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.
Regrets
Nine Days Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's nothin' new we haven't heard
I wish to hell that I could tell the truth
From all the lies we keep inside
Behind closed doors
Inside our minds
I pray to heaven, save us from ourselves
Well, here I am
A lifetime's past since yesterday
Still I am no farther than before
Through all the roads and paths we walked
Endless nights alone we talked
Those miles will never mean a thing
And I (I) never thought we had a chance
So you (you) you should fly away, and I will fade
Sometimes life can be so hard
You do your best and still you're scarred
I like you better than myself
And on this point we disagree
You give your love, you're never free
For, break your heart is somethin' I couldn't help
And I (I) never thought we had a chance
So you (you) you should fly away (fly away) and I will fade (and I will fade)
Have you got time for faded words
I've somethin' here you haven't heard
Wish to hell I could of told the truth
Well, there's all these words I couldn't say
A lifetime's past and gone away
Still I am no farther than before
And I (I) I think that maybe we had our chance
So you (you) you flew away, so I will fade (I will fade)
I will fade
You flew away
So I will fade
I will fade
The song "Regrets" by Nine Days is a poignant ballad that dives deep into the themes of regret, loss, and self-realization. The first verse of the song sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The line "Who's got time for faded words, there's nothing new we haven't heard" highlights the feeling of being stuck in a rut, where everything has become predictable and mundane. The singer wishes to be able to tell the truth, but feels trapped by the lies people keep inside, whether it's behind closed doors or inside our minds. The singer then prays for salvation from oneself, suggesting that we can become our own worst enemy.
In the second verse, the lyrics illustrate that despite the efforts we put forth, life can still be painful. The singer acknowledges that they have scars that they can't forget despite doing their best to move on. They also suggest that someone else is better than them, but they can't let go of them because they love them too much. Ultimately, the singer acknowledges that they are not farther than they were before, still struggling with the same problems they had in the past. The chorus, "And I (I) never thought we had a chance, so you (you) you should fly away, and I will fade," speaks to the singer's deep sense of loss, recognizing that the relationship was doomed from the start.
Overall, "Regrets" is an emotional and thought-provoking song that touches on themes that many people can relate to, such as regret, self-doubt, and loss, especially in the context of a relationship. At the same time, the lyrics offer a glimmer of hope, suggesting that one day, we may be able to overcome these feelings and find peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's got time for faded words
There's no point in repeating old things that we all already know
There's nothin' new we haven't heard
There's no novelty in the things we say or do
I wish to hell that I could tell the truth
I really wish I could be honest, but it's hard to find the courage to do so
From all the lies we keep inside
We're afraid to face the truth and so we hide it with lies
Behind closed doors
We keep secrets hidden from others, even those closest to us
Inside our minds
Our thoughts and emotions are complex and difficult to express
I pray to heaven, save us from ourselves
We need help to be saved from our own destructive habits and tendencies
Well, here I am
I'm still here, trying to make sense of it all
Another day
Time passes quickly and each day seems like the next
A lifetime's past since yesterday
It feels like a lifetime has passed even though it's only been one day
Still I am no farther than before
Despite time passing, I don't feel like I'm making any progress or moving forward
Through all the roads and paths we walked
We've been through a lot together, and we've tried different ways to move forward
Endless nights alone we talked
We've had many conversations trying to make sense of our lives and emotions
Those miles will never mean a thing
Despite our efforts, it doesn't seem like we're making any real progress or moving forward
And I (I) never thought we had a chance
I never believed that we had what it takes to succeed
So you (you) you should fly away, and I will fade
You should move on with your life and I will disappear
Sometimes life can be so hard
Life can be incredibly difficult and challenging
You do your best and still you're scarred
Even when we try our best, we still end up bruised and broken
I like you better than myself
I care about you more than I care about myself
And on this point we disagree
We have different priorities and values
You give your love, you're never free
Love often comes at a cost and sacrifices are made
For, break your heart is somethin' I couldn't help
If I ever hurt you, it would be unintentional and I would regret it deeply
Have you got time for faded words
Do you really want to keep repeating the same old things?
I've somethin' here you haven't heard
There's something important that I haven't told you yet
Wish to hell I could of told the truth
I really wanted to be honest with you, but I couldn't find the words
Well, there's all these words I couldn't say
My thoughts and feelings are so complicated that I couldn't express them in words
I (I) think that maybe we had our chance
I think that we had an opportunity to succeed, but we missed it
So you (you) you flew away, so I will fade (I will fade)
You've moved on with your life, and I will disappear
I will fade
I will disappear and be forgotten
You flew away
You moved on with your life without me
So I will fade
I will disappear because there's nothing left for me here
Lyrics ยฉ O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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