From their inception in late 2003, the band's energetic live performances earned them a hardcore fanbase after playing for only a few months on the Manchester music scene. In 2004 the band were signed to Island records and spent the year touring the UK and recording their first studio album with producer Rob Schnapf in Los Angeles. In 2005 Nine Black Alps toured the UK extensively, promoting the release of their debut album, Everything Is on 13th June 2005. Their first U.S. single was Cosmopolitan; their album Everything Is was released in America on February 28, 2006.
The band's second album, again recorded in LA with producer Dave Sardy Love/Hate, was released on 29 October 2007 and heralded a split with Island Records shortly thereafter. However, Nine Black Alps went on to self-finance and record their third full-length album with producer Dave Eringa, entitled 'Locked Out from the Inside'. Only available as a download from the band's own website - http://www.nineblackalps.com, the album was a return to the louder, heavier sounds of the first record.
Nine Black Alps, after a hiatus of almost 2 years, have been back in the studio as a 3-piece recording tracks for a fourth album, with a possible release in 2012.
Pet Hate
Nine Black Alps Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
but i think , i think im gona fall
cos im scared of everything i can do
and im drawn to everything thats wrong.
and even though i can, you dont.
turn around take a look take a laugh at my face
you learn to love the ones that you hate
thanks for making a decision
to leave you can never leave too soon
when your high, your higher than the heavens.
when your low, theres no one else but you.
cos theres no in between is there
turn around take a look take a laugh at my face
you learn to love the ones that you hate.
and even though i can you dont.
you wont
you take you take you take a long look at my face
you learn you learn you learn to love all that you hate
x2
and even though i cant, you dont, you wont, you wont
The lyrics of Pet Hate by Nine Black Alps present a deeply personal insight into the fear and self-doubt that can underlie even the most confident and self-assured outward appearances. The opening lines reveal a speaker who is ready to admit their vulnerability and reluctance to take risks, admitting that they may "fall" due to their fear of failure. Despite the fact that they possess tremendous potential and are capable of achieving great things, they are "drawn to everything that's wrong," suggesting a self-destructive tendency that interferes with their ability to progress.
Throughout the song, the singer repeatedly addresses a second person referred to only as "you." The nature of this relationship remains ambiguous, but it is clear that this person does not fully understand or appreciate the singer's struggles. They are accused of being unsupportive and uninvolved ("even though I can, you don't"), and their lack of concern is contrasted with the singer's own heightened sensitivity and emotional investment. The chorus emphasizes the theme of paradoxical love, as the singer urges "you" to "take a look/take a laugh at my face" and then "learn to love the ones that you hate." This line could imply that the "you" addressed by the singer is someone they deeply care about, despite feeling neglected or misunderstood.
The final lines of the song are a repetition of the same phrase: "and even though I can't, you don't, you won't, you won't." This repetition and the use of negative language emphasize the gulf of understanding that exists between the singer and "you." Although the singer believes that they could receive support or understanding from this person, they ultimately feel alone and unsupported.
Line by Line Meaning
I would hate to disappoint you
I don't want to let you down
but I think, I think I'm gonna fall
I am afraid and feel like I am going to fail
cos I'm scared of everything I can do
I am frightened by my own abilities
and I'm drawn to everything that's wrong.
I am attracted to things that are harmful to me
and even though I can, you don't.
You don't believe in me, even though I am capable
Turn around, take a look, take a laugh at my face
Look at me and make fun of me
You learn to love the ones that you hate
People often grow to appreciate things they once disliked
Thanks for making a decision to leave
Thank you for choosing to go away
You can never leave too soon
It's always better to leave early than to stay too long
When you're high, you're higher than the heavens
When you are happy, you feel like you are on top of the world
When you're low, there's no one else but you.
When you are sad, you feel completely alone
Cos there's no in between, is there
There's no middle ground, only extremes
You take a long look at my face
You scrutinize my appearance
You learn to love all that you hate
You eventually find value in the things you once disliked
And even though I can't, you don't, you won't, you won't
You refuse to believe I can accomplish something, and you won't change your mind
Contributed by Brayden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.