Heather and Ciara met at BIMM Institute and formed the band Creek in 2013 with guitarist Ben Bateman and bassist Ryan Marsden. Their song “Lust” gained local popularity and received radio airplay, leading to a number of local gigs. In 2014, band changed its name to Pale Waves and Hugo and Charlie joined soon after, in 2015. Heather has said that the band name comes from the title of a painting owned by her grandmother.
They were signed to record label Dirty Hit in 2016 and their first two singles, 2017's "There's a Honey" and "Television Romance", were produced by Matthew Healy of labelmates The 1975. Their first EP, All the Things I Never Said, was released in February 2018. In September 2018, they released their debut album My Mind Makes Noises.
Early in 2019, the band shared plans to release an EP that year, but decided later to focus on their second album. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020—as well as the decision to approach the new album with a different stylistic direction inspired by the music of the 1990s and 2000s—delayed the production and release of new music until late 2020.
The band’s second album, Who Am I?, was released on February 12, 2021, preceded by the single "Change”, which was released on November 10, 2020. It debuted at #3 on the UK Albums Chart.
Unwanted, Pale Waves' third album, was released on August 12, 2022. The album represents yet another stylistic leap for the band, this time adding pop punk influences to their evolving sound.
Numb
Pale Waves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I haven't moved since yesterday
And I don't think I'm going anywhere
The ceiling, it's caving in
And I've lost every single win
But I'm too numb to even care at all
I can't even run away when I try
Let me be free
I look for all of the reasons why
Happiness is something I can't find
Need to just breathe
It's the downfall of me and my mind
Drinking for the hell of it
A cliché, yeah, I'll admit
I don't even know what I'm here for
Sick and tired of feeling the same
Drowning in the London rain
There's gotta be something more than this
I can't even run away when I try
It's just the downfall of me and my mind
Let me be free
I look for all of the reasons why
Happiness is something I can't find
Need to just breathe
It's the downfall of me and my mind
The curtains, I've drawn 'em shut
I feel lost and I'm giving up
'Cause I'm too numb to even care at all
The lyrics of Pale Waves's song Numb reveal a sense of hopelessness, despair, and emotional numbness. The singer is lying on the floor, feeling stuck and unable to move on, and even thinks that they won't be able to leave anytime soon. They have lost every single win, and the ceiling feels as if it's caving in, indicating that they are struggling with depression or anxiety. They are so numb that they can't even care anymore, and they are using drinking as a coping mechanism. The chorus talks about how the singer wants to be free and find happiness, but they feel as if it's impossible because of their state of mind.
The singer's emotions are so intense that they are drowning in London rain, implying that they are metaphorically drowning in their own dark thoughts. They are desperately searching for something more than the pain they are experiencing, but they can't seem to find it. The curtains are drawn shut, representing their isolating themselves from the world, giving up and feeling lost. The song ends with the realization that the singer is too numb to care about anything at all.
Overall, Pale Waves's Numb represents the struggles of mental illness, specifically depression and anxiety. The lyrics convey the singer's feeling of being stuck and unable to move on, even though they desperately want to. The song also has a melancholic feel to it, reflecting the mood of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Lying on the floor today
The artist is feeling physically and emotionally exhausted, unable to move.
I haven't moved since yesterday
The artist has been stagnant and unable to make progress in a while.
And I don't think I'm going anywhere
The artist recognizes their current state of being stuck with no hope of moving forward or improving their current situation.
The ceiling, it's caving in
The artist feels like everything around them is closing in and suffocating them.
And I've lost every single win
The artist has experienced continuous losses and setbacks.
But I'm too numb to even care at all
The artist has become desensitized and indifferent to their struggles and is no longer motivated to make any changes.
I can't even run away when I try
The artist is trapped and unable to escape from their situation or negative thoughts.
It's just the downfall of me and my mind
The artist recognizes that their own thoughts and mindset are contributing to their issues.
Let me be free
The artist is pleading for freedom from their struggles and negative thoughts.
I look for all of the reasons why
The artist is constantly searching for explanations and solutions to their problems.
Happiness is something I can't find
The artist is struggling to find joy in their life.
Need to just breathe
The artist recognizes that they need to take time to slow down and take care of themselves.
Drinking for the hell of it
The artist is drinking alcohol as a form of escape.
A cliché, yeah, I'll admit
The artist acknowledges that their behavior is predictable and stereotypical.
I don't even know what I'm here for
The artist is experiencing existential confusion and uncertainty about their purpose in life.
Sick and tired of feeling the same
The artist is exhausted by the cyclical nature of their negative thoughts and emotions.
Drowning in the London rain
The artist's environment is adding to their emotional stress and struggles.
There's gotta be something more than this
The artist is searching for something beyond their current situation and struggles.
The curtains, I've drawn 'em shut
The artist has shut themselves off from the world and is isolating themselves.
I feel lost and I'm giving up
The artist has hit a low point and no longer has the energy or motivation to keep going.
'Cause I'm too numb to even care at all
The artist has become apathetic to their struggles and is no longer invested in making changes.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Heather Baron-Gracie, Kelsi Luck, Zakk Cervini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
seyma yıldız
Lying on the floor today
I haven't moved since yesterday
And I don't think I'm going anywhere
The ceiling it's caving in
And I've lost every single win
But I'm too numb to even care at all
I can't even run away when I try
It's just the downfall of me and my mind
Let me be free
I look for all of the reasons why
Happiness is something I can't find
Need to just breathe
It's the downfall of me and my mind
Drinking for the hell of it
A cliché yeah I'll admit
And I don't even know what I'm here for
Sick and tired of feeling the same
Drowning in the London rain
There's gotta be something more than this
I can't even run away when I try
It's just the downfall of me and my mind
Let me be free
I look for all of the reasons why
Happiness is something I can't find
Need to just breathe
It's the downfall of me and my mind
The curtains I've drawn them shut
I feel lost and I'm giving up
'Cause I'm too numb to even care at all
seyma yıldız
Lying on the floor today
I haven't moved since yesterday
And I don't think I'm going anywhere
The ceiling it's caving in
And I've lost every single win
But I'm too numb to even care at all
I can't even run away when I try
It's just the downfall of me and my mind
Let me be free
I look for all of the reasons why
Happiness is something I can't find
Need to just breathe
It's the downfall of me and my mind
Drinking for the hell of it
A cliché yeah I'll admit
And I don't even know what I'm here for
Sick and tired of feeling the same
Drowning in the London rain
There's gotta be something more than this
I can't even run away when I try
It's just the downfall of me and my mind
Let me be free
I look for all of the reasons why
Happiness is something I can't find
Need to just breathe
It's the downfall of me and my mind
The curtains I've drawn them shut
I feel lost and I'm giving up
'Cause I'm too numb to even care at all
fiona
this song is so comforting for some reason. it feels like i’m not alone feeling like i just need to breathe yet it’s so hard
Jeffery Johns
My favorite non single on the album. Beautiful song 🖤 🎶 Let me be free 🎶
츄
album on repeat while dealing with heartbreak
FrogBlog
You guys are so awesome, your music is addictive, and it has recently inspired me to buy drums and learn a new instrument. Long live Pale Waves.
(waves....palely) x
Arnon Afonso
que coisa linda meus deeeeus
Andi Holman
Massive goosebumps with this one. Sounds very Noel Gallagher to me, and he’s a genius
Eska
Love this Band 🔥🔥🔥
Francisco Almeida
Love this one!!! Thank u @palewaves ❤️
Jess Ledger
have I decided to dedicated my day to listening to this album on repeat, absolutely not 😩