Stylistically, the band took influence from both contemporary adult alternative bands as well as earlier power pop and Bob Dylan-like singer-songwriter music. 'The Madding Crowd' generally received positive critical reviews and reached the #67 slot on the Billboard 200, eventually being certified as gold by the RIAA. Yet Nine Days' acclaim ended up being brief. Despite the popularity of "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)", which reached the #1 slot on Billboard's 'Top 40 Mainstream' chart and raced up in other charts, the group's mainstream success quickly faded, and they became saddled with the "one hitwonder" tag because of that single's ubiquitous nature. They're also sometimes labeled as a "two hit wonder" (due to the major airplay of "If I Am" as well).
Their next album, 'So Happily Unsatisfied', was scheduled for a release in 2002. Unfortunately due to complications with their label, Sony Records, this album became delayed and the group was no longer in possession of the rights of the songs. They managed to put it up for online distribution years later after acrimonious conflict. 'Flying the Corporate Jet', released in 2003 by the band by itself, ended up being Nine Days' last full album for some time.
Justly feeling bashed by the music industry, the band went on hiatus through much of the decade. However, In mid-August 2006, Nine Days formally reunited and went back to the studio to record. 'Slow Motion Life (Part One)', a new EP with six songs, was released on January 19, 2007. Part Two was released later that year. Their more recent work has gone in a more Americana type musical direction.
The band has since performed sporadically. Both vocal artists, John Hampson and Brian Desveaux have pursued solo careers and their music is available for purchase from their respective websites. According to the Absolutely (Story of a Girl) Songfacts, Hampson ended up spending a lot of time as a high school English teacher.
257 Weeks
Nine Days Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you could be so much more than you've become
And I have found my feet 257 weeks
But you could be waiting for a day that won't come
You could be waiting for your life to begin
And you could be so much more than, than you've been
And I have found my feet 257 weeks
And it's so sad you're so good and I'm so bad
But you won't see me wasting the best thing I ever had
And it's such a shame that I can't tell you anything
You won't hear me still you endear me now, yeah
Hard to see past the window facing forward looking back
Over years spent tracing wondering how you left your track
Underwater breathing burns your lungs and breaks your back
But you could be waiting right here for a day that won't come
And it's so sad you're so good and I'm so bad
But you won't see me wasting the best thing I ever had
And it's such a shame that I can't tell you anything
You won't hear me still you endear me now, yeah
Yeah, yeah
You could be waiting for your life to begin
And you could be so much more than, than you've been
And I have found my feet 257 weeks
But you could be waiting for your life to begin
And it's so sad you're so good and I'm so bad
But you won't see me wasting the best thing I ever had
And it's such a shame that I can't tell you anything
But you won't hear me still you endear me
And it's so sad you're so good and I'm so bad
But you won't see me wasting the best thing I ever had
And it's such a shame that I can't tell you anything
You won't hear me still you endear me now, yeah
Still you endear me now, yeah
Still you endear me now
The lyrics to "257 Weeks" by Nine Days focus on the theme of waiting for something that may never come. The opening lines suggest that the listener could be waiting for a day that won't come, and that they have the potential to become more than they are currently. The singer then reveals that they have found their feet after 257 weeks, but the listener may still be waiting for something that's out of their control.
The second verse parallels the first, focusing on the idea that the listener may be waiting for their life to start, and that they have the potential for greatness. The singer then repeats that they have found their feet after 257 weeks but notes that the listener may still be waiting. The bridge takes a turn and describes the difficulty of moving forward while looking back and trying to figure out where you've been. The lyrics suggest that it can be a struggle to move forward when you're constantly analyzing the past.
The final verse revisits the theme of waiting, but this time with a glimmer of hope. The singer reiterates that the listener could be waiting for their life to start, but no matter what, they still endear to the singer. The lyrics suggest that even if the listener is waiting for something that may never come, the singer still values them and sees their potential.
Overall, the lyrics of "257 Weeks" explore the ideas of waiting, self-discovery, and potential. The singer recognizes the potential of the listener and tries to motivate them to reach their full potential.
Line by Line Meaning
You could be waiting for a day that won't come
You might be waiting for something that is not likely to happen
And you could be so much more than you've become
You have the potential to achieve greater things
And I have found my feet 257 weeks
It has taken me 257 weeks to find my footing or direction in life
But you could be waiting for a day that won't come
You might still be waiting for something that is not likely to happen
And it's so sad you're so good and I'm so bad
It is unfortunate that you are great and I am not
But you won't see me wasting the best thing I ever had
I will not waste the best thing that has ever happened to me
And it's such a shame that I can't tell you anything
It is regrettable that I cannot communicate with you
You won't hear me still you endear me now, yeah
Although you might not listen, you still hold a special place in my heart
Hard to see past the window facing forward looking back
It is challenging to move forward when you are stuck in the past
Over years spent tracing wondering how you left your track
After many years, you might still be questioning how you got to where you are
Underwater breathing burns your lungs and breaks your back
Struggling to survive can be painful and exhausting
But you could be waiting right here for a day that won't come
Despite the circumstances, you still might be holding onto hope for something that is not likely to happen
Still you endear me now, yeah
You still hold a special place in my heart
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN CHARLES HAMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind