Opshop are Jason Kerrison (vocals/guitar), Matt Treacy (guitar), Clint Harr… Read Full Bio ↴Opshop are Jason Kerrison (vocals/guitar), Matt Treacy (guitar), Clint Harris (bass) and Bobby Kennedy (drums).

The New Zealand rock band have released three albums - 2004's platinum selling 'You Are Here', 2007's multi-platinum selling 'Second Hand Planet', and 2010's 'Until The End Of Time'.

Opshop were winners of the coveted 'Peoples Choice Award' at the 2007 New Zealand Music Awards. Also in 2007 their single “Maybe” achieved the honour of being the biggest song at New Zealand radio ever, holding the #1 most-played spot for 12 consecutive weeks.

Opshop describe their sound like this: "An equal opportunistic grab bag of semi-funkster pop and crackle 'muesli' rock. We like playing music that sounds nice and loud. And dirty and quiet and every nook 'n' cranny in between. If you're not sure what it is. Its likely to be ours".

Breathing Space
Opshop Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm so sorry
We were getting so tired
And here I was off dreaming again
One day we'd see the light before it caught fire
One day we'd see the light before it caught fire

(Chorus)
Don't give me breathing space

I said, don't you dare give me breathing space
We're so familiar here
We're so, so out of place, my love, oh
And I would rather be anywhere

She knows…
Oh…

Something's circling
I can feel the weight deep under our breath
Come hold my hand
Hold it as tight as you can
Hold it as tight as you can

Don't give me breathing space
I said, don't you dare give me breathing space
We're so senseless here
We're so, so out of place, my love, oh
And I would rather be anywhere…

Can we not see it
Can we not see it
Can we not see it through

We so defenceless here
We're so, so out of place, my love, oh

I would rather be anywhere
Anywhere

Overall Meaning

The song "Breathing Space" by Opshop is a beautifully melancholic tune that talks about a couple who are losing their way in life. The opening lines of the song, "I'm so sorry, we were getting so tired, and here I was off dreaming again," indicate a sense of regret and a realization that they have been losing focus in their lives. The singer is dreaming of a day when they would see the light before it caught fire. It implies that their relationship was slowly falling apart and they wanted to rectify it before it was too late.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "don't give me breathing space." This line indicates that the couple is feeling suffocated, and they're not ready for a break or a moment to pause and think about their lives. They're afraid that if they take a breath, they'll be swallowed up by doubt, and it'll become too hard to come back from it. The singer expresses how they're out of place and familiar with their current situation, implying that their lives need a change, and they want to move from their current space.

The line "something's circling, I can feel the weight deep under our breath" signifies that they're both feeling something they cannot name. They hold hands tightly, perhaps to find solace in each other's company. The final lines of the song talk about being defenseless in their current situation, and they'd instead be anywhere else, implying that they want change and are tired of feeling helpless.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm so sorry
Apology for current state

We were getting so tired
Inevitable exhaustion

And here I was off dreaming again
Lack of attention and focus

One day we'd see the light before it caught fire
Missed opportunities and foresight

Don't give me breathing space
Fear of losing momentum

I said, don't you dare give me breathing space
Emphasis on the fear

We're so familiar here
Comfortable but stagnant environment

We're so, so out of place, my love, oh
Feeling of displacement

And I would rather be anywhere
Desire for change

She knows…
Unspoken connection or acknowledgement

Something's circling
Presence of something ominous or unknown