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.
Under The Sun
Nine Black Alps Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cross my name off the list
I don't belong
Why would you depend
On a voice that can only do you wrong?
I don't want to be alone
Under the sun
That yellow moon
Is cold and it holds no comfort there
No room to hide your cares
Fell asleep again
Dreamt myself as a cloud
That never rains
Why would you depend
On a heart that can only bring you pain?
I don't want to be around
I'll be over there
Under the sun
That yellow moon
Is cold and it holds no comfort there
No room to hide your cares
You fell into a steady sleep
Awoke alone and out of reach
To stumble over who you were
Then told your story in reverse
You fell into a steady sleep
Awoke alone and out of reach
To stumble over who you were
A horror story underneath the sun
In this song, Nine Black Alps explores themes of isolation and self-doubt. The singer appears to be struggling with feelings of inadequacy and a sense of not belonging, as evidenced by the opening lines where they shock themselves and "cross their name off the list". They question the usefulness of depending on their own voice or heart, recognizing their tendency to "do you wrong" and "bring you pain". Despite this, the singer refuses to give up entirely and instead chooses to seek solace "under the sun", away from the cold and unfeeling moon, where there is "no room to hide your cares".
The verses of the song are preceded and followed by a haunting refrain that hints at a darker undercurrent to the lyrics. The repeated line "You fell into a steady sleep, awoke alone and out of reach, to stumble over who you were, a horror story underneath the sun" seems to suggest a deeper level of trauma or pain that the singer is grappling with.
Overall, "Under The Sun" is a poignant and introspective song that touches on universal feelings of insecurity and anxiety, while also hinting at deeper, more troubling emotions that lie beneath the surface.
Line by Line Meaning
Shock myself again
I am surprised and taken aback by my own actions or thoughts once again.
Cross my name off the list
I am removing myself from something because I realize that I don't belong there.
I don't belong
I feel like an outsider and I don't fit in with the group that I am associating with.
Why would you depend
I am questioning why someone would rely on something that has consistently let them down.
On a voice that can only do you wrong?
Why would you trust and depend on a source of guidance that always leads you astray?
I don't want to be alone
I don't want to be by myself and left to struggle without support or help.
I'll be over there
I'll go over there in order to get away from whatever is causing me discomfort or pain.
Under the sun
I will be in an open and exposed place where I can feel the warmth and energy of the sun.
That yellow moon
The moon that I see is stark, cold, and offers no solace or comfort.
Is cold and it holds no comfort there
The moon offers no warmth or comfort to me in my current state, leaving me wanting for something else to comfort me.
No room to hide your cares
There aren't any places in or behind the moon where I can go to escape my problems or concerns.
Fell asleep again
I have dozed off and drifted into slumber once again.
Dreamt myself as a cloud
I imagined myself as a puffy, white mass floating aimlessly in the sky.
That never rains
But unlike a typical cloud, I never release water droplets and cause precipitation to fall to the ground.
On a heart that can only bring you pain?
I am questioning why someone would continue to trust and rely on an entity that always brings them sadness and heartache.
I don't want to be around
I don't want to be near the person, object, or situation that brings me pain or sorrow.
You fell into a steady sleep
You drifted into unconsciousness and into a peaceful slumber.
Awoke alone and out of reach
When you woke up, you were by yourself and overwhelmed, feeling like no one could relate to what you were feeling.
To stumble over who you were
You tripped over and struggled with finding and understanding your identity and sense of self.
Then told your story in reverse
You attempted to piece together your life and experiences but had to work backward from the present to the past in order to do so.
Contributed by Thomas M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.