record new material, until the end of 2000.
The band reminds some listeners of the Beatles (which Früvous happily acknowledges) or They Might Be Giants. They sometimes sang with little or no accompaniment in a style similar to contemporary a cappella, drawing comparisons to Da Vinci's Notebook. A number of their songs also express the band's progressive political leanings ("The Greatest Man in America", for instance, harps on Rush Limbaugh, and "Big Fish" lambasts former Premier of Ontario Mike Harris). Früvous was also known for their close relationship with their fans and their live shows, which were full of political commentary, humorous banter, and musical improvisation.
The band gave its last concert in 2000 (excepting performances at annual fan conventions in 2001 and 2002), and the last update to the band's website occurred in 2002. As of fall 2005, Jian Ghomeshi was hosting National Playlist on CBC Radio One, and Murray Foster was the bass player for Great Big Sea. On September 5, 2005, Ford, Foster and Ghomeshi performed on CIUT, the University of Toronto's campus radio station, as part of the morning program Toronto Unlocked (an ad hoc program produced and hosted by locked-out CBC Radio One staff).
Half as Much
Moxy Früvous Lyrics
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At the station
Is ringin' the morning out.
Imprisoned by
The situation.
Would be every bit as sour
If I miss you half as much.
The man at the track
Sent all the passengers back
And said the 3:29 wouldn't come.
No locomotion just ?devotion?.
I folded the map into the book on my lap
And wondered if I would feel half as numb
If I miss you half as much.
Miss you half as much.
In a year or two
We'll see this distance and this heartache through.
I never realized
That I would need the joys and secrets of your eyes
That much.
Bells chime
In the hallway.
You better believe that I
Be only loving you for always.
'Cause there'll never be a time
I could love you half as much.
Love you half as much.
Love you half as much.
The song 'Half as Much' by Moxy Früvous is about the singer who is separated from their loved one and is missing them terribly. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and desperation that comes with being away from someone you love. The presence of the bell tower adds to the melancholy mood of the song as the singer feels imprisoned by their situation. The man at the track is a reminder of the distance that exists between the singer and their loved one, and how it has caused great pain and heartache. The map and the book add to the sense of loss and loneliness of the singer, as they try to ease their pain by distracting themselves.
The bridge of the song, where the singer talks about needing the joys and secrets of their loved one's eyes so much, is the heart of the song. The line "There'll never be a time I could love you half as much" signifies the eternal nature of the love the singer feels for their loved one. The song ends on this poignant note, with the singer resigned to their fate, but still holding on to the hope that their love will endure.
Line by Line Meaning
Bell tower
At the station
Is ringin' the morning out.
The bell tower at the station is calling out, signaling the morning has begun.
Imprisoned by
The situation.
Feeling trapped or bound by the current circumstances.
Would be every bit as sour
If I miss you half as much.
Miss you half as much.
Even if I missed you only slightly or with half the intensity that I do, the situation would still be just as miserable.
The man at the track
Sent all the passengers back
And said the 3:29 wouldn't come.
No locomotion just ?devotion?.
The man announced that the 3:29 train was cancelled, leaving the artist with no way to move or travel, and only their loyalty or attachment to hold onto.
I folded the map into the book on my lap
And wondered if I would feel half as numb
If I miss you half as much.
Miss you half as much.
The artist was lost in thought, pondering if their heartache or emotional numbness would be less severe if they missed their love only half as much.
In a year or two
We'll see this distance and this heartache through.
The singer believes that in a year or two, they will have overcome the geographic separation and emotional pain they are currently facing.
I never realized
That I would need the joys and secrets of your eyes
That much.
The singer didn't realize how much they would crave the happiness and intimacy found by gazing into the eyes of their lover.
Bells chime
In the hallway.
You better believe that I
Be only loving you for always.
The sound of bells echoes in the hallway, and the artist proclaims their unwavering love and commitment to their partner.
'Cause there'll never be a time
I could love you half as much.
Love you half as much.
Love you half as much.
The artist asserts that they could never love their partner only half as much, indicating the depth and intensity of their affection.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WOUT VAN DESSEL, REGINALD PAUL STEFAN PENXTEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind